PARRY-L Archives

From: "Barbara Griffiths" <>
Subject: Progress on my PARRY research
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:34:34 +0100

Hi Folks,

I made an unexpected discovery with regard to my PARRY family today and am so
thrilled at the possibility of making some progress that I thought I'd tell you
all about it!

I am fairly sure that my 3xgt grandfather, Thomas PARRY, was the son of a
Thomas and Mary PARRY of Longtown, Clodock, Herefordshire. Thomas PARRY senior
died in January 1851, just months before the census which might have given me
his birthplace (from the 1841 census, I know it was not in Herefordshire!). The
house Thomas and Mary lived in was inhabited after them by some WILLIAMS lads
from Monmouthshire, and I'm sure from the relevant parish registers that the
WILLIAMS lads' mother was an Ann PARRY. Although I have often wondered whether
there could be a connection between Thomas PARRY senior and Ann PARRY, I have
not found any evidence for it, nor any explanation of why they might get the
house, rather than Thomas and Mary's own sons (who are all still in the area).
Perhaps it's just coincidence.

I had checked both the online PCC Will index and the local probate indexes for
around 1851 but found nothing for Thomas so assumed there was no Will (should
know better, shouldn't I?!!)

Today I took another trip to Birmingham to continue photographing the PARRY
entries from the post 1858 probate indexes. And looking through the images when
I got home, (mainly just to check they were all in focus before I put them to
one side for later transcription), I spotted the following:

"PARRY Thomas. Effects under £100
5 December 1859
The Will of Thomas Parry late of the Township of Longtown in the Parish of
Clodock in the County of Hereford Yeoman deceased who died 30 January 1851 at
Longtown aforesaid was proved at Hereford by the oath of Mary Parry of Longtown
aforesaid Widow the Relict and one of the Executors"

I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. Despite having been told in the
past that Wills can be proved years after someone's death, I still had not been
expecting it (or even looking for it.)

So why the eight years delay in proving the Will? As I understand it, Wills
were sometimes only proved when they needed to be. So, if everyone had what
they were entitled to and no-one needed to prove ownership of it then the Will
might not get proved. But if one of the beneficiaries died and, in order for
that person's property to be dealt with, there needed to be proof that they were
entitled to what the first person left them, then the first Will would get
proved.

And, in March 1858, in the parish in Monmouthshire that the WILLIAMS
family were from, there was a burial of a James WILLIAMS, the name of their
father.

Now I'm only guessing here (and won't know until I get a copy - hope I'm not
disappointed) but I suddenly see possibilities not just of more information to
confirm all the relationships within the PARRY family itself (the evidence for
my 3xgt grandfather being Thomas and Mary's son is via a couple of "in-law"
links, but that's another story!) but also of finding a link between Thomas
PARRY senior and the Ann PARRY/WILLIAMS.

My next step is obviously to obtain a copy of the Will - as I say, I hope I'm
not disappointed, but I just had to share today's discovery!

Best wishes to all (and apologies to Venita and any others still awaiting
replies from me - trying to work out how to map the modern distribution of
PARRYs is taking longer than planned, as are a couple of the pedigrees that I
have been checking).
Barbara Griffiths
PARRY List Admin

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• Progress on my PARRY research by "Barbara Griffiths" <>