Find Ancestors

These great grandparents of mine are very elusive. I know their history after they were married from the 1881 census onwards when they lived in Frome, Somerset, and then moved to South Wales. Before they were married and who both their families were ( in the Frome area) I can’t discover. Henry was born somewhere between 1846-1852 and Rhoda about 1851.
Can anyone help me trace the family further back please?
Glyn

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
27, Naishs Street, Frome, Somerset, England

Abraham Whithy Head Married Male 45 1806 Tallow Chandler (Journeyman) Frome, Somerset
Lydia Whithy Wife Married Female 38 1813 - Great Elm, Somerset, England
Lydia Gam Whithy Daughter Unmarried Female 17 1834 Wool Picker Frome, Somerset, England
John Whithy Son - Male 15 1836 Shoemaker (Ap) Frome, Somerset, England
Elizabeth Whithy Daughter - Female 8 1843 - Frome, Somerset, England
Henry Andrew Whithy Son - Male 5 1846 Scholar Frome, Somerset, England
Sarah Ann Whithy Daughter - Female 1 1850 - Frome, Somerset, England
-----------------------------------------------

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
... Street, Frome, Somerset, England

Abraham Withey Head Married Male 35 1826 Grocers... Frome, Somerset,
Lydia Withey Wife Married Female 48 1813 Wool Factory... Frome, Somerset,
Elizabeth Withey Daughter Unmarried Female 18 1843 Wool Factory... Frome, Somerset
Henry Withey Son - Male 15 1846 Wool Cloth Cutter Frome, Somerset,
Sarah Withey Daughter - Female 9 1852 Scholar Frome, Somerset, England

Birth:

WITHEY, HENRY (Mother's maiden name: LAVENDER)
GRO Reference: 1846 D Quarter in FROME Volume 10 Page 398
---------------------------------

Parent's marriage:

Somerset marriage index Transcription

name(s) Abraham Withey
Marriage year 1831
Spouse's name(s) Lydia Lavender
Parish Marston Bigot
Denomination Anglican
County Somerset
Document type Parish records
Page 50
Residence Marston Bigot
Marriage date 07 Aug 1831
Spouse's residence Marston Bigot
By licence or by banns Banns
First witness John Withey
Second witness James Lavender
Archive Somerset Archives

Rhoda- baptised twice. Second time has a father added??

Name: Rhoda Beauchamp
Baptism Date: 30 Jun 1855
Baptism Place: Frome St John, Somerset, England
Parish as it Appears: Frome Selwood
Mother: Charlotte Beauchamp

Name: Rhoda Beauchamp
Birth Date: 3 May 1855
Baptism Date: 1 Nov 1871
Baptism Place: Somerset, England
Father: William Beauchamp
Mother: Charlotte Beauchamp

I have to pop out- be back shortly

Baptism
County Somerset
Place Frome
Church name St John the Baptist
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 59
Baptism date 25 Dec 1846
Person forename Henry Andrew
Person sex M
Person abode Nash's Street
Father forename Abraham
Father surname WITHEY
Father occupation Porter
Mother forename Lydia
Register note Xmas Day

(if anything else on below link)

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

Chris :)

Baptism
Place Frome
Church name St John the Baptist
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 1388
Baptism date 30 Jun 1855
Person forename Rhoda
Person abode Long Row
Mother forename Charlotte
Mother surname BEAUCHAMP


Baptism
Place Frome
Church name Christ Church
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 466
Baptism date 01 Nov 1871
Birth date 03 May 1855
Person forename Rhoda
Person abode Keyford
Father forename William
Father surname BEAUCHAMP
Father occupation Labourer
Mother forename Charlotte
Register note All Saints Day

(not seeing on GRO Index)

(as below?)

County Somerset
Place Frome
Church name Christ Church
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 52
Marriage date 16 Feb 1858
Groom forename William
Groom surname BEAUCHAMP
Groom age 34
Groom condition Bachelor
Groom abode Nunney Lane
Groom occupation Labourer
Bride forename Charlotte
Bride surname BRIDGMAN
Bride age 42
Bride condition Widow
Bride abode Nunney Lane
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BEAUCHAMPS
Groom father occupation Labourer
Bride father forename William
Bride father surname AV_N
Bride father occupation Labourer
Witness James HUTCHENS
Witness James BROWN
Register note Banns

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Stars Lane, Yeovil, Somerset, England

William Beacham Head Married Male 36 1825 General Labourer At Gas Works Frome, Somerset,
Charlotte Beacham Wife Married Female 43 1818 - Frome, Somerset, England
Rhoda Beacham Daughter - Female 6 1855 - Frome, Somerset, England

OK- so birth reg for Rhoda:

First name(s) RHODA
Last name BRIDGMAN
Birth year 1855
Birth quarter 2
District Frome
County Somerset
Volume 5C Page 598

GRO:

BRIDGMAN, RHODA (No mother's maiden name listed)
GRO Reference: 1855 J Quarter in FROME Volume 05C Page 598

(well done there AQ!)

Chris :)

(will look in later, need to move meself' this morning, lol)

See you later Chris.

