52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #40 Thomas Dudley

This is my fortieth posting for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.


Thomas Dudley, where are you? Thomas Dudley would be my great-great-great grandfather. He is listed on the marriage registration of his daughter Ann to Thomas Niblett. She married Thomas after the birth of her children that includes my great grandfather, Josiah Dudley. 

As I mentioned in the posting about Josiah Dudley, family lore said that Josiah was born in Spain. Nothing has pointed to that. All the census records that I have found for Josiah and his family have given his place of birth as Alcester, Warwickshire except the 1871 census when it is listed as Arrow. Arrow is a parish within the Alcester District. 

The family story also said that Josiah's surname had been Zuniga before being changed by deed poll. I ordered a microfilm from the Family History Library that included naturalization records from the appropriate time period but no Dudley or Zuniga found. I have not located any deed polls that I could consult.

Then I wondered if it was not Josiah that was born in Spain but perhaps an earlier generation. My grandmother Iles had said her brown eyes were from her Spanish side. 

When the 1851 British census came out first on CD, I did a search for Dudleys that were born in Spain. I found only a Thomas Dudley in Foleshill, Warwickshire. He was 84 years old. He was living with his grand-daughter, Mary Dudley and her husband, Luke Orton. Thomas was born in Spain and a British subject. At that time, I hadn't found Josiah on census records. Josiah's mother was Ann Dudley and census records show her born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England.

I have ruled out this Thomas Dudley as a possible grandfather of Josiah Dudley's mother. 

The question remains: Which Thomas Dudley was the father of Ann?



© 2014 Janet Iles