Genealogy by Hannah Howe remains that when Margaret moved away from Laleston to establish a family with her husband, Thomas, she named her home ‘Laleston House’.
Birth, marriage and death certificates are a great way to add details to our ancestors’ lives. Once you have established the names, locations and relevant dates of your ancestors from family knowledge, BMD indexes and the ten yearly census, you can consider ordering birth, marriage and death certificates.
On a marriage certificate you should find: • • • •
Birth certificates offer the following: • • • •
When and where a person was born. Father's name - when acknowledged. Mother's name. Father's occupation.
• • • •
The birth certificate of my great uncle, Edward Robert Jones, triggered a mystery - the name of Edward’s father was not listed. According to the family, Margaret, Edward’s mother, became pregnant while working as a maid at Laleston House, the manor house in the village of Laleston. Speculation centred on the owner of the house, and his adult son. Whatever the truth of this rumour the fact
The date that the marriage took place. The bride and groom’s full names. Their ages Status at marriage. i.e. widowed, divorced or single. Their profession. Their residence. The bride and groom’s fathers’ names. The bride and groom’s fathers’ occupations. Names of witnesses.
The marriage certificate of my 3 x great grandparents, William Howe and Mary Hopkin, revealed that they married on the 24 August 1850 at St James’ Church in Pyle with Mary’s sister, Margaret, and Catherine Lewis as the witnesses. William signed the marriage certificate with a cross, so he was not
- 56 -
