1871 Welsh Census showing Roberts Family in Ffestiniog North Wales

Here is a copy of the 1871 Welsh census showing the Robert's Family living in Ffestiniog North Wales, still on Dolgarregddu Street.

However, the family has two more daughters. 

They are not on the 1881 Welsh census so they may have got married.

They match in all other ways, except the age of the mother, Mary, is the same as her husband, while in the 1881 census she is listed as being two years older.

This is where you have to have really good eyes!

This is the snip from Ancestry, but it states that John Roberts is born in Ireland!

This is utterly false so I left a comment.

The transcriber read the country above John's, and put that down for him.

Oh woe is me!

But I'm thrilled to have found the Robert's family on two different censuses.

By Loretta Williams Houben

1881 Welsh Census showing Roberts Family in Ffestiniog, North Wales

Ancestry UK had the censuses available for free searching today.

So once again I hunted for my elusive ancestors.

I think I finally found Elizabeth ROBERTS living in Ffestiniog, North Wales on Dolgarregddu Street.

On her wedding certificate she is listed as living on Dolgarregddu street which was two years later than this date, and her father is listed as John Roberts, quarryman, and that's his name and occupation on this census, so I think this is a correct guess.

Here is a closer copy of the names:

John Roberts, head, age 54, quarry man, born in Capel Currig, Caernarvonshire. (about 1827)

Mary Roberts, wife, age 56, born in Bala, Merionethsire. (about 1825)

Elizabeth Roberts, daughter, age 24, domestic servant, born in Portmadoc, Caernarvonshire. (about 1857)

John Roberts, son, age 14, quarry man, born in Festiniog, Merionethshire. (about 1867)

A close up of the Roberts family.

I wonder who little Lambert Price was?

Ancestry's print out.

So this is a great feeling of accomplishment!

You never know what you'll find when you methodically search through the records.

I'll add the names of John and Mary to Elizabeth's family tree!

Elizabeth Roberts married my great grandfather, Joseph Williams, on August 3, 1883.

By Loretta Williams Houben

My great grandparent's marriage certificate.

I am quite excited! I'm nearly 100% sure this is my paternal great grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth Williams. I had found them listed online a few years ago, and double checked the names and information, and the ages. I also asked my genealogy group that I meet with once a month downtown if this would be them, and based on all the information, they said yes.

It turns out I didn't need to mail away for the copy, I just filled everything out online!

It began with a bit of detective work.

FreeBMD is a fantastic site. I discovered it quite a few years ago.

Just click on the link and use it for yourself.

Of course, this doesn't show you the actual certificates, as they are not digitized. 

North Wales BMD provided more clues. 

To verify all that I'd discovered, I clinched it by finding the information on FindMyPast. 

That is a marvelous site which I've been enjoying using all year.

Finally I ordered online from the general register office in Great Britain.

It was extremely easy to do. I ordered it on Sept 11, and it arrived on Sept 23.

The above is a close up of the copied part of the marriage certificate.

It states that Joseph is 30 years old, a bachelor, and his profession is "slate labourer". He was living in Dolgarregddu, Festiniog at the time of the marriage. The certificate is signed in the presence of John Williams, which I assume is his father.

Elizabeth's maiden name is Roberts, which I already knew, and she is 26, and a spinster, also living in Dolgarregddu at the time of the marriage. Her father's name is John Roberts. A witness is Mary Jane Roberts which may be her mother.

The date of the marriage is August 3, 1883.

The marriage took place on a Friday.

How I wish I had a photo of the young couple!

To date, I haven't un-earthed any photos of them at all.

But this is quite exciting news, and I'm thrilled I'm now a "real" genealogist.

By Loretta Williams Houben

Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, my great grandparents.

Welcome to my Williams/Palmer genealogy page.

I've decided to put everything I've learned since 2011 in one spot so it's easy to access.

My great grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Roberts) Williams appear on the 1891 Welsh census.

This is a cropped part of the census, showing Joseph Williams on Line 4, age 37, occupation quarry slate man, born in Caernarvonshire, ? (I can't figure out the rest of the writing).

His wife is Elizabeth (shortened spelling by the enumerator) age 34, born in Porthmadog, Caernarvonshire, North Wales. They have three children at this time.

Elizabeth Ellen, age 6, born in Merioneth, Festiniog. 

(which would mean she was born in 1885)

John Griffith, (incorrectly listed as "Thom") age 3, born in Merioneth, Festiniog, 

on February 17, 1888.

Robert David Williams, age 1, born in Merioneth, Festiniog, on February 21, 1890.

They lived at 394 Geufron Terrace, Blaenau Festiniog, North Wales, in the county of

Merioneth, and they all spoke Welsh.

I cannot locate the family on the census after 1891. Joseph and Elizabeth had one more son,

William Joseph Williams, born in 1898 in Merioneth, Festiniog.

I don't have Joseph and Elizabeth's date of marriage, but hope to solve that mystery soon.

I don't know when they died, or where they are buried.

I don't know the names of their parents or their siblings.

I am hopeful though, as on August 30, 2015, a relative of the Williams family contacted me through Ancestry.com where I have my Williams family tree on public view. It turns out he is a grandson of Robert David Williams and he is supplying me with photos and details of dates.

I'm completely thrilled with this major break through, so I thought it was time to create a blog for my Williams family clan.

By Loretta (Williams) Houben