Margaret Price
Details of her birth and parentage are unconfirmed, but it is thought that she came from the parish of Abergavenny in Wales. One report from descendants in Australia, gives her birth date as 12 January 1801.
The family name "Price" was rather common in Abergavenny and it is difficult to trace family records when there are many people of the same surname and same or similar first names. It was even possible for a young man and woman of the same surname to marry. The records of the church of St Mary Abergavenny record the marriage of David Price of this parish, bachelor, occupation "cordwainer" (shoemaker) to Margaret Price, spinster, (same surname) and also of the same parish. They were married by banns on 27 November 1830. Although David signed his name, it is recorded that Margaret signed with an "X".
picture provided by Kerrie Mullins-Gunst,
great great great grand-daughter of Margaret.
The brooch being worn by Margaret Price in
this photograph is in Kerrie's possession.
Parish baptismal records show that they were parents of three children :
- James Price, baptised 23 September 1831, son of David and Margaret Price, of Lloyndu, cobbler. Further information about James is provided separately.
- Caroline Price, baptised 16 February 1834, daughter of David and Margaret Price, of Monk Street, shoemaker.
- Sarah Price, baptised 18 June 1836, daughter of David and Margaret Price, of Monk Street, shoemaker.
The parish records also show that David Price of Monk Street, age 34, died from phthisis (tuberculosis) and was buried on 7 May 1837.
It is not known what happened to the family after David's death. The record of the 1841 Census of Abergavenny has been searched (reference HO 107 742-744, books 10 to 13). Book 11, folio 42 shows a Margaret Price age 35, born in Abergavenny, residing at Richard's Yard, Ireland Street, Abergavenny, and in the same house is a James Price, aged 10, but there are also two other boys William Price, age 12, and Charles Price, age 14, and there is no record of two girls Caroline and Sarah. While the references to Margaret and James could be consistent with known information, the presence of other boys and absence of the daughters suggests this is not "our" Margaret Price. No other census Record is even close, so it seems that Margaret and her young family may have moved from Abergavenny after David's death. Certainly her son, James, was residing in London at the time of the 1851 census, ten years later.
An unconfirmed report from Australian descendants reports Margaret's date of death as being in 1887. It must be cautioned that this information (and the photograph above) may have come via Henry George Price who falsely claimed to be the brother of James Price. It is quite possible that the photograph and date of death are those of Henry George Price's mother rather than James' mother and therefore this information would not relate to Margaret Price but to another (unknown) person.
Any further information about Margaret Price or her family would be welcome.
Much of the above information on Margaret Price was researched, on commission, by genealogist, Mr Sydney Smith, 59 Friar Rd., Orpington, Kent BR5 2BW. e-mail: ss.famhist@virgin.net Mr Smith is thanked for his thorough research.
