RICHARD BELCH (1816 - 1886)

On the 27th November 1835, Richard Belch, (born 1816 in Cardeston, Shropshire, baptized 26th May 1816), son of Hannah Belch, was married in Alberbury, Shropshire, to Margaret Carswell (born 1814 in Alberbury, Shropshire, christened 16th October 1814), daughter of Richard Carswell & Sarah Humphreys.

Richard and Margaret Belch settled in Bausley, Shropshire, a village not far from Shrewsbury, where Richard was a farm worker. They had the following children:-

Hannah Belch

born 1836, at Crew Green, Shropshire. Christened 8th May 1836 at Alberbury, Shropshire. Died 1906 in Walsall, Staffs. She was married twice, firstly to Peter Knapp in 1866, then to Joseph Tonks in 1875.

John Belch

born 1838, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 22nd April 1838 at Alberbury, Shropshire. Died c1888. He was married to Eliza Hamer in 1859, (they had a son William, born in 1874). John was a farmer and lived at Cross Cottage Pontesbury.

Thomas Belch

born 1840.

Richard Belch

born 20th September 1842 at Bausley, Shropshire. Christened 23rd October 1842 at Alberbury, Shropshire. Died 25th November 1844 in Bryn Poweth, Bausley, Death certificate shows cause of death as 'burnt' and shows he was 2 yrs, 2 months, 5 days old. His father was present at death.

Mary Ann Belch

born 1844, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 21st April 1844 at Alberbury, Shropshire. She was married to Edward Gandy in 1867 at Walsall Staffs. In 1871 she lived at 21 The Clusters, Belper, Derby. She died 20th June 1872 in Belper, Derbyshire.

Sarah Belch

born 1846, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 12th April 1846 at Alberbury, Shropshire. In 1861 she was a Dairymaid at Pentre Farm, Bausley.

Jane Belch

born 30th April 1848, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 4th June 1848 at Alberbury, Shropshire. In 1861 she was a House Servant at Crew Green, Bauseley. She was married to Henry Benton in 1869 at Woverhampton Staffs. In 1881 she lived at 32 Perry St, Wolverhampton.

William Belch

born 1850.

Harriet Belch

born 1852, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 7th March 1852 at Alberbury, Shropshire.

Henry Belch

born 1853, at Crew Green, Bausley Shropshire. Christened 25th December 1853 at Alberbury, Shropshire.

Emma Belch

born 1856, at Bausley Shropshire. Christened 17th February 1856 at Alberbury, Shropshire. She was married to Thomas Tomlinson in 1873 at Walsall, Staffs. In 1881 she lived in Birmingham.

Sarah Ann Belch

born 1861, at Bausley Shropshire. In 1881 she was a Barmaid at 'Cleveland', St Birkinhead, Cheshire. She was married to John Henry Banks on the 7th October 1883 at Our Lady & St Nicholas & St Ann, Liverpool, (Witnesses- James Banks & Mary Banks).

Richard (b.1816) died on the 26th January 1886 in Horsebridge, Shropshire. The death certificate gives Chronic Brochitis & Exhaustion from Abcess on neck as cause of death. Death certificate shows Margaret his wife was present at his death. Margaret died 18th February 1893 at 86 Teddesley St, Walsall. The death certificate gives Natural Decay as cause of death. Death certificate shows Thomas Tonks, Son in Law, was present at time of death.

Thomas Belch was born in 1840 at Bausley, Shropshire. He was christened on the 13th September 1840 at Alberbury, Shropshire. In 1861 he was a Waggoner at Hurst Farm, Winmsley Hall, Westbury. In 1863 he married Mary Holmes (born 1843 at Minsterley, Shropshire). In 1864 he was a farm labourer in Minsterley. The 1871 census shows he was a Lead Miner in the mines at Snailbeach near Pontesbury, living at Pontesbury Hill. Sometime in the 1880's he moved to Llannwyddyd, Wales for a while, where he was employed in the construction of the dam at Lake Vrnwy, before moving to the Ironbridge/Madeley area, where he first kept 'The Swan' Inn on the wharfeage at Ironbridge, and then, in 1891, was Innkeeper at the 'Lake Head Inn', Madeley, Shropshire. Apparently Thomas suffered greatly from the miner's disease 'Silicosis', and attended an Industrial Disease Tribunal of some kind, though nothing is known of the outcome. Thomas and Mary had the following children:-

Sarah Maria Belch

born 22nd January 1864, at Minsterley, Salop.

