Who was Ann Beechey?

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In 1841 she is living with William BEECHEY in (Capel) Llaniltern. Unfortunately this cenus does not give relationships. She is listed at the end of the family, followed by Hopkin BEECH:

No. 75 Folio 004 SCD 30
Census address: Capel

HO107/1417/15; No 75; Folio 4; Scd 30
Capel Llanilterne
Name	Occ	Age	GLA?
BEECH William	Shepherd	45	No
do Mary		40	No
do Mary		20	No
do Ellinor		10	No
do John		10	No
do George		5	No
do Thomas		5	No
do Sarah		5	No
do Ann		20	No
do Hopkin		5m	Yes

Hopkin's birth certificate shows that she was formerly Ann Hopkins and that his father was Daivid Beech:



In 1851 Ann and Hopkin are now living with Joseph COMLEY and are in Tretower, near Crickhowell in Breconshire:

HO107 Piece 2490 folio 40 page 9
Parish of Llanfihangel Cwm-du including Tretower
Name	Relationship	Cond	Age	occupation	Birth Place
COMLEY Joseph	Head	Mar	56	gardener	WIL nk
Ann	Wife	Mar	33		GLA Bridgend
Hopkin	Son		10		GLA Bridgend
Mary	Dau		8		GLA Bridgend
Jonah	Son		2		MON Pontypool

So what happened to David BEECH? Chris Beechey's research has never found a 'David'.
An email from Andrew Walford solves this:-
There seems to be confusion over Hopkin Beech and a David Beech which I have solved. Basically David Beech dosen't exist!
You mention that the birth cert' of Hopkin gives parents as David Beech and Ann Hopkins. I believe the surnames are around the wrong way!
The following is taken from Llaniltern parish records:- Hopkin Beeche c 7 Feb 1841 the son of David Hopkin and Ann Beeche. Ann was the daughter of William Beechey and Mary (Hill), she was living with William and family in 1841 along with her son Hopkin Beech aged 5 months. She later married Joseph Comley. I have information given to me which was most probably from Chris Beechey back in 1994 that she was born 11 November 1817 at Maindee, Newport. But if it was Herefordshire this dosen't surprise me as William Beechey married Mary Hill at Brampton Abbotts, Herefordshire 12 February 1816 and Ann could have been born before the family moved to South Wales.

Hopkin died in 1853, aged 12. Brian Beeche Comley has obtained his death certificate - see 'certificates' section!

These are the places of Ann's birth from the census sheets:
1841:
This only gives her as born out of county (Glamorgan) - see above

1851:
The transcription has her as born in Bridgend, Glamorgan - which does not agree with 1841 where she was born outside Glamorgan!

1861:


1871:


1881:


1891:

No baptism has yet been found.
Assuming she is the daughter of William BEECHEY and Mary HILL, we believe that their first child, William, was base born in Brampton Abbotts, Herefordshire (just North of Ross on Wye). William and Mary married there in 1816, and there is a baptism on IGI for William Hill in 1815, mother Mary HILL, no father given. It was not uncommon for the first birth to be back at the wife's home, where she would be with her mother, however, Ann would have been the second child. Brockington does not seem to exist as a place - Brockington Hall is near Bodenham, Grid Ref: SO545513 and is brick built, about 1920! Brockington Farm was a part of Bodenham Parish - it is now a housing estate. Nothing was found in Bodenham Parish registers.
Brockington may also be/have been an area in Hereford - the Council offices are in Brockington House. The 1891 census is the most promising, with her birth place given as Brampton, where it is known that William and Mary were living (and were married) at about the right time. Their next child, James was born in Coedkernew or Bassaleg in 1819.

The assumption is that:
Ann is William and Mary's daughter
She was born in Herefordshire - probably Brampton Abbotts

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Page updated: 18/10/06