FAMILY WEB PAGE

George Richards was born in Alyburton, Gloucester, England, which is near the border with Wales. His parents were Benjamin Richards and Elizabeth.

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Sarah was born in St Briavels, Gloucester, England, which is also near the border with Wales. Her occupation was dressmaker.

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The children of George and Sarah were:

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• Emma: daughter, baptised June 14, 1840, in St Briavels Parish (Parish record page 12, entry No. 89). Emma became a dressmaker as indicated on the 1861 census.

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• Sarah: daughter.

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• Edwin: son, baptised June 8, 1845, in St Briavels Parish (Parish record page 30, entry No. 248).

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• Diania (variously "Desamin" "Desima"): daughter

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• Louisa: daughter, born August 25, 1851, and baptised September 21, 1851, in St Briavels Parish. (Parish record page 52, entry No. 415).

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• William: son, baptised April 9, 1854, in St Briavels Parish. (Parish record page 62, entry No. 494).

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In all the above baptism records, George's occupation is shown as carpenter. Their abode as shown is more difficult to read but appears to be Lower "Miend", Lower "M?", Lower Mesne, and Lower Meen. There is presently a Lower Meend in St Briavels and it is most likely this is the correct name for all the baptism records.

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The 1851 census for St Briavels, Gloucestershire, shows that George Richards was 36 years old, born in Aylburton, and his profession is carpenter.  His wife Sarah is also 36 years old and was born in St. Briavels and her profession is dressmaker.  They have five children on the 1851 census: Emma 10 years old; Sarah 8 years old; Edwin 5 years old; and Diania 3 years old. Censuses are usually taken in the Spring and so  Louisa, who was born on August 25, 1851 (which would be after the census), does not appear. Also living in their home is  Ann Whittington, a lodger, who is widowed, 80 years old, born in Bredean, Gloucester, and a laundress. It is interesting to note that Thornton Simmons' first wife, Louisa, was a Whittington.

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By the 1861 census Louisa who is now 9 years old and a son William who is 7 years old have been added to the family of George and Sarah Richards with Emma, Sarah, Edwin and "Desamin" (who was shown as Diania in the 1851 census) still shown in this census record. In 1861 daughters Emma and Sarah are listed as dressmakers. Edwin is listed as a carpenter. He is 15 years old. Desamin, Louisa and William are all listed as scholars. All children are unmarried at this time. Living in their home in St Briavels is an unmarried 26 year old lodger named William George whose occupation looks like "carter".

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In the 1871 St Briavels census there is no mention of the mother Sarah, so we can assume she died between 1861 and 1871. In the family home in St Briavels are the father George, 57 years old, a carpenter; daughter Desima Jones, 24 years old and married; Louisa Richards, 19 years old and unmarried; Edwin Richards a grandson who is 3 year old, and Temprance George a granddaughter who is also 3 years old. Could this be the daughter of William George the lodger? The mother of Temperance George would likely be a daughter of George and Sarah; probably not Desima because Desima’s (married) name is now Jones. 

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The three year old grandson Edwin Richards was possibly the son of one son of George and Sarah.

 

It is also interesting that the witness on the first marriage of Thornton Simmons (to Louisa Whittington) was J. Jones.  Given the proximity of where they all lived and that there were probably only a few families with many children and interrelationships it is possible this was another family connection.