Oh dear- Rhoda's mother:

Gaol Registers, 1807-1879

Name: Charlotte Bridgman
Age: 40
Birth Year: abt 1817
Admission Date: 6 Oct 1857
Admission Place: Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England
Discharge Date: 6 Nov 1857
Discharge Place: Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England
Gaol: Shepton Mallet Gaol

She already had two prior convictions in 1844 and 1846 for leaving her two children chargeable to the parish of Berkley. This one in 1857 was for behaving in a riotous and indecent manner at Frome. She was described as a rogue and vagabond!

Possibly Charlotte in 1841:

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Cloford, Frome, Somerset, England

Thomas Bridgeman Male 25 1816 Somerset, England
Charlotte Bridgeman Female 25 1816 Somerset, England
Uriah Bridgeman Male 4 1837 Somerset, England
Mercy Bridgeman Female 2 1839 Somerset, England
--------------------------------------

So looks like Charlotte's maiden name was Francis- this is the birth's of her other two children:-

Birth:

BRIDGEMAN, URIAH (mother's maiden name: FRANCIS )
GRO Reference: 1837 D Quarter in FROME UNION Volume 10 Page 327

BRIDGMAN, MERCY (mother's maiden name: FRANCIS)
GRO Reference: 1840 M Quarter in FROME UNION Volume 10 Page 428

Charlotte's first marriage:

Record set Somerset Marriage Index
name(s) Thomas Bridgeman
Marriage year 1836
Spouse's name(s) Charlotte Francis
Parish Berkley
Denomination Anglican
County Somerset
Document type Parish records
Residence Berkley
Marriage date 26 Sep 1836
Spouse's residence Berkley
By licence or by banns Banns
First witness William Heath
Second witness Charlotte Parfitt
Third witness Richard Abraham
----------------------------------------

It's likely that Charlotte's first husband was sentenced to 15 years transportation in 1841. - Probably the reason why Charlotte fell on hard times-

New South Wales and Tasmania: Settlers and Convicts

First name(s) Thomas
Last name Bridgeman
Birth year -
Arrival year 1842
Ship name Susan
Where convicted Somerset
When convicted 1841
Sentence 15 years
Residence Hobart
State New South Wales
Country Australia

Thank you AQ and Chris
That’s stunning. I’m really thrilled to get so much information.
I guess maybe in Australia I may have more relatives loosely connected to me.
You’ve found out a great deal.
I’ve been hunting for ages and not found out what you have in a short time.
So now I need to pursue the Lavender connection and also Beauchamp or Beacham
Great!
Glyn??

(good show there!)

Chris :)

Can you tell me...am I supposed to “ mark this an answered” now? When I tapped on the link it asked if I really wanted to do that, and I’m unsure if that’s what should be done or not....sorry to be so dense!

Hi Glyn- don't click on 'Mark this as answered'- even if you think your query is answered. You might have further questions on this family later on. You can just add to this thread then.

If you mark it as answered people won't know if you need extra help.

Thanks AustinQ.

I’ve found out that Charlottes daughter from her marriage to Thomas Bridgman died in 1856.
That Thomas was found guilty of stealing 15 sheep and that’s why he was transported.
However, Uriah their son seems to have disappeared.
Also Thomas, whether he died or made a life for himself in Australia I can’t find out. The 15 years were up in 1857 by which time Charlotte had Rhoda, and she married William Beauchamp the next year 1858 so I assume Thomas was either dead or never heard of again.

So I throw it open to you, as you are so good at finding things out.
Thank you
Glyn

Death of Mercy:


Mercy Bridgman
in the Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914
Name: Mercy Bridgman
Age: 16
Birth Year: abt 1840
Burial Date: 12 Jun 1856
Burial Place: Frome St John, Somerset, England
Parish as it Appears: Frome Selwood

Death at Whittock Lane, Christ church Yard.

????

Thomas Bridgman
in the Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985
Name: Thomas Bridgman
Birth Year: abt 1815
Age: 52
Death Date: 02 Oct 1867
Death Place: Tasmania
Registration Year: 1867
Registration Place: Kingston, Tasmania
Registration Number: 235


EDIT:

A tree on Ancestry says this is Thomas's death.

It says he had a relationship with Ann Tully (1827-84), and they had a daughter
Ann Tully
Birth 8 JAN 1852 • Ross, Tasmania, Australia
Death Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Re Ann Tully senior -

Birth
1827 • Belfast, Country Antrim, Northern Ireland

Arrival
1849 • Tasmania (Transported)

Marriage
28 Feb 1853 • St Johns CE Church Ross Tasmania
George WOLFE (1826–1914)

Seven children with George Wolfe.

Death
27 Nov 1884 • Forth, Tasmania, Australia


The tree doesn't mention Charlotte - it seems to be following the Wolfe line, so Thomas is only there because of his relationship with Ann Tully.

Agrees on disappearance of Uriah, lol...

Chris :)

(on that 1867 Death (FMP) Informant was Son, John Bridgman. North West Bay. Cause of Death, Consumption, his occ. Farmer)


https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/all/

(a search on above usually helps, Tasmania, but not seeing images at present)