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Trying to find the wedding of my Great Grandparents
. John Thomas born 1879 and Elizabeth Richards born 1880 Possibly married around 1897 . Their first child was born in 1899
John Thomas was born in Cowbridge ,as you can see on the Census form but the transcription page here has been misread as Cambridge . Elizabeth was born in Bridgend.
The family thinks they would have been married in a Chapel . (probably Plymouth Brethren ) which is no longer here.
Bridgend Registry Office cannot trace a marriage . Neither could the History society in the library.
I have found a marriage in 1897 in Cardiff,but the ages do not match.As they are such comman names I cannot go back further as there are three possible families with a John Thomas all the same age . and I do not have his parent's names. Hoping a wedding certificate would give me his fathers name.

These are the ones on FreeBMD between 1895 and 1905:-

Marriages Jun 1896 (>99%)

Richards Elizabeth Llanelly 11a 1442
Richards Elizabeth Llandovery 11a 1474

Marriages Sep 1897 (>99%)
RICHARDS Elizabeth Ann Cardiff 11a 526

Marriages Sep 1900 (>99%)
Richards Elizabeth Merthyr T. 11a 1058

Kath. x

Can you post the census details you have for them as I can't find them?

Kath. x

1911 census:

Name: John Thomas (born Cowbridge)
Age in 1911: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1879
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Civil parish: Cwmdu
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Street Address: 6 Greenfield Ter Maesteg
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 14
Estimated Marriage Year: 1897
Occupation: Engine
Registration district: Bridgend
Registration District Number: 591
Sub-registration district: Maesteg
ED, institution, or vessel: 08
Household schedule number: 100
Piece: 32533
Household Members: Name Age
John Thomas 32
Elizabeth Thomas 31
Fred Thomas 12
Alfred Thomas 10
William Thomas 8
Martha Thomas 6
Lilly Thomas 4
Sarah Margaret Thomas 2/12

Is this the family in 1911 (says married 14 years)?:-

1911 census transcription details for: 6 Greenfield Terrace Maesteg

National Archive Reference:
RG14PN32533 RG78PN1858 RD591 SD1 ED8 SN100
Reg. District: Bridgend
Sub District: Maesteg
Parish: Cwmdu
Enum. District: 8

Address: 6 Greenfield Terrace Maesteg
County: Glamorganshire

Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born

THOMAS, John Head Married M 32 1879 Engineman Underground Cambridge
THOMAS, Elizabeth Wife Married 14 years F 31 1880 Housewife Bridgend Glam
THOMAS, Fred Son Single M 12 1899 School Bridgend Glam
THOMAS, Alfred Son M 10 1901 School Bridgend Glam
THOMAS, William Son M 8 1903 School Bridgend Glam
THOMAS, Martha Daughter F 6 1905 School Bridgend Glam
THOMAS, Lilly Daughter F 4 1907 Maesteg Glam
THOMAS, Sarah Margaret Daughter F 0 (2 MONTHS) 1911 Maesteg Glam

Kath. x

How do you know that the Cardiff marriage that you found is the wrong one? If it is because the couple say they are older than they actually should be then perhaps they were under 21 and did not have their parents consent.

If you have the 1897 marriage certificate what occupation did it give for John?

Kath. x

Just an idea, does the name of the first son of John and Elizabeth match that of either father named on the Cardiff marriage certificate?

This could be clue as to whether it's the right marriage.

Yes. That's the family. I 've been trying to figure out how to post the census pic here ,but could'nt do it . My Grandmother was the Martha Thomas mentioned , but on her Birth Certificate she was Margaret Mary

Hi Adaline . The First son was . I know that is the correct list as they were My great Uncles and Aunts and Grandmother. Where did you find that list . I had the one with Cambridge on that Kathleen found

Sorry. Should have been . The first son was Fred. :-S

.Hi Kathleen. Their ages on the 1911 census are 31 and 32 The ages on the certificate 14 years earlier are John 29 and Elizabeth 26. which would make them 43 and 40 in 1911.Too old

Hi Kathleen . The Cardiff marriage you have says September . The cardiff cetificate I have says 15th July. :-SIs there another cardiff one?

Hi Adaline . The fathers on the certificate are Thomas Thomas and John Richards . John Richards would be the right name for my Great grandmothers father . but as i said ,the ages are wrong.
I've got to go. Will be back later. .

The September in the 1897 marriage ref is the quarter the marriage took place in (June to September) which covers July.

Which of their children's birth cert do you have?

Have you rejected the 1896 Llanelly marriage? If married in July 1897, they would only have been married 13 years in April 1911 when the census was taken but married in Apr-June 1896 it would be 14.

Not sure how far Llanelly is from Bridgend, but people didn't always marry where they lived.

I'm back . I. have Martha's Birth Certificate . My Grandmother. Born 20 july 1905 8 South Street Bridgend
. Also Frederick's (Fred) birth certificate. Their first son.Born3rd September 1899 Born in 6 Edward Street ,Bridgend
Also John Thomas death certificate 17th march 1966 in Bristol. His wife died in Dec 1921,he remarried and moved to Bristol. Can't find that wedding either.Don't know the year . Don't know any details of the second wife . except her name was May.

A very rough measurement Llanelly would be about 15 miles from Bridgend and Merthyr would be 10. But they are steep mountain roads. Don't know what they would have been like in 1896 . will have to wait until tomorrow to check with the record office. On Frededrick's birth certificate John Thomas's occupation is Tanner.

I'm wrong about the measurements Map is three miles to the inch . So Merthyr would be 30 Miles and Llanelly 45 Miles Too far I think. but could check..

Just posting this as a possible when you find his parents !!
1891

Name: John Thomas
Age: 12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1879
Relation: Grandson
Gender: Male
Where born: Cambridge, Glamorgan, Wales
[Cowbridge, Glamorgan, Wales]
Civil parish: Lower Coyty
Ecclesiastical parish: Coyty
Town: Bridgend
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Name: Elizabeth Thomas
Age: 60
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil parish: Lower Coyty
Ecclesiastical parish: Coyty
Town: Bridgend
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales