This could be him in the Census

1871 Census

Name: Stephen J Adams
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1825
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary E Adams
Gender: Male
Where born: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Civil parish: Clifton
Ecclesiastical parish: Clifton
Town: Bristol
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Registration district: Clifton
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Household schedule number: 254
Piece: 2539
Folio: 29
Page Number: 49
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen J Adams 46 occupation Seedsman
Mary E Adams 23 born Malmesbuy Wiltshire
William J Adams 2 born Clifton
Caroline J White 16 General Servant

1881 Census

Name: Stephen J. Adams
Age: 56
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1825
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary E. Adams
Gender: Male
Where born: Bristol

Civil parish: Clifton
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address: 25 Regent St
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View image
Occupation: Seed & Corn Factor

Registration district: Barton Regis
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2479
Folio: 36
Page Number: 66
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen J. Adams 56
Mary E. Adams 33
William J. Adams 12
Jane E. Adams 9
Charles J. Adams 7
Ethel M. Adams 4
Frederick S. Adams 10 months
Elizabeth H.A. Wolley 24 - General Domestic Servant
Emma M. Huggins 14 - Nursemaid

1891 Census

Name: Stephen J Adams
Age: 67
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary E Adams
Gender: Male
Where born: Bristol, Clifton

Civil parish: Clifton
Ecclesiastical parish: Clifton
Town: Bristol
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Barton Regis
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1966
Folio: 6
Page Number: 6
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen J Adams 67 Seedman and Corn Factor (Agent)
Mary E Adams 43
William J Adams 22
Jane E Adams 19
Charles J Adams 17
Ethel M Adams 14
Frederick S Adams 10
Arthur H Adams 6

1901 Census

Name: Mary E Adams
Age: 53
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England

Civil parish: Bristol
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary the Virgin
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Bristol
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 41
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 16
Piece: 2369
Folio: 61
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary E Adams 53 Boarding House Keeper
William Joseph Adams 32 County Court Clerk
Charles James Adams 27 County Court Clerk
Ethel Mary Adams 24 works in home
Arthur H Adams 16 Insurance Clerk
Thomas Guy Pocock 86 - Boarder (retired farmer)
Josiah R Austin 33 - Boarder (Journalist/artist)
Henry Starke 25 - Visitor (Commercial Traveler)
Thurza Osborne 21 - General Servant

The details for the marriage, births and deaths are free to search on www.freebmd.org.uk.

happy hunting

Dear asheppard - thank you so much for all that information about S.J. Adams - amazing records aren't they. I have actually gone down the Census pathway - sorry didn't make myself clear in the query. Where I have come unstuck is finding out who Stephen's parents were. Stephen by the way was my Great Grandfather. What is your interest in the name Adams - are you linked in some way?

Hi

I have ADAMS in my tree but they are not related.

You should be able to get the information about his father from his marriage certificate, I had presumed that you already had this, it's always a good place to start if you can't find the birth record.

Here is the details which are available on www.freebmd.org.uk you will need to order the certificate to find out more.

Marriages Sep 1867 (>99%)
ADAMS Stephen James Malmesbury 5a 66
Reeve Mary Elizabeth Malmesbury 5a 66

Have you tried the Gloucestershire Archives at the Gloucestershire City Council they have loads of information and are usually willing to help out.

happy hunting

Hi

In 1841 Census Stephen is living at 29 Royal York Crescent Clifton aged 17 yrs there is also an Elizabeth Adams living at 24 Royal York Crescent aged 14 Independent Means they could be brother and sister but who knows at this stage.

This could be him in 1851

Name: John S Adams
Age: 27
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824
Relation: Nephew
Gender: M (Male)
Where born: Bristol

Civil parish: Clifton
Town: Clifton
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability:

View image

Registration district: Clifton
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1a
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 212
Piece: 1952
Folio: 31
Page Number: 55
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Roberts 56 Corn Factor
Jane Roberts 62
John S Adams 27 Corn Factor shopman - nephew
James W Adams 25 Corn Factor shopman - nephew
John Cox 37 servant
Elizabeth Adams 22 Corn Factor shopwoman - neice
Mary Chivers 32
Eliza Upton 15
John F Evans 33

happy hunting

Hi again - the only information on the marriage certificate is Stephen's father's name - Joseph which of course I got very excited about and searched on-line for his name & marriage but no joy as yet. I have also searched for information about Stephen's sister Elizabeth, but no joy there either. Parish records of course might be helpful, but I would need to go to the UK for that - I live in Australia. Thanks again for your help. I hope your hunting for your family members is proving fruitful. Regards cgus

Hi

You can email the Gloucestershire City Council and ask them if they might have a look for you.

