How did Thomas Nicholas meet Martha Lewis?

How did Thomas Nicholas (1820-1898) meet and marry a girl born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, almost 200 miles north of Bletherston!

There is no Martha Lewis, born: Manchester, Lancashire, England between 1821 and 1825 (1823 +/- 2 years) in the 1841 Census of England & Wales. Thomas and Martha’s marriage certificate which confirms that Thomas and Martha were married 23 June 1842 at St Non’s Parish Church, Llanycefn, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

On the assumption that most couples in the UK marry in the bride’s home parish a further search of the 1841 census, limiting the location to Llanycefyn, Pembrokeshire, Wales and extending the range of Martha’s birth year to +/- 5 years, the following entry was found:

Sych Cant, Llanycefn, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, Wales

FirstLastSexAgeBirth
EvanLewisMale501791
MarthaLewisFemale151826
HannahLewisFemale301811
WilliamGibbyMale251816

Source: 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census

The address ‘Sych Cant’ was the address shown on the marriage certificate so this was the right ‘Martha Lewis’. However the head of the household was Evan Lewis born 1791, occupation: Farmer. Unfortunately the 1841 Census only recorded the address, first name, last name, sex, age and occupation and the relationship and place of birth were not recorded. Also an Evan Lewis is one of the witnesses who signed Thomas and Martha’s marriage cerificate. Therefore even though Evan Lewis was not Martha’s father he could have been her uncle and her father, David, was his brother.

The Welsh Tithe Maps (1840) on the National Library of Wales website confirms that ‘Sych Cant’ farm (farmed by Evan Lewis) is located on the road from Llanycefn to Maenclochog…

Scroll to Top