Forest of Dean FHT Forum -

Edward ASTON,Clearwell bapt. 1771 (reply)

Jer_Roy — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:09:42 +0000

**Can anyone prove or disprove whether Edward Aston, baptised at Newland in 1771 while his parents lived at Clearwell, was the Edward Aston who married Jane Phillips at Hewelsfield in 1799?**

Hello again. I am returning to this research after a long gap and would like to correct and refine my original question.

Edward Aston’s birth in about 1764 and his birthplace at Hewelsfield were estimates, not established facts.

What I now have is:

• Edward Aston, bachelor, and Jane Phillips, spinster, both then resident at Hewelsfield, married there by licence on 2 July 1799: P175/IN 1/3, entry 95. Both made their mark; the witnesses were George Williams and Mary Jones.

• The 1851 census records Edward as aged 88 and a retired innkeeper. His gravestone records that he died on 9 February 1853 aged 87; his burial appears to have been on 15 February. The age evidence therefore points broadly towards birth around 1762–66, although it is not internally consistent.

• The supposed Hewelsfield entry dated 19 September 1762 is not Edward Aston: it is a baptism for Edward Martin.

• The lead identified here in 2010 remains the baptism at Newland on 2 November 1771 of Edward, son of Phillip and Ann Aston, resident at Clearwell: P227/IN 4/1, page 333.

• A transcription also records the marriage by banns at Newland of Philip Assen/Aston and Anne Bayton on 30 October 1771: P227/IN 1/7, page 473.

The 1771 Edward is therefore a possible candidate, but not yet proved to be my Edward. He would only have been about 81 when Edward of Hewelsfield died, materially younger than the ages recorded in the census and on the gravestone.

My current question is: has anyone found evidence proving or disproving that the Edward baptised at Newland in 1771 became the Edward Aston of Hewelsfield who married Jane Phillips in 1799?

I would particularly welcome anything tracing Philip and Ann Aston/Assen or their son Edward after 1771, including wills, land tax, settlement or removal records, apprenticeships, estate rentals, inn-licensing records, or an alternative baptism for Edward. Exact references or images of original records would be especially helpful.

I have enquiries pending with Gloucestershire Archives concerning the 1799 marriage licence and with the National Library of Wales concerning Clearwell estate rentals. I will update the thread when replies arrive.

Many thanks,

Jeremy Aston

Ann James of Wollaston

CarrieBEE — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:17:01 +0000

I am searching for any information on Ann James born 1792 in Wollaston and who died in 1867 in Parkend. She married Thomas Watkins in 1813 and her son was called Isaac Watkins. I think her parents were John James and Mary but I am unable to find a marriage certificate. Is there anyone researching this family?

Isolation Hospital (reply)

ann smith — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 17:58:17 +0000

Hi Andrea,
We believe, we live in the bungalow that your uncle (Harold Gardner) built in the early 60s. Do you know more about the bungalow? Do you have pictures? What was before the bungalow? Any information, would be great.
Thanks,
Ann

House on or near the Plump, Mitcheldean (reply)

amaska — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:13:48 +0000

Thanks!

Plump Hill sheep arches and King smallholding in 1930s (reply)

amaska — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:12:43 +0000

Fascinating - thanks again. My mother has passed away but I am still very interested in the Plump, and her time there, as well as the many King relatives.

The Tilt, Plump Hill, G17 0EZ - not Frottage Cottage (reply)

amaska — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:06:56 +0000

Thanks for this.

House on or near the Plump, Mitcheldean (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:16:51 +0000

The shop she remembers was probably connected to the point. Demolished to make way for the new road but there is a house which survived that which used to be the shop that still runs on the main road which should have been next to the old dolemite quary there.. and would have served the houses on the rocks .

The Tilt, Plump Hill, G17 0EZ - not Frottage Cottage (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:13:35 +0000

I know tge tilt and your right it is a separate property . It's about 5 doors down from me but the access is from the main plump hill. If coming up from mitcheldean its set back from the road as is part of the original hillside cottage structure where they were all a bit higeldy pigeldy around the hillside from the original road..

Plump Hill sheep arches and King smallholding in 1930s (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:58:41 +0000

Ive Just come across this post, I'm not sure if it's still active. Ive literally been researching my house history today and joined to reply.
The name king is associated with my property.. or the property as was . It was originally listed and built as one property now 2 detached as was split. From the census and history it housed workers for the mine ( fairview mines) and was used for multi tenanted accomodation) commonly housing multiple families. From the census details i can access and history Ive gleaned it was linked to 3 families. Buffreys, brain and king. But there are also redacted details on the census which my searches detail could relate to younger children living in the property or war evacuated children.
My house is at the top of the rocks. Those tunnels are half way down. Ive a man still local linked to the brains who was born in my house and remembers what I'd now the wooded area that edges the rocks from the top by the quarry to mid point tunnels being all open grazing land. This i believe from searches was owned as were the majority of sheep by the kings. The trees have been all grown from self seeding. It used to be clear land and he remembers the sheep. He would have been a similar age I guess to your family member (and evacuated children at the time).. there were a lot of children in the area.. families were still working in the quarry. His brother did. He was younger he remembers he and others used to play on the grazing land and roll down the slopes. I can also find information that the kings owned land further down on the rocks where they housed livestock and had lean too building.. this was possibly the parcel of land that has become my now neighbours garden when our houses were split. Now bramble cottage. The bufferys were the main family with the most brought in interest. But there were still other families living in the original house at that time.. so it could be they were living in the property when they divided the houses ? Although there is another original cottage now the peen on the plump i don't know what it was originally called.
If it helps you can find more information looking at the history of my property. Then known as fairview cottage, the rocks but add into the search now October cottage and bramble cottage the rocks . Plump hill. Gloucestershire. I hope they helps... and I learnt diverging I've been here 23 years and never knew what those tunnels were for!!!

Just copied this from. My history and research of my property. Listed as being tenants..

The King Family
As the Fairplay Iron Mine began to decline into the 20th century, the land usage shifted from strict mining to smallholding.Who they were: The King family became highly prominent figures on the Plump during the late Victorian era and into the 1911 census and 1930s.The Connection: They ran smallholdings, kept livestock on the surrounding banks, and are associated with the properties located right on the lower Rocks lane.

Tips for BARNETT/BARNARD Mitcheldean/East Dean (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:35:09 +0000

Just been researching my houses history. It was originally built around 1820 to 1840. It was called fairview cottage. It is on the rocks at the top next to fairview quarry
Now 2 houses and not to be confused with the row terrace cottages that still exist now called fairview cottages.. however my house was originally built to house workers in the quarry that was really prominent in 1840 onwards. The house was built out of quaried stone. I have traced back Bernard's living in this house and a number of other cottages on the lane of the rocks.
If you search under fairview cottage. The rocks . Plump hill. Gloucestershire. This should give you more information. They were one if 3 very prominent families associated in this location.
Hope that helps.

Any Gypsy connections? SMITH DUBERLEY Crump 1939 (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 22:53:22 +0000

150 2

1939 Caravan Crump Meadow
Frederick Dubberley.
My grandad. Romany gypsy

Duberley/Smith/Fletcher Gypsy Connection (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:19:46 +0000

Annies dad was bill (william)and sarah (fletcher) dubberley. She was my grandad freds sister. The whole family moved from the forest of dean to Ballsall common warickshire around 1940. Their descendants still live there today. Bill and sarah were Romany gipsies that were on a census as living in tents and caravans in the forest of dean.

Duberley/Smith/Fletcher Gypsy Connection (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:13:43 +0000

Annie was my grandad Fred Dubberleys sister. He was a gypsy/ traveller . His parents where bill and sarah. his brothers where dennis, stan and christopher. His family were on a gypsy census as "hawkers" and at that time they were recorded as living in tents and caravans in the forest of dean.

Kear of Bream & Castleford West Yorkshire. (reply)

Michelle East — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:10:29 +0000

Hi l am Michelle Kear born Castleford 1963 my father William Henry Kear his father (my grandfather) James Henry Kear and his father my g g grandfather Elijah Thornton Kear. Hello there.

Update Completed

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I have completed the software update.

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Forum Maintenance: 16 July 9pm

admin2 — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:58:40 +0000

I now plan to update the forum software this evening 16 July at 9pm BST. Both the Forum and the main site will be unavailable for around an hour.

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Richard SHOTT - 1650s 1st son born Westbury on Severn (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:12:55 +0000

Hi Debs,

I found the apprenticeship contracts on Ancestry it says "John Shott, son of Richard Shott of Berrow" and is dated 1674. I don't know if you'd have seen this already by now.

Dom

Ernest Thomas SHOTT 1876 - 1958 (?) Littledean (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:44:55 +0000

Hi there,

My family descend from Emmanuel Shott (1847), his son Thomas 1873.

Sadly, I don't know these members yet, but I'm thinking of starting a project to work out all the past Shotts from 1800s back. It'll be a beast of a project to be sure!

If I find Ernest, I'll let you know!

Cheers,

Dom

Richard SHOTT - 1650s 1st son born Westbury on Severn (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:36:49 +0000

Hi Debbie,

I realise I'm (quite) a bit late to this party, but I'm researching my Shott family history and it's taking me in the same direction!

I was going to dismiss the apprenticeship contracts in London, but saw the fathers were from Pendock and Berrow.

It would be great to see how far you got with it.

Cheers,

Dom

Reverend Jackman Morse - clerk (reply)

cmfenton — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:22:33 +0000

The traditional term for Anglican ministers well into the 20th century was "Clerk in Holy Orders".

My late father-in-law used it on his passport when occupations were required and it avoided the potential of awkward questions for him on some of his travels.