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Evans - George Eliot Connection?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ian
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Ian

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My granfather was William Richard Evans. He was born in Aston in 1899 and lived at 5 Manor Grove, Chataway St, Aston.
His father was also William Richard Evans who, at the time, was a platelayer.

I have a jug with "The Farmer's Prayer" on it - it bears the name Richard Evans and the date 1869. There wouldn't have been many farmers in Aston even in 1869 so I'm guessing this Richard was a previous generation - probably my grandad's grandad.

Anyway, grandad always used to say that we were related to George Elliot, whose real name was Marie Ann Evans. She was born at Astely near Nuneaton in c 1820. Coincidentally or not my grandad worked at Astely Hall in the 1920's looking after the horses.

So - George Elliot's father was Robert Evans and she (George) had a brother called Isaac.

Any bright ideas linking the George Elliot Evans's to the Aston Evans's via Richard Evans who, in 1869 was a farmer?
 
Mary Ann Evans 1819-1880, novelist known by her pseudonym George Eliot, was born at Arbury Farm, 2 miles southwest of Nuneaton. She used the area as a backdrop in her work, and a statue of her stands in the centre of Nuneaton. In her "Scenes of Clerical Life" (1857) Nuneaton is "Milby" and the nearby Chilvers Coton (where Mary was baptised) is "Shepperton" whilst Arbury Manor, where her father was agent, is "Cheveral Manor". The mill on the estate is thought to be the original model for "The Mill on the Floss" (1860). The public library in Nuneaton houses a collection of her manuscripts and there is also material relating to her in The Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery.
 
I don't know about the George Elliot connection it looks unlikely but i may be able to solve the Farmers prayer.

William Richard Evans b. Aston Dec 1899 ref.6d 365
William richard Evans married Alice Head Mar qtr 1899 Aston

1901 Ranton Shrops.(this area shifts about census to census Shrops/Staffs)

Address Butt Lane

William R Evans age 23 b. Coldmeece,staffs Farmer
Alice age 29 wife Grindley Shrops
William R age 1 born Birmingham




1891 Sandon Bank,staffs
Richard Evans age 42 b. Ranton
Hannah age 50 b. Knightley
Julia 18
William 13 b. Coldmeece
Hannah age 11

1881 Great Bridgeford mill house
Seighford Staffs
Richard Evans age 33 b. Ronton (Ranton)
Hannah age 40
Julia 8
William R age 3 b. Cotes Heath(Cotes and Coldmeece in same area)
Hannah 1

In 1901
Richard Evans is also living in Ranton as a farm labourer.

Rather than being a farmer I think that William R is probably a farm worker.
I don't know where the platelayer comes in but in those days people changed their jobs year by year wherever the opportunity arose to earn a living.
Perhaps getting the birth certificate for William richard 1899 will verify some of these facts.(or not)
 
Alberta,
That's really helpful, my sincere thanks for taking the trouble. Can I bother you with one more request?

I'm a novice at this geneological stuff. There is a potential geographic coincidence to this alleged George Elliot connection in that Robert Evans (George's father) was born in 1773 at Roston Common - (Norbury/Ellastone) Staffordshire. My great, great grandfather, Richard Evans, was born in 1848 in Ranton, Staffordshire which is only about 10 miles away.
Can you point me in the right direction so that I can track Richard Evans's family back to the 1770's to see if there's any link at that point with Robert Evans?
 
Ian, we appear to be a bit closer to solving the connection.

Richard Evans b, 1848 Ranton

1851 census Ranton

William Evans age 38 farm labourer b. NORBURY.
Mary age 38 wife b. Ranton
Thomas age 14
Hannah age 6
Richard age 4.

will continue to search. Alberta
 
Found on Family Search LDS

William EVANS (AFN: 8JT5-RL)

Event(s)
Birth: 1760

Christening: 22 Jun 1760
Ranton Parish, Ranton, Staffordshire, England
Burial: 25 Aug 1760
Ranton Parish, Ranton, Staffordshire, England

Parents
Father: John EVANS (AFN: 8JT5-MW)
Mother: Ellen WALKER (AFN: 8JT5-N3)

------------------------------------------
William Evans Compact Disc #24 Pin #55842

Event(s)
Christening: 22 Nov 1804

Ranton Parish,Ranton,Shrops,England

Parents
Father: Thomas Parker Evans Disc #24 Pin #55294
Mother: Sarah Twigge Nicholls Disc #24 Pin #55871

Marriage(s)
Spouse: Mary Blakeman Disc #24 Pin #61379
Marriage: 4 Feb 1833
Ranton,Stafford,England
 
Found this Evans family on the 1851 census with a Roston connection.



John EVANS Head M 63 M Farmer Of 80 Acres & Bailiff Roston-Dby
Hannah EVANS Wife M 60 F Farmers Wife Kirk Hallam-Dby
Edward EVANS Son U 21 M Clerk In Griff Colliery C Coton-War
Robert EVANS Son U 16 M Farmers Son C Coton-War
Emma SCATTERGOOD Serv U 18 F House Servant Fillongley-War
Address: Near Arbury, ---
Census Place: Chilvers Coton Nuneaton, Warwickshire
PRO Reference: HO/107/2065 Folio: 379 Page: 6 FHL Film: 0087325
 
Alberta said:
Ian, we appear to be a bit closer to solving the connection.

Richard Evans b, 1848 Ranton

1851 census Ranton

William Evans age 38 farm labourer b. NORBURY.
Mary age 38 wife b. Ranton
Thomas age 14
Hannah age 6
Richard age 4.

will continue to search. Alberta
Click to expand...

Alberta,
Thanks again!
You're clearly far more expert at the searching than I am - but I wonder whether the following might assist (or might be a red herring).

George Evans married Mary Leach at Norbury/Roston in 1763. They had 9 children. One was Robert, born in 1773 who went on to become the father of George Elliot.
Another of the children was William, born at Norbury/Roston in 1769. Might this William have bee the father (or possibly the grandfather) of the William that you've got born at Norbury in 1813?
Ian
 
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