Genealogy Chat

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I have recently been revisiting my Breconshire Jones brick wall. I searched the 1851 and 1861 census on film at the LDS a few years ago and have been finding them again on ancestry as the images are better than photocopies from the film reader at the LDS. A little “kerching” went off in my head and I’d value your comments. In 1851 one of my John Jones ancestors has “On the sea” as his birthplace. HO 107/2490/624/16 In 1861 North Wales is given as his birthplace. RG9/4221/42/12 The family were Welsh speaking and I’m wondering if an English speaking enumerator may have misunderstood what John said. “On the sea” ……….. Could it be Anglesey? What do you think? Gwynne

Sorry Gwynne, I think that is stretching it a bit too far. With a Welsh accent, It would not sound like that and Anglesey is not in Breconshire is it? Dea

Hi Dea, He was living in Breconshire with his family - his wife and children were born in Breconshire and their birthplaces are given. No county is given for his birth place. Just on the sea or North Wales. Gwynne

Or perhaps he said 'Oswestry' and that would make him English! Just trying to help ;-)))) Pete

Hi Pete, He was Welsh speaking so I don't think so but thanks for the input. Gwynne

Guinevere Anglesey sounds good to me. If he had been born at sea, surely he would have said 'At Sea' not 'On The Sea'. I would check out Anglesey if I were you. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Dianne xx

Gwynne, Had a look at the images but don't know of anything to suggest. You may well be right - stranger things have happened - It wouldn't do any harm to follow your instincts. Dea

Hi Dianne and Dea, Thanks for responding. A lot of Anglesey parishes are on the IGI so I'll have a trawl tonight to see if anything looks promising. Gwynne

Gwynne, On the 1851 census on Ancestry they have him listed as 'brother-in-law'. Do you think that the census says 'father-in-law'. If so perhaps his marriage will say of the parish of (or whatever the Welsh of that phrase is!) Pete

It also looked like father-in-law to me. Dea

It may well be that he was born at sea. Imagine this: If I went to the door on census night I would say my son was born in Pelsall, if he went he would say he was born in Sandwell as we left Pelsall when he was very young. I would probably put my own birthplace down as two different places on different census nights, I could say I was born in West Brom, Staffordshire or Walsall, West Midlands, things changed. If my partner went to the door he would just say the first thing that came into his head to get back to the tele or guess wwhat he didnt know about. EllenX

Hi everyone, Just got back from work. Thanks for adding. I should have said he was the father in law. His daughter Rebekah married another John Jones in Llanwenarth in 1840. I haven't found a baptism for her there or in Llanelly, where she says (on census) she was born. John sr and wife were not married in Llanelly. The 1841 will not have a place of birth just in or out of county - but if they are living somewhere else it may be worth looking there for the marriage and baptisms. Thanks again to all who made suggestions. Gwynne