ARC TBC.....Mary Ann Ray or Bradley?-

[OriginalBigBri]

My first posting on the message boards, so forgive me if it's in the wrong place.

I'm searching for my great great grandmother Mary Ann.
She was born around 1849 in Sedgley Staffs (according to later censuses). She married my GG Grandfather John Price on 21st June 1868 and I have her in the censuses afterwards as Mary Ann Price.

The problem is this: I have their marriage certificate and she is called Mary Ann Ray (spinster). I can find a few Mary Ann Ray's born at the right time in the right area and there a few people on Ancestry with Mary Ann Ray (or Rea) in their trees, who have chosen one or other of the Mary Ann Ray's and gone from there.

However, on the birth certificate of their son James Henry Price, the mother's name says "Mary Ann Price formerly Bradley". I'd had the Bradley name in my tree long before I found the name Ray/Rea. But she wasn't called Bradley when she married John, and she was described as spinster, so I assume she hadn't married previously.

Now, this might give me concern that one or the other was the wrong John Price, but on marriage certificate, the place for Mary Ann's father's details (name, surname, rank or profession) are left blank, and the "In the presence of" has the names.. "Noah Bradley" and "Jane Ray". So, I'm leaning to thinking that perhaps her father was Noah Bradley but that he wasn't married to Mary's mother (Jane?) although why they would be together 20 years after "the event" is a mystery. This has been bugging me for ages now - I think my next move has to be to get the birth ceftificates of all the Mary Ann Ray's born in the area around that time and see if there are any clues on any of them. However, if anyone has any advice on this matter, I'd love to know.

Many thanks.

[BC Wench]

On the births of all the children of John & Mary Ann Price have their mother's maiden name as RAY, apart from James Henry Price which has Bradley and I think this is a mistake.

This is how I see where May Ann fits in.

Birth:
RAY, MARY ANN - No Mother's Maiden Name
GRO Reference: 1848 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 18 Page 318

1851 Census: Woodsetton Road, Sedgley, Staffs
Noah Bradley, Head.Mar, 20, Labourer
Mary Bradley, Wife, 20
Maryanna Rey, Dau in law (step dau), 2
(All born Sedgley)

Mary Ann's mother marries Noah Bradley in 1850

Marriage: 13 Oct 1850 St James, Lower Gornal, Staffs (FreeREG)
Noah Bradley, 21, B, Bricklayer, Sedgley, Noah Bradley, Nailer
Mary Ray, 20, S, Lower Gornal, James Ray, Miner
Wit: John Fellows, Edwin Addenbrook

Mary Ann's mother in 1841 Census

1841 Census: Dudley Road, Sedgley, Staffs
James Ray, 33, Stone Miner, Not born in County
Sarah Ray, 30
Eliza Ray, 12
Ann Ray, 10
Mary Ray, 8
Sarah Ray, 6
Louisa Ray, 4
Thomas Ray, 1
(Others born in County)

[OriginalBigBri]

Wow, thank you so much!!

I had seen all that information before and never managed to figure out how it fitted together. Your interpretation makes perfect sense to me.

(Like some others researching the same line on Ancestry I'd gone with a Mary Ann REA, daughter of John REA and Martha REA (DAVIES), but I couldn't figure out the Bradley connection.)

However, if Mary was called RAY (her maiden name) when she married Noah, and Mary Ann was called RAY and is on the census as Dau in law (or step dau) then do I assume Noah is not Mary Ann's father ?

Do you know of any of the search sites that will give me the information off the birth certificate without getting a copy from GRO ?

Thanks again!

[BC Wench]

Sorry, but there are no sites that will give you the information from a birth certificate. There is this web site for baptisms

https://www.freereg.org.uk/

which I've looked through, but can't find a baptism for Mary Ann, but you may have better luck. This looks like the baptism for her mother though

Baptism: 12 Sep 1830 All Saints, Sedgley, Staffs
Mary - Parents: James & Sarah Ray - Sedgley - Labourer

[Northern Lass]

moving to black country section.

[OriginalBigBri]

Thanks again - I'll order the BC

[BC Wench]

Good Luck.

[Northern Lass]

I am just adding this to Bcc

Would you like your username added to BCC so if anyone connects they can contact you.

I will check with Grangers 14 owner of Bcc if this is ok if you wish me to add that you connect.

I will sticky this while I work on it then move to archived so let me know.

[Northern Lass]

Adding here..

https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/brows ... d=63977836

[Northern Lass]

Free reg.
12 Sep 1830 All Saints Sedgley
Register entry number 778
Mary
Father forename James
Mother forename Sarah
surname RAY
Person abode Sedgley
Father occupation Labourer
Notes Surname spelt Rea in record 29 for the baptism of Ann on 14 Sep 1828

[Northern Lass]

Adding here

https://www.tribalpages.com/tribe/brows ... =896462406

could do with that marriage for John price cant see it on free reg...o

full info if poss.

1868
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Year Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
RAY Mary A PRICE John 1868 Dudley, St Thomas Dudley Register Office 204/026/167

and census with dob for him so i can see if he is already on bcc

[Northern Lass]

poss

REAY, THOMAS WALTERS
GRO Reference: 1840 J Quarter in DUDLEY UNION Volume 18 Page 316

poss free reg.
19 Sep 1824 St Peter Wolverhampton
James RAY
Sarah WALTERS
Witness1 Charles HAND
Witness2 Thomas RAY

[Northern Lass]

Free reg.
13 April 1835 All Saints Sedgley
Louisa
Father forename James
Mother forename Mary
Father surname RAY
Person abode Sedgley
Father occupation Labourer

[Northern Lass]

poss
PRICE, JAMES HENRY BRADLEY
GRO Reference: 1872 J Quarter in WALSALL Volume 06B Page 647

PRICE, JOSEPH JOHN RAY
GRO Reference: 1868 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 89

[Northern Lass]

1871 living at 3 Crompton Road Macclesfield.

at no 5 Crompton Road
William Price and wife
Wm Price aged 27