DANCE | Jewelian Family

DANCE FAMILY

John Saunders and Elizabeth Dance, who married at St. Deinst’s church, Llangarren on 11 May, 1820. Witnesses were Daniel Vaughan and Catherine Dance, the latter signing the register with her mark, as did the bride and groom

Elizabeth Dance was born on 16 October 1796 in the parish of Tarrington, Herefordshire, the eldest child of Thomas Dance and Catherine Evans. Thomas and Catherine were married on 31/12/1795 at Ocle Pychard, and other children of the marriage were:

James 1797 Tarrington

Caroline                1798                Eagleton, Stretton Grandison
Thomas                1799                Tarrington
Ann                    1804                Monmouth
James ?              1807                Ganarew   William ?              1807                Whitchurch

John                    1809                Whitchurch
Joseph                1812                Whitchurch
James        1814                Whitchurch
George             1816                Ganarew
William 1818                     Whitchurch

The marriage entry in the Ocle Pychard register reads “Thomas Dance of the parish of Canon Frome and Catherine Evans of this parish were married in this church by banns this 31st day of December 1795 by Wm Davey. This marriage was solemnized between us + Tho. Dance , Catherine Evans. Witnefs: Joseph Garston Sarah Garston.”

Our ancestor Mary Dance's great-grandfather was Thomas Dance who we believe was born at the Herefordshire village of Ocle Pychard, near Ledbury in 1775 and married Catherine Evans (born 1774) from nearby Canon Frome at Ocle Pychard in 1795.

They moved to the Ganarew-Whitchurch area in the early 1800s. His second son James was born there in 1806.

Thomas was first employed as a farm labourer, probably in nearby Lewstone-Llangarren parish. ('of Lewson' is mentioned in a couple of early records). Lewson (Lewstone) is given as their residence in 1818 when youngest son William was baptised at Whitchurch.

They went on to farm at St Wulstan's, Welsh Newton and were well established there when Thomas died in 1840.

His eldest son Thomas (1798) remained at Ganarew in what may have been the original family home at Yew Tree Cottage on Little Doward. He is the only one from our Dance family who is listed as a Herefordshire land-owner.

Catherine Dance

In the 1841 census we find the following family at St. Wolstan’s farm: All were born in the county.

Catherine Dance 67 farmer George Dance 26

William Dance 24 Ann Dance 29

James Dance 9 male servant William Dance 2

Nisia ? Dance 10 female servant

In the 1851 at the same farm there were living:

Catherine Dance widow 88 Farmer of 110 acres born Tarrington

Ann Dance single 40 Dressmaker Monmouth

George Dance “ 34 Whitchurch

William Dance “ 32 Whitchurch

Thomas died on 4 January, 1840, and Catherine died on 7 May, 1864. The monumental inscription at Ganarew church reads: ‘In memory of Thomas Dance of St. Wolstans, farmer, who died Jan 4th 1840 aged 82 years. Also the said Catherine Dance who died May 7th 1864 aged 91 years.’

Thomas Dance was born on 28/12/1765, son of James