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I have a copy of his Army papers Pat and everything you say is correct but, my Lawrence married age 40 in December 1822 about 2 months after Lawrence( Portbury) had left the Army. I wonder whether in the 20years after leaving the Army he could have become a Cordwainer (do you know whether this would be the sort of work someone with chronic rheumatism could do?).The biggest minus point against Portbury Lawrence in his discharge papers (which I found very interesting) from a family viewpoint was his height! As a family we are short, his height is put as 5' 11 1/2" which I think is quite tall for the 1800's.

Unless I can find another death I think I have to go with the Weston Super Mare Lawrence!!

Hi Jeanette,

I have a One Name Study of my surname Urch which starts in the 1500's and although I don't profess to have all the answers to the marriages of these many duplicated first names, I do try to eliminate all the probables.

There are these Ann(e) Urch's baptised between 1775 and 1790 in my records: -

Ann Urch baptised in St. Augustine, Bristol on the 9 March 1777 daughter of Thomas & Eleanor Urch nee Cornish  - she married Thomas Harvey, a widower, in Flax Bourton on the 21 November 1805  (He was one of the owners of the Bristol Harvey Sherry business, which the Urch's were heavily involved with, in fact Thomas Urch the brother of Anne Urch helped to keep them afloat with his money).

Ann Urch baptised in Yatton on the 25 January 1780 daughter of William & Sarah Urch nee Sorbet, I believe she married James Flatcher (Fletcher) in Banwell on the 25 March 1809.

Ann Urch baptised in Mark on the 8 June 1782 daughter of Reuben & Maria Urch nee Fisher. I don't yet know what became of this Ann Urch, but I doubt she was James Flatcher (Fletcher)'s wife.

Nancy Urch (A form of Ann) baptised in Puxton on the 5 January 1783 daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Urch nee Say married James Sparks in Banwell on the 26 March 1803 (Nancy's name was recorded as Ann on the Marriage record.

Anne Urch baptised in Wedmore on the 8 December 1784 daughter of Samuel & Joanna Urch nee Tily (Tilley) married John Bailey in Wedmore on the 25 March 1806.                                                       This Anne Urch baptised in Wedmore who married John Bailey had a daughter, a Mary Bailey who was present at the death of her Uncle Richard Urch's death in 1848. I have his death certificate. This Richard Urch was the brother of Samuel Urch the father of Anne Urch.

Anne Urch baptised in Compton Martin on the 20 June 1790 daughter of Samuel & Sarah Urch  nee Bailey. I haven't traced what happened to her yet.

Another anomaly is on the Marriage record of James Flatcher to Ann Urch in the new Freereg website. One of the witness's they have is a John Urch but the transcriber has made a mistake he is John Walsh, I have the Banwell Fiche. 

Now to your record of Census's. Sometimes you have to read between the lines with regards to Census's. the details are not always accurate especially ages. when Enumerators came around people sometimes lied about their details.                                                                                           

I found a Census showing an Ann Fletcher a widow born in Yatton and her age fits in with Ann Urch born 1780.She was residing in Bedminster, but everytime I try to find it again, Ancestry's computer keeps me guessing. I found an 1851 Census with a James & Ann Fletcher, James was born in Kingston Seymour.

It seems there are a lot of James Fletchers.

I will have another try to find the Census tomorrow.

Alun Urch

This may or may not help  - but on Findmypast in the British Army Service Records 1760 - 1915 is a Private Laurence COMBS from "Parberry near Bristol" [Portbury?] who enlisted on the 12th April 1801 when he was aged 18.  He served with the 6th Dragoons at Waterloo and was discharged 25th Oct 1822 with chronic rheumatism.   No family is mentioned in these papers - he is described as a labourer.

When your Lawrence married in Dec 1822 the transcription of the marriage details on the Bristol & Avon FHS CD does say that he was from Weston-super-Mare and as he was described on the 1841 census as a cordwainer not a labourer that does seem to rule out the Portbury one.

Hello Pat,

This goes back to my Coombs question of a couple of weeks ago. You pointed me in the direction of the Portbury registers and there is a Lawrence Combs born 1782 to William & Mary, but there is also a Lawrence Cooms born 1780 to Thomas & Sarah in Weston (St John's registers). My ancestor in 1841 Census is Christopher Coombs, parents Lawrence and Ann, siblingsHenry & William. Lawrence's age in the census does not tie up (but I know the 1841 can be incorrect). the spelling of the surname changes, but again as they probably couldn't read or write it was down to interpretation.

I can only find one burial in 1844 in St John's Weston of Lawrence Coombs age 62. Lawrence seems an unusual name, so to have 2 born less than 2 years apart (possibly to brothers) is giving me problems. As someone used to searching for Mary Jones or Mary Davies in South Wales I thought Lawrence would be a doddle!!

If I could find another death or as I was hoping confirm the parents of Lawrence in the 1841 ...... If you can help in any way or give me some pointers I would be very grateful.

Chris Dye