Find Ancestors

Hi everyone

Im struggling to find the info I need so Im asking the experts for help. My great grandmother was adopted by one of her aunts and Im trying to find which one.

Here is what I know.

My great grandmother was born Jessie Beams in 1890 (Q2). She was born in Langstone which a small village just outside Newport in Gwent (Monmouthshire).

Her father was Charles Beams and her mother was Sarah Sheppard.

After adoption, Jessie's name was Evans and her Uncle was James. I have a copy of a will for James in which he leaves everything to his niece, so presumably he was a widower (no good for me as there is no mention of his wife in it!).

My grandmother (Jessie's daugher in law) believes that Jessie was adopted by a sister of her mother Sarah. Sarah has two sisters, Alice born in 1867 and Emma, born in 1870 (date approx and taken from the census).

I have managed to find an entry for Alice on the 1881 census, where she is working on a farm in Monmouthshire as a 14 year old servant. I cannot find an entry for Emma on this census anywhere.

I have tried searching for marriage for both Alice and Emma but have been unable to find any to a James Evans and for Emma, none that would make her married when Jessie was adopted - we think in the first year of her life.

My grandmother tells me that Jessie had little contact with her siblings until the later years of her life, so its possible that James Evans and his little family lived away from the rest of Jessie's birth family (the Langstone area).

There is also a family rumour that James and his wife were in service at Tredegar House but Im not certain enough of this for it to be reliable.

I hope that someone is able to help me with this - and I apologise for having a relative in Wales with the name Evans....!

Thank you

Julie

Lynne - thank you. Ive been searching for hours for this and you have it in five minutes!!!

Thank you so much. No wonder I couldnt find them, I was only checking the Wales census. (Although I did check marriages in Gloucestershire, just in case.)

I was also looking for Jessie as an Evans, not as a Beams. I wonder when and why she changed her name if it wasnt done when she was very small.

How can I find out about adoptions, do you know?

Until 1927 there was no formal adoption procedure so it is probable you will not find anything.

i am looking 4 any information on john elwyn hughs evans he married lillian hinds sinfield in 1963 before that he was married to a jean thomas who he married in 1954 in ruthin he was my dad i know he was born in aberystwyth and possibly brought up by an aunt im not sure, if any of this rings a bell please contact me its also possible lloyd was in his name

Im afraid this does not ring a bell with me.

Sorry i cant help, good luck with your search