Thomas Belch

born 1866, at Pontesbury, Salop. In 1881 he was a farm worker living at Longdon Wood Road Cottage, Pontesbury area.

John Belch

born 1867, at Worthen, Salop. In 1890 he married Jane Foulkes at Llanfyllin, Wales. In 1891 he was a Horsedriver on the building of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Mary Jane Belch

born 1870 at Pontesbury, Salop. Christened 30th January 1870 at Pontesbury, she was known as 'Polly'. In 1901 she was a Housekeeper for Draper in Shrewsbury and she also worked in the kitchens at Morris's cafe, Pride Hill, Shrewsbury as a pastry cook and fish cook. She would start work at 7 am. and light all the coal fires before starting her own work. She once set fire to the kitchen whilst cooking some fish. In the 4th quarter of 1904 she married Alfred Henry Clewett and she lived in a top flat at 4 Roushill bank, Shrewsbury. In the 1st quarter of 1941 she was found dead in her flat by head chef Paul Hug after she failed to turn up for work.

Margaret Hannah Belch

born 1872 at Pontesbury, Salop. Christened 19th May 1872 at Pontesbury. Known as 'Aunty Nan', she lived at 41 Maddox Building, New Street, Frankwell, Shrewsbury. She had a son:- Richard Belch (Dick), born 3rd quarter 1899, he married Beatrice Perks and they also lived in New Street, Frankwell. Margaret died 3rd quarter of 1940.

William Henry Belch

born 1874 at Pontesbury, Salop. Christened 19th July 1874 at Pontesbury. In 1901 he was a Platelayer and lived at 41 Maddox Buidings, Shrewsbury, where he lived as head of the house with brothers Edward, Alfred and sisters Margaret, Edith. Also Margaret's baby son Richard. He is also shown living at 9 Trinity Street, Belle Vue, Shrewsbury (Wildings Directory 1928). (The 1901 census shows a William Belch aged 26, born Pontesbury, married to Jane Elizabeth aged 25 with a daughter Annie Belch aged 2 yrs. They are shown as 'in-laws' to Thomas and Jane Holmes of Accrington, Lancs. Thomas and William are shown as Textile workers).

Edward Richard Belch

born 1879 at Pontesbury, Salop. At age 22 yrs he is shown living at 41 Maddox Building, Frankwell. In 1901 he was a Tube Cleaner on the Railways.

Martha Emma Belch

born 6th December 1880 at Pontesbury Hill, Salop. She was known as 'Pat' She was christened at Lord's Hill Chapel, Snailbeach, Salop and lived before 1892 at Llanwddyn village, which is now underneath lake Vrnwy. In 1893 she was in service for Morris's, New Street, Frankwell. In 1901 she was a Housemaid at 2 Granville Place, Copthorne in Shrewsbury. She married John Charles Williams.

Alfred Edwin Belch

born 1883 at Pontesbury, Salop. Died 4th quarter 1940.

Edith Harriet Belch

born 1886 at LLanwddyn, Wales. At age 15 yrs she is shown living at 41 Maddox Building, Frankwell. In the 2nd quarter of 1914 she married Edward Jellicoe and they lived at Thornton Hough, Wirral, Liverpool. They had four children:-

John E Jellicoe

born 1914

Edith Mary Jellicoe

born 1922

Fanny Jellicoe

born 1924

Harry Jellicoe

born 1926

Thomas (b.1840) died on the 23rd January 1893 at Frog Meadow, Madeley, Shropshire. The death certificate gives 'Bronchitas 4 months' as cause of death and oddly shows his occupation as a farm labourer. (There is a story that he went bankrupt whilst at The Lake Head Inn, so perhaps he had returned to farming at that time ...) Mary died in 1898 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Much of the above information was kindly sent to us by Sheila Belch. Her husband Bill was the great grandson of William Belch (born 1850)