Hi List A photograph I have, taken at the end of the 1800s, shows the complete family including my great- grandmother, Ellen Davies, as a young girl. My grandmother told me that one of the 'boys' in the photograph was an 'adopted nephew', Frederick Davies. The family lived  in Welshpool and all of them had the surname Davies (yes, I know!). He was born on 4th June 1872 (exact date), but I can't find any suitable record for his birth. (My great grandmother's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Gittins and I have tried that name too.) I assume Fred was either illegitimate or his parents died - the adoptive family certainly weren't short of children themselves; their final count was 10 including Fred!!) Anyone have any ideas? By the way, Ellen Davies' father, Robert, fitted the carpet at Welshpool Castle - although he was a tailor by trade. Thanks everyone Frances

Hello Frances. My research centres on Llanfair Caereinion, Llanwyddelan and Welshpool. My gt Grandmother's mother was a Gittins whose family lived at a fairly large farm in Adfa called Llwyncoppa. Gittins, looking at the 1841 and 51 censuses, was a fairly common name in Adfa, Llanwyddelan and the Welshpool area in general and there appears to have been some movement into Welshpool from the surrounding rural areas. Here are some of my (scant) notes concerning the Gittins farm of our family: Records show that Thomas Gittins married Mary Pryce at Llanfair Caereinion on 7 February 1790 Research of the name Gittins with members of folk researching the Gittins family tree are vague on the connection of Thomas Gittins and Margaret Gittins (Ann's mother). 1851 census for Llwyncoppa: Gittins Jane Head Widow 55 Farmer born Llanwyddelan; Gittins Sarah daughter unmarried 30; Gittins Roger son Unmarried 18 farmers son; Gittins Howell son unmarried 16. All children born in Llanwyddelan (to be geographically correct, Adfa). Heddwch. Mike. [email protected] my blog http://micoxpplog.blogspot.com my disability rights website http://www.ppeyes.org.uk my family history website http://www.wotashower.co.uk a member of http://www.solnetwork.org.uk a member of http://www.nsun.org.uk a member of the Personal Health Plans/Budgets and Personalisation in general focus group for NCODP (http://www.ncodp.org.uk) All views and statements expressed here are my own and unless stated otherwise, not those of any other person(s) or organisation. --- @ WiseStamp Signature <http://my.wisestamp.com/link?u=dyw9hnc9mtmdmpwj&site=www.wisestamp.com/email-install>. Get it now <http://my.wisestamp.com/link?u=dyw9hnc9mtmdmpwj&site=www.wisestamp.com/email-install> On 03/12/10 14:35, Frances Laird wrote: > Hi List > A photograph I have, taken at the end of the 1800s, shows the complete family including my great- grandmother, Ellen Davies, as a young girl. My grandmother told me that one of the 'boys' in the photograph was an 'adopted nephew', Frederick Davies. The family lived in Welshpool and all of them had the surname Davies (yes, I know!). He was born on 4th June 1872 (exact date), but I can't find any suitable record for his birth. (My great grandmother's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Gittins and I have tried that name too.) I assume Fred was either illegitimate or his parents died - the adoptive family certainly weren't short of children themselves; their final count was 10 including Fred!!) > Anyone have any ideas? > By the way, Ellen Davies' father, Robert, fitted the carpet at Welshpool Castle - although he was a tailor by trade. > Thanks everyone > Frances > > > > > > =================== > Visit the Powys Mailing List webpage at: www.jlb2005.plus.com/powyslist.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Hi Frances I was wondering if you are sure that 'adopted nephew' is a blood relative? My instinct would be that he might be the son of a close friend and so was 'as if' he was a nephew. Certainly in my family for several generations close friends of the family, but who were not relatives, would be known by the children as uncle and aunt. One might assume therefore that the reverse might be true, especially if the parent died and he came to join the family, that the child of a friend might be considered a nephew. The surname Davies may just be a red herring. I've got an adopted son in my late 19th century family who, we think, joined the family not as a baby but maybe as 10 years old, so less likely to be an illegitimate son. Unfortunately that side of the family has not been very plentiful and has mostly died so I've got little evidence. I've not found the connection and do believe he may just have been the son of a friend who died young. Rhian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frances Laird" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 2:35 PM Subject: [POWYS] adoptions Hi List A photograph I have, taken at the end of the 1800s, shows the complete family including my great- grandmother, Ellen Davies, as a young girl. My grandmother told me that one of the 'boys' in the photograph was an 'adopted nephew', Frederick Davies. The family lived in Welshpool and all of them had the surname Davies (yes, I know!). He was born on 4th June 1872 (exact date), but I can't find any suitable record for his birth. (My great grandmother's mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Gittins and I have tried that name too.) I assume Fred was either illegitimate or his parents died - the adoptive family certainly weren't short of children themselves; their final count was 10 including Fred!!) Anyone have any ideas? By the way, Ellen Davies' father, Robert, fitted the carpet at Welshpool Castle - although he was a tailor by trade. Thanks everyone Frances =================== Visit the Powys Mailing List webpage at: www.jlb2005.plus.com/powyslist.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message