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Ward family

jumper

Brummie babby
My 2nd great grandfather was William Ward and I am not sure where in England he was born (but on his NZ death certificate his widow, who was also the informant states he was born in Birmingham) and his marriage place was Birmingham and their daughter was born and baptised in Birmingham. William Ward was born about 1821 and his father was Joseph Ward and both father and son were sawyers. I have no idea of his mothers name. William married Frances Ware at St Martin, Birmingham on the 3rd October 1841 and her father was Gustavus Ware and he was a glazier. William and France's daughter Frances Jane was born on the 10th October 1849 and baptised at St Thomas, Birmingham on the 10th November 1850. I have no records of any other children born and when William and Frances and Frances Jane emigrated to NZ in 1856 (from Liverpool) there were no other Wards in the passenger list. I am trying to find out who William's mother was and I have found some Birmingham and Warwickshire marriage certificates with Joseph Ward being the groom - none list occupations - it is very hard to figure out if that is "my" Joseph or not. Can anyone help/guide me on how to find out where I can research or find sites about sawyers and living in the Birmingham areas so I can fathom out who was William's mother. Can't find any 1841 and 1851 census for William Ward and occupation sawyer or anything pre 1841 that has Joseph Ward. Census can be a big help but at the moment nothing. There is one 1851 census that has a Charles William Ward occupation sawyer, wife Frances Jane, daughter Frances Jane and step-daughter Elizabeth M Jones (Frances was the mother) and living at Birkenhead, Cheshire but I have researched the Frances Jane whose daughter was Elizabeth M Jones and they are not my ancestors. Hoping someone may be able to help. Thanking you and Kind Regards, Judy
 
I had a bit of a hunt around but drew a blank unfortunately. Found a little on the Wares. Were the witnesses or address on William's marriage certificate helpful?

Apart from searching through the baptisms in Birmingham for other Wards with father Joseph who was a sawyer (which would be laborious) I can't think of anything. And that's assuming the info you have is correct.
 
I never thought of the witnesses to their marriage and I can read their surnames and both are Rhodes. Also noticed that Frances signed her name but William left his mark. Also I will also look at census that have William Ward occupation labourer. The marriage certificate I have was put up on this site under surname Ware when I asked for information on the Ware family's. UPDATE: - Have now found who the witnesses were for William and Frances's wedding - Edmund and Mathilda Rhodes (Reads Matilda on marriage cert); Mathilda was a sister of Frances. I have found a few census of Edmund and Mathilda Rhodes but so far have not been able to find William and Frances Ward in any census. At time of marriage William and Frances were living at Trinity Street and I have a 1841 census of Frances living at Trinity Street with her parents and some of her siblings and single (she married William a few months later) but could not see William Ward on any of the pages.
 
My grandmother's maiden name was Ward. Her father was a gunsmith. She married a Walker who was an engineer and worked at HMS Tool & Gauge, Wheeleys Rd, near the old Children's Hospital.
 
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