They have an ask us email on their website www.gloucester.gov.uk it's worth a try if they can't help they may be able to point you to somewhere that can.

Does it say if Joseph was deceased at time of Stephen's marriage and does it give any indication as to Josephs occupation.

I found Elizabeth in 1861 a niece of the Goodings although ancestry has them with the family before in No.3 but she is part of family in No.4 Belmont

Census 1861

Name: Francis Gooding
Age: 68
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1793
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizth Gooding
Gender: Male
Where born: Dulverton, Somerset, England

Civil parish: Clifton
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address: No.4 Belmont

Occupation: Lauded Proprietor

Registration district: Clifton
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 74
Piece: 1725
Folio: 11
Page Number: 18
Household Members:
Name Age
Francis Gooding 68
Elizth Gooding 70
1861 Census for Elizabeth Adams

Name: Elizth Adams
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Relation: Niece
Gender: Female
Where born: Bristol, Somerset, England

Civil parish: Clifton
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Registration district: Clifton
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 73
Piece: 1725
Folio: 11
Page Number: 18
Household Members:
Name Age
Elizth Shertcliffe 50 No.3 Belmont
Mary Martin 62 No.3
Alice Bernard 16 No.3
Helen Bernard 14 No.3

Rest plus Goodings in No.4 Belmont

Elizth Adams 33 Assistant Corn Factor b1828 Bristol Somerset
Henry Podgers 36 Shopman - Corn Factors Foreman (Possibly incorrect surname as it looks more like Podfers on image)
Ann Lloyd 67
Ann Willoughby 38
Elizth Burgess 19

There is this possible death for Elizabeth

Name: Elizabeth Adams
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1827
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1876
Age at Death: 49
Registration district: Bristol
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 21 (click to see others on page)

happy hunting

Wow thanks so much - It will take me a little time to work through all of that! To answer your question S.J.Adams Marriage Cert. shows his father's occupation as 'Printer' it does not show him as being deceased at the time of S.J's marriage. I am not sure where you are getting the surname of Gooding from (?) there is the surname Godwin in that part of the family tree, in fact S.J. Adams Marriage Cert. shows a Anne Godwin Reeve (S.J.'s wife Mary E Reeve's sister) as one of the witnesses to the marriage - it also shows Elizabeth Adams as a witness (S.J's. sister). BUT still no clue as to S.J's mother's name or anything about S.J's parents marriage. BTW - S.J's sister Elizabeth went onto marry William Plaister. I haven't been able to find any other sibling for S.J.Adams, looks like it was only the two children to Joseph and his wife (whoever she is). Thanks again for all your assistance and support. Hope your hunting for your research is going well too. cgus.

Lets see if I can make this a little clearer

1851 Census

Aunt and Uncle

Thomas Roberts b1795
Jane Roberts b1789 - Bristol Gloucestershire

1861 Census

Aunt & Uncle

Francis Gooding b1793 Somerset
Elizabeth Gooding b1791 - Bristol Gloucestershire

Jane Roberts and Elizabeth Gooding are the Aunts of Stephen & Elizabeth's so they are related to either their mother or father.

Both these families are Corn Factors or Seedmen and they both lived in Clifton Gloucestershire and both the Aunts came from Bristol Gloucestershire so there is a family connection there somewhere, it's just a matter of finding it. You may need to go back a little further and find the 1841 Census for Jane Roberts and Elizabeth Gooding and try to find a marriage for them.

The other alternative is to find one of their children and get the Birth Certificate it should show mothers maiden name and that will give you another avenue to try.

Okay found Thomas and Jane Roberts on 1841 - High Street Stroud Bisley Thomas is Seedman, he and Jane are living with several others, no children though, Head of household is Anne Mills 68 Independent.

1841 for Francis Gooding living in High Street Dulverton Somerset

Name: Fras Gooding
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1796
Gender: Male
Where born: Somerset, England

Civil parish: Dulverton
Hundred: Williton and Freemanners
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

View image

Registration district: Tiverton and Dulverton
Sub-registration district: Dulverton
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 965
Book: 12
Folio: 11
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
Fras Gooding 45 Maltster
Eliza Gooding 45
Ellen Gooding 15 daughter b Somerset


There is a death for Joseph Adams Mar 1838 Bedminster possibly Stephen & Elizabeth's father, but again there is no way of knowing unless you buy the certificate.

Good luck with your search.

Dear asheppard - thank again, sorry haven't had time to follow through with your suggestions as yet - life hectic at present. Kind regards cgus.