EVANS ANCESTRY

This page is to document the family of Joseph Evans who was born in Hengoed, Oswestry around 1866. He was the son of George and Sarah Evans.

GEORGE EVANS born 1837

George was born in 1837 at Selattyn.

1851 - HP107/1993/278/5.
Pentre David, Selattyn.

There's a marriage at Oswestry in 1846 with Jane Evans and John Lewis on the same page....which is possible for George's Mother?

In 1861 census there were possibilities for George Evans in the Oswestry area, but I have discounted a cork cutter living at Beatrice Street, Oswestry.
1861 - RG9/1876/98/1.
Crown House, Sellatyn, Shropshire.

According to Census records, George married Sarah who was born in Hengoed in 1843. I believe that they married in Oswestry district in 1862 and that Sarah�s maiden name was Bevan. There is an IGI Christening record for Sarah Bevan, daughter of John Bevan and Elizabeth on 26th August 1842 at Selattyn. John and Elizabeth Bevan had another 2 children:

In 1871 George and his family were living at Daywell, north of Oswestry. It was probably the part of Daywell that was "severed, having been assigned to the Hengoed district, the church of which was built in, and the chief part of the district taken from, the parish of Selattyn." rather than the part that became part of Whittington Parish. [Genuki]
1871 - RG10/2785/31/7.
All EVANS.
All born Shropshire.
Living at Daywell, Oswestry, Shropshire.

Sarah and all the children have "Hant, Shropshire" as their place of birth?

In 1881 George was a labourer, and the family were living in Cefn Bychan, which was in Ruabon Parish. Their 3 youngest children were born in Cefn. The children of George and Sarah were:

JOSEPH EVANS

I have found the marriage of a Joseph Evans and Mary Morris in 1886 in the Leigh district of Lancashire, so this may be the correct one. The record says the marriage took place at Leigh Register Office or Registrar Attended.

Mary Evans
  On the left is a picture of Mary Evans, wife of Joseph.
There was a Mary Morris born around 1859 Walthamstow, who was in Service at 11 Calthorpe Street in St Pancras in 1881, and this may be the same person. Her parents may have been Benjamin and Eliza Morris but this information has yet to be verified which could be done by purchase of Mary's marriage certificate and a birth certificate for one of her children.

Tyldesley means "Tilwald's clearing". In the nineteenth century, Tyldesley expanded through the coal and cotton industries. Coal mining was the dominant industry in Tyldesley which was surrounded by collieries for over a century until its decline after the Second World War. Many Welsh miners moved to find work here the late nineteenth century.

Joseph and Mary Evans of Cefn Mawr, near Wrexham, Denbighshire. John, the first child of Joseph and Mary, was probably born in Tyldesley with Shakerley, which in Leigh registration district.

Joseph and Mary Evans had six children:

In 1891 Mary Evans was living at 188 Chorley Road, Westhoughton, Lancs (Bolton District) with no sign of her husband Joseph and no recorded Head of household. She was 30 years old and her birthplace was given as Walthamstow, Essex. Also recorded were her son John Evans age 4 son born Tyldesley (in Leigh District of Lancashire then), and daughters Sarah age 2 and Mary Ann age 1 both born Westhoughton. At that time, there was great unemployment in the coal mines in the Wrexham area, and many families moved away to find work. From civil registration and census records we know that the Evans family lived in Tyldesley, Atherton, and Westhoughton between 1886 and 1894. Within 3 years of the 1891 Census, the Evans family had left Lancashire to live in Cefn Mawr, and their son William was born there. In 1901 they were living in 1 Red Lion Square, Cefn Mawr, Denbighshire. Joseph was a 35 year old Coal Miner Hewer, born Oswestry around 1866. His wife Mary Ann was 9 years older than him and gave her place of birth as Walton on Naze Essex in 1857. Their children were with them:

Also living with the family was Joseph�s older brother Thomas Evans an unmarried 37 year old Coal Miner Hewer born Oswestry in 1864.

In 1911 the family were living at 22 Well Street, Cefn Mawr, Ruabon. Joseph was a 44 year old Miner Coal Hewer, born 1867 at Hengoed, Shropshire. His wife Mary Ann Wife was 53, and said that she was born 1858 Walthanstow Essex. They had been married for 24 years. Also living with them their four sons:

The confusion over Mary�s birthplace is interesting; Walton on Naze or Walthanstow? The latter is most consistent and most likely.

Mary was a hard-working and enterprising lady. She set up a business selling clothes to the better-off families in the area. These were cotton with smocking or broderie anglaise for ladies blouses and children�s clothes. Realising the potential to expand the business, she gave discounts to families in exchange for their cast-off clothes, which she then sold to poorer families in the village. She had a maid who gave birth to a daughter Dorothy, and Mary informally adopted the child. Later Dorothy lived with Mary�s daughter Mary Ann Matthews and her husband and family at 6 Well Street, Cefn.

Children of Joseph and Mary

Grave
 

John (known as Jack) and his family emigrated to Canada where he died. He is remembered on the family Gravestone at Rhosymedre Churchyard.

Sarah married Horace Jones and had 2 daughters Gladys and Phylis. Phylis married Ted Richards and they had a daughter and an adopted son. Gladys married and had a daughter.

Mary Ann married Frank Matthews in 1908.

Thomas (known as Tom) married and lived in Leeds.

Joseph (known as Joe) married Nelly ? and they had a son. They lived in Birkenhead.

William (known as Willie) remained unmarried. He died in 1965.

From the Evans Family Grave at Rhosymedre Churchyard: