In a muddle with the Ford family.

Have I 2 different families with the parents with the same names?

Louisa Ford born 1821 Bristol, in 1851 she marries Richard Lewis born 1813 Clifton Bristol, Louisa was 30 and Richard 36.

They appear to of had 5 children

Alfred born 1843 Bristol
Louisa Jane born 1845-before 1858 Bristol
Frederick Miles 1849-1850 Bristol
Rhoda born 1850 Bristol
Louisa born 1858 London.

Four of the children born before marriage.

There could be several explanations

Did they live together un married until 1851

Was Richard married before? According to the children's baptisms the parents were called Richard Lewis and Louisa, but Richard's first wife could also be called Louisa.

The 3 older children belonged to another Richard and Louisa. There is a marriage in 1839 between a Richard Lewis and a Louisa Ball Bristol.

Any help would be appreciated

siamese

Well in 1851 census there is Richard and Louisa living with Sarah Ann daughter aged 9 who is not on your list and Rhoda 3 months.
In 1861 they are with Rhoda 10 and Louisa 3.

Could be he married two women called Louisa - do we know if/when first Louisa died? There is one in 1849 Bristol but that's the quarter before Frederick was born so that doesn't make sense.

I can't see Alfred in 1851 - he didn't die did he because there is a birth and death Clifton 1843. Do you have a baptism for him?

Alfred was baptised on the 4-06-1843 at St George Bristol
Father's name Richard Lewis
Mother's name Louisa Lewis
Batch number co1680-5
Source film number 174958
Reference number item 1 p 260



So all 3 children could of died before 1851?

siamese

Let's look at the children.

Family search has baptisms of 6 with parents Richard Lewis & Louisa.

Sarah Ann 16/5/1841
Alfred 4/6/1843
Louisa Jane 5/1/1845
Frederick Miles 8/4/1849
Rhodda 5/1/1851
Louisa 7/1/60

I assume you are thinking the first Louisa died before the second one was born hence the duplicate name. There's a death in 1853 Clifton of a Louisa but if that is her she should be on the 1851 somewhere as should Alfred if he was still around.

We know Frederick Miles dies in 1850 as he has a distincive name.

Will have a look at later census to see if I can trace Alfred. Bit of a gap too isn't there between Rhodda and Louisa.

Well this could be Alfred in 1881.

Alfred LEWIS Head M Male 38 St George, Gloucester, England Coal Miner
Ellen LEWIS Wife M Female 38 St George, Gloucester, England
Martha LEWIS Daur U Female 19 St George, Gloucester, England Shoe Maker
Fredk. LEWIS Son U Male 13 St George, Gloucester, England Shoe Maker
Charles LEWIS Son U Male 11 St George, Gloucester, England Scholar
Eliza A. LEWIS Daurt U Female 7 St George, Gloucester, England Scholar
Gilbert LEWIS Son U Male 5 St George, Gloucester, England Scholar
Kate LEWIS Daur U Female 1 St George, Gloucester, England

This Alfred is in Yorkshire in 1871 coal miner with wife Ellen and 3 children Martha, Fred & Charles.

None of this helps with which mother they all came from I know nor where any surviving children were in 1851 if not with Richard, Louisa, Sarah Ann & Rhoda.

Might have found them in 1841 - was Richard a mason?

Richard 25
Louisa 20
Sarah 2 months

In 1881?

Richard LEWIS Head M Male 69 Clifton Bristol Mason
Louisa LEWIS Wife M Female 56 London, London, Middlesex, England
Annie BIDMEAD G Dau Female 14 Clifton Bristol

A daughter married a Bidmead possibly Sarah Ann as there is a marriage 1866 Sarah A Lewis and Frederick Bidmead.

I'm thinking of following Louisa in the census to see if ages/birthplaces match which would indicate same or different person.

Where did the Louisa Ford name come from?

how do you know that the marriage of richard that is yours is the louisa ford one not the louisa ball one?

1841 richard 25 ( a mason) is married to louisa 20 and they have sarah ann aged 2 months. then all the children could have been born within this marriage.

1871

Richard 58 - beer house keeper
Louisa 50
Louisa daughter 13
Anne L Bidmead granddaughter 4

Louisa age and birthplace is pretty consistant 20, 30, 40, 50 until 1881.

I'll stop writing now have digressed enough to confuse you

Thanks Tourmie and Vron for your help. I have now also found Alfred and Ellen (on the marriage record on FreeBMD her name is Breese)

Myself think that Richard married twice, in 1839 to Louisa Ball and in 1851 to Louisa Ford. Would be useful to find a death for the first Louisa.

Here are the marriage records
Marriage Sept 1839
Lewis Richard Bristol 11 571. To Ball Louisa
Oh, another Louisa
Marriage June 1850
Lewis Richard Bristol 11 177. To Parks Louisa.
Marriage March 1851
Lewis Richard Bristol 11 175. To Ford Louisa.

Now I am in a even bigger muddle. Did he have 3 wife's? Are there 2 Richard Lewis?

Off to do some more research.

siamese

Should mention Rhoda was born in 1851 not 1850, just found her birth registered on FreeBMD

siamese

(Richard LEWIS Head M Male 69 Clifton Bristol Mason
Louisa LEWIS Wife M Female 56 London, London, Middlesex, England
Annie BIDMEAD G Dau Female 14 Clifton Bristol )

See Louisa was born in London, My Louisa Ford was born in Bristol. I now feel that tree on ancestry is not correct and she married someone totally different. There are alot of marriages for Louisa Ford.

Thank you again for all your help.

siamese