Genealogy Forum UK

Hello All,
I have talked to a few people who are also researching my family long my tree (Coley).
We have all seemed to hit a major brick wall at William Coley (1807).
The 1841 Census lists him as not being born in the Cradley area like the rest of the family past that.
He was married to Mary Walker, and had a large number of children. He appears in the 1851 and 1861 Census at which point he disapears again (I assume since he was over 54 he must have died)

One of his sons (Joseph Coley 1841) was a Puddler and married Phoebe Price in 1862. One of their sons (Joseph Henry Coley 1876) married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Walker and immigrated to Canada starting in 1903 (I say started since the whole family did not get over until 1911)

I've really hit a brick wall, and even though I know I am new at this, I can't seem to get past it no matter which sites on the net I look at. I realize I may just have a dead end...

All the 1841 census tells you is that he was not born in the County of Worcestershire.

In the early 1800's most part of the Halesowen Parish, including parts that were later regarded as "Cradley", were in Shropshire.

He could quite easily have regarded his birthplace as "Cradley in Shropshire" and later in Worcestershire after the boundaries were redefined.

I know a lot on people in my tree who were born near Cradley Forge always put down their birth county as Cradley, Staffordshire, just to confuse things.

Cradley Heath also causes confusion in some peoples trees.

Cradley (Halesowen) was a hot bed of nonconformists.

The only marriage reference to Mary that people quote is in I.G.I but it does not quote any parish information, just that it is supposed to be at St Thomas.

Has anybody actually looked for and found the parish entry for the marriage?

He is still kicking in 1871 and a beggar by trade...

1871 census transcription details for: Butcher's Lane, Cradley
National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG10 Piece: 3019 Folio: 116 Page: 41

Reg. District: Stourbridge Sub District: Halesowen
Parish: Cradley Enum. District: 11
Ecclesiastical District: City/Municipal Borough:
Address: Butcher's Lane, Cradley
County: Worcestershire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation Where Born
COLEY, William Head M 64 1807 Worcestershire
COLEY, Mary Wife F 63 1808 Worcestershire

I am pretty sure his death is 1st Qtr 1878, Stourbridge, 6c 119.

If you list that Marriage we can look at the PR and see if any clues for wits
and of course to see if it actually exists

Submitted.
WILLIAM COLEY.
MARY WALKER.
Marriage, 03 FEB 1828. St Thomas, Dudley, Worcester.

Jimmy wrote:Submitted.
WILLIAM COLEY.
MARY WALKER.
Marriage, 03 FEB 1828. St Thomas, Dudley, Worcester.

Thanks Jimmy I will add that one

MarkCDodd wrote:All the 1841 census tells you is that he was not born in the County of Worcestershire.

In the early 1800's most part of the Halesowen Parish, including parts that were later regarded as "Cradley", were in Shropshire.

He could quite easily have regarded his birthplace as "Cradley in Shropshire" and later in Worcestershire after the boundaries were redefined.

I know a lot on people in my tree who were born near Cradley Forge always put down their birth county as Cradley, Staffordshire, just to confuse things.

Cradley Heath also causes confusion in some peoples trees.

Cradley (Halesowen) was a hot bed of nonconformists.

The only marriage reference to Mary that people quote is in I.G.I but it does not quote any parish information, just that it is supposed to be at St Thomas.

Has anybody actually looked for and found the parish entry for the marriage?

Cradley was not in Shropshire, it was always Worcestershire, and for all Census purposes the adminstration came under Worcs for Halesowen not Shropshire. HTH from Linell.

William does say he was born Cradley on the 1851 Census, sometimes it has hard to distinguish between the 'Yes' and the 'No' Columns in 1841. Linell.

Jimmy wrote:Submitted.
WILLIAM COLEY.
MARY WALKER.
Marriage, 03 FEB 1828. St Thomas, Dudley, Worcester.

This marriage has been looked up and also posted in the BC section on a thread running there

Kindly looked up by Rockyfowler

3 Feb 1828 St Thomas Dudley
William Coley bach otp
Mary Walker otp
By Banns both their marks x
Wit; Sarah Dillar X John Allen (Clerks)

Question on the look up: Does this mean we do not know who his father is?
Seems stupid a question.

nvmd

david before 1837 the was no fathers recorded on marriage cert,s and witnesses don't help either

Thanks.
Looking at the Parish records (such as Pallot's Baptism Index for England: 1780 - 1837) I can see that not much information was recorded about the births if any. One case I found is the baby's name (wm coley) and father mother name. To bad the record I found is in Suffolk. Though since it is listed as "Joseph, RT Artillery & Sarah nee Garton" he could have moved. I'm doubtful.

Hello,I am also descended from Joseph coley and Phoebe Price ,I had thought his father was a Noah Coley,but perhaps I've gone wrong! It doesn't help that families kept to certain names! There are 2 Joseph Coley s born in 1841,apparently,so that is where I went wrong, let me know what source you have used to get to William, the family kept very close so are probably related anyhow.
Hope to hear from you.

Jo

Hi Jo, the 1841 Census, Canking Row Cradley has:-
William Coley Nailer 30 No
Mary 30 Yes
Eliza 10 Yes
Maria 3 Yes
Joseph 7 months Yes

1851 Butchers Lane Cradley
Wm Coley HD M 43 Road Mender Cradley
Mary Wife 44 Nail Maker Cradley
Maria DA 13 Chain Striker Cradley
Joseph Son 10 Chain Striker Cradley
Benjamin Son 7 At Home Cradley
Phoebe DA 3 At Home Cradley
William Son 1 At Home Cradley
Rosanah Walker LG U 48 Washerwoman Cradley

Vicar's Notes for 1857 says:-
Wm Coley Labourer Church twice. Mary No Church, Maria 19 Chains attends Ranter (Methodist) School. Joseph 16 works at Corngreaves Iron Works was at Ranter School now C of E seldom. Benjamin 13 Chains was Ranter School. Phoebe 10 June Nails was Ranter School. William 7 No School, No Clothes.

HTH Linell.