Genealogy Chat

I am doing some research for a friend. Her granfather Reginald Edward Parry was orphaned (parents were wealthy alcoholics!) when he was 10. He was born in Chester in 1896, son of David and Catherine Parry. In the 1901 and 1911 he was listed as living with Margaret with his younger sister Dorothy in Nerquis (English version of Nercwys, Holywell, Flintshire).
Problem is we don't know who Margaret was although he was listed as grandson we cannot find connection as she doesn't appear before 1901.
Reginald's grandparents were Edward and Mary Parry b. 1822 and 1831 respectively.
Reginald was a printer, David a draper and Edward ran a canal boat.

Any help appreciated.

Paul Docking

Paul...

The Birth of Reg.F S Parry was June quarter 1890 (not 1896 unless thatchild died and another was named the same 1896) there is also a girl Ivy Vinette Parry same Reg. maybe he was a twin....
You will find details on Free BMD site Chester.

Births Sep 1895
Parry Reginald Edward Chester 8a 402


In the 1901 Reginald seems to be with his parents:


1901 England Census about Regi Edw Parry
Name: Regi Edw Parry
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896
Relation: Son
Father's Name: David E Parry
Mother's name: Catherine Parry
Gender: Male
Where born: Chester, Cheshire, England

Civil parish: Chester
Ecclesiastical parish: Chester St Mary without the Walls
Town: Chester
County/Island: Cheshire
Registration district: Chester
Sub-registration district: Chester Cathedral
ED, institution, or vessel: 8

David E Parry 33
Catherine Parry 26
Regi Edw Parry 5
Dorothy Parry 2
Jane Hughes 55 (mother in law)
Maggie Gregg 14
Wilfred Trubshaw 30

In 1911 they seem to have an older Parry with them, also described as grandson:


1911 Wales Census about Reggie E Parry
Name: Reggie E Parry
Age in 1911: 15
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896
Relation to Head: Grandson
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Chester, Cheshire, England
Civil parish: Nerquis
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: Old Smithy, Nerquis, Nr Mold
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Printer Apprentice
Registration district: Holywell

Margaret Humphreys 74
Ann Humphreys 32
James Parry 18
Reggie E Parry 15
Dorothy Parry 12

OK I think we are getting somewhere now: James is a sibling.

In 1901 James and Catherine are with Margaret and Ann Humphreys:

Name: Ann Humphreys
Age in 1901: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Relation: Daughter
Mother's name: Margaret Humphreys
Gender: Female
Where born: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales

Civil parish: Nerquis
Ecclesiastical parish: Nerquis
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales

Registration district: Holywell
Sub-registration district: Mold

Margaret Humphreys 63
John Humphreys 23
Ann Humphreys 20
Edward G Humphreys 18
Catherine E Parry 30
James Parry 8
Thomas William 59

1891 Humphreys:

Name: Edward Humphreys
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Edward Humphreys
Mother's name: Margrete Humphreys
Gender: Male
Where born: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales

Civil parish: Nerquis
Ecclesiastical parish: Nerquis
Town: Nerquis
County/Island: Flintshire
Registration district: Holywell
Sub-registration district: Mold

Edward Humphreys 62
Margrete Humphreys 50
Anne Humphreys 10
Edward Humphreys 8

From the age of those children it looks like a very late or a second marriage.

BINGO!

Marriages Dec 1876
Humphreys Edward Holywell 11b 429
PARRY Margaret Holywell 11b 429

1871

Name: Margaret Parry
[nee Margaret Griffiths]
Age: 35
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Relation: Head
Mother's name: Catherine Griffiths
Gender: Female
Where born: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales
Civil parish: Nercwys
Ecclesiastical parish: Nercwys
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Holywell
Sub-registration district: Mold


Margaret Parry 35 widow
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>David E Parry 3
Catherine E Parry 1
Catherine Griffiths 79 mother
Margaret Davies 13


Margaret is David's mother and therefore Reginald's grandmother :-D

1881

Name: David Edward Parry
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Gender: Male
Where born: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales

Civil parish: Mold - Nerquis
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales

