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George Henry DAVIES
Set As Default Person -
Name George Henry DAVIES Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Born Abt 1807 - Date from the age given in his marriage PR entry, 1806 or 7 also suggested by the age recorded when he died, and the 1841 census is consistent, suggesting the range 1806-1811. As he was a little younger than his wife he may have made himself a little older to lessen the gap.
The 1841 census shows him as not born in Devon. Father from his marriage record.
(No baptism of a George Henry or Henry George DAVI(E)S, son of Robert, found on FMP or Ancestry, in 1807 +/- 5 years 17 Sep 2018; there are a few Georges son of Robert on FMP, could be one of these, but more likely he is a different one not in either indexes when searched.)
A likely George may appear in baptism lists as more are indexed but perhaps the most likely source for identifying where he was from is muster rolls which often give birthplace; I expect these will be indexed and put online by one of the commercial companies in the not too distant future. (The Keith Matthews name files for George Davey (Davies) / Davis have been checked and there is no evidence of a George likely to be this one).
Gender Male Occupation From 1837 to 1841 Seaman - At the time of his marriage; mariner in the 1841 census; boatman on his wife's death certificate (in 1876, i.e. nearly a quarter of a century after George had died).
Namesake 1844 Teignmouth, Devon, England
- In 1844 George's wife Mary's half-brother Thomas HEATH had a son who was given the Christian names George Henry, it would seem likely after this George Henry. Though they were a popular combination of names, of the 27 Georges whose births were registered in 1844 in Newton Aboot RD who were given a middle name Henry came equal top with John, but there were only 3 of each, and it was only about a third of Georges who were given a middle name, so it would seem a bit of a coincidence it Thomas's son was not being named after his brother-in-law).
That same year Mary's half-brother Richard HEATH also had a son, more clearly named after Mary's husband; he was named George Davis HEATH.
Sadly I know next-to-nothing about George, and nothing about why his brothers-in-law would name sons after him. Was he their Godfather? Was it a kindness as by this time George and Mary had been married 7 years but had no children, so it looked unlikely he would himself leave sons or was it, for the same lack of offspring, hoping their sons would be favoured when George died? If so, does this suggest George looked like he would do well for himself? If so, they were to be disappointed as George's life was cut short by that scourge of the times, especially of those living in crowded conditions such as found in East Teignmouth, TB.
Died 10 Jan 1851 The Strand, East Teignmouth, Devon, England
Cause: Phthisis pulmonalis - GRO ref: DAVIES, George Henry q1 1851 Newton Abbot RD 10 115; GRO online index shows age at death as 44
Details from his death certificate. The death was registered by one Ann Heath, almost certainly his wife Mary's sister-in-law (wife of her brother Richard). Both the death certificate and the census of the same year show her as resident in The Strand in East Teignmouth.
Patriarch & Matriarch
Robert DAVIES, d. Yes, date unknown (Father)
Person ID I300752 All | All in the Goatham / Gotham One-Name Study Last Modified 25 Aug 2024
Father Robert DAVIES, d. Yes, date unknown Family ID F301664 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Mary Ann GOTHAM, b. 19 Jan 1803, West Teignmouth, Devon, England
, d. 27 Jul 1876, The Union Workhouse, Newton Abbot, Devon, England
(Age 73 years) Married 17 Dec 1837 St. Gregory the Great’s Church, Dawlish, Devon, England
- From PR entry (image on FMP)
"1837. Marriage solemnized By Banns in the Parish of Dawlish in the County of Devon
No. 6, When Married: December 17th
Name and Surname: George Henry Davies, Age: 30, Condition: Batcheler, Rank or Profession: Seaman, Residence at the Time of Marriage: Dawlish, Father's Name and Surname: Robert Davies, Rank or Profession of Father: Seaman
Name and Surname: Mary Ann Gotham, Age: 32, Condition: Spinster, Rank or Profession: -, Residence at the Time of Marriage: [I think Dawlish written once was intended to apply to both - not central in the box but lower than other groom's info] Father's Name and Surname: William Gotham, Rank or Profession of Father: Seaman
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church by me, J D Perkins D D
This Marriage was solemnized between us, George Henry Davies, Mary Ann Gotham
in the Presence of us, Elisabeth Heath, George Thomas"
GRO ref: GOTHAM, Mary Ann to DAVIES, George Henry q4 1837 Newton Abbot RD 10 195
Who was the Mary Ann Gotham who married George Davies?
At first I thought it was fairly simple.
William GOTHAM and Fanny PERRING?
The naming of her father as William pointed to a daughter of William Gotham bap 1776 and his wife, Frances Perring: although I have not a baptism for such a daughter, (not in PR for West Teignmouth for 1804-1806), while I have for other chidlren of theirs, the age at marriage suggests she was born in 1805, and this would be in a convenient gap between the other known children of William and Fanny.
In addition, Mary and her husband were godparents to the first daughter of Elizabeth, daughter of the William and Fanny.
Mary GOTHAM (later HEATH)?
It now seems clear that Mary Ann was an illegitimate daughter of Mary who was the sister of the above William, and that Mary Ann invented a father for her marriage (unless she was the result of incest!) There is a baptism for such a daughter of Mary, in 1803. It would suggest she was 2 years older than the marriage record claims, but as she was older than her husband she was quite likely not entirely honest about her age to lessen the apparent age gap between them.
This Mary Ann had a half sister Elizabeth HEATH, one of the witnesses to the marriage, the other witnesse was George THOMAS, a brother-in-law of this Mary Ann.
At the time of the 1841 census Elizabeth was living with George DAVIES and Mary; she married in 1846 but was widowed in 1849. Still (or again) living with Mary in 1851, when Mary [Ann] was the head of the household, also having been widowed - and they are shown as sisters.
If Mary Ann and George were not aunt and uncle to Elizabeth's daughter to whom they were godparents then what was the connection? - since William (Elizabeth's father) was the brother of Mary Heath née Gotham then Mary Ann and Elizabeth were first cousins, still close enough that Elizabeth might well have chosen them.
Family This couple had no children together Last Modified 25 Aug 2024 Family ID F300261 Family Group Page | Family Chart
- Date from the age given in his marriage PR entry, 1806 or 7 also suggested by the age recorded when he died, and the 1841 census is consistent, suggesting the range 1806-1811. As he was a little younger than his wife he may have made himself a little older to lessen the gap.
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Event Map Click to hide 
Married - 17 Dec 1837 - St. Gregory the Great’s Church, Dawlish, Devon, England 


Namesake - 1844 - Teignmouth, Devon, England 


Died - Cause: Phthisis pulmonalis - 10 Jan 1851 - The Strand, East Teignmouth, Devon, England 

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