Street Address: Evel Isa
Education: View image
Employment status: View image
Occupation: Son In Law ***** should be stepson

Edward Humphey 50
Margret Humphey 47
David Edward Parry 13
Cathn. E. Parry 11
John Humpheys 3
Ann Humpheys
Hugh Seddon 62

Margaret is working as a servant at Llanferres rectory in 1861

Name: Margaret Griffiths
Age: 25
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales

Civil Parish or Township: Llanferres
County/Island: Denbighshire
Country: Wales

James Richard Owen 49
Mary Owen 44
Alice Mary Owen 17
Jane Campbell Holmes 49
James Connel 57
Sarah Williams 48
Margaret Griffiths 25
Mary Williams 14

Can't find Margaret Griffith's marriage to Mr Parry however so you'll need to buy a birth certificate to confirm who David's parents are. Edward was his step father (although could be his father's name as well). Given that David was so very little when his father died, Edward would be the only dad he would have really known.

Births Dec 1867
Parry David Edward Holywell 11b 268
(Do you have this cert? Is that how you know Edward ran a canal boat?)

EDIT: just realised I'm making an assumption here. Margaret's mother may have married twice too, so Margaret's maiden name might not be Griffiths!

Here's an 1851 that works given that Nercwys is very close to Mold:

Name: Catherine Griffiths
Age: 55
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1796
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Mold, Denbighshire, Wales (given for all 3)
Civil Parish or Township: Bersham
County/Island: Denbighshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Wrexham

Catherine Griffiths 55 widow
Thomas Griffiths 21
Margret Griffiths 18

Looks like Edward had been married before too:

1861

Name: Edward Humphreys
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1830
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Humphreys
Gender: Male
Where born: Hope, Flintshire, Wales

Civil Parish or Township: Tryddyn
Ecclesiastical parish: Treuddyn
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Wrexham
Sub-registration district: Hope

Edward Humphreys 31
Elizabeth Humphreys 32

Janice
This is amazing. Our friend is on holiday with us so we will sit down and digest tonight. Rare sun is too tempting at moment! She is Ros Parry from Hope, same place as Edward. She remembers the smallholding in Nercwys where her grandad lived when he was orphaned. We also found a grand aunt, Dorothy, who nobody had told her about.

Many thanhs so far.

Paul

She now has a great uncle James too!

And half great aunt and uncles - John, Ann, and Edward Griffith.

Looks like Edward Griffith Humphreys was running the Sun Inn pub in Eryrys with his wife Hannah when he died in 1934.

Probate says his effects were £373-3s.

Found 2 marriages for Dorothy:
1st was in 1920 to William Owen Roberts at Nercwys church.

When William died in 1927 they were running The Stores in Nercwys. His effects were worth £473 - 7d

2nd marriage was in 1940 at Nercwys again to Thomas Roberts.

Too difficult to work out if they had children as those names are in abundance!

This is probably Dorothy's first husband in 1911

Name: William Owen Roberts
Age in 1911: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1895
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Nerquis, Flintshire, Wales
Civil parish: Nerquis
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: Old School House Nerquis Mold
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Coal Mine Labourer Under Ground
Registration district: Holywell
Registration District Number: 619
Sub-registration district: Mold

Elizebeth Roberts 63
Walter George Roberts 23
William Owen Roberts 16

Some great old pics here

http://www.oldukphotos.com/flintshirenerquis.htm

This looks like Margaret in 1841, parents Edward and Catherine. Catherine we know is correct, and Edward seems to be a name running throughthis family big-time! The address is Pentre fach, Nerquis.

Name: Margaret Griffiths
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Gender: Female
Where born: Flintshire, Wales

Civil parish: Mold
Hundred: Mold
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Holywell
Sub-registration district: Mold

Edward Griffiths 45
Cathrine Griffiths 47
Daniel Griffiths 19
Jane Griffiths 12
Hannah Griffiths 10
Edward Griffiths 8
Margaret Griffiths 5
Shem Griffiths 3

Just a thought. Assuming Catherine E. was David E.'s sister could James have been her son who had left Chester for Nercwys to avoid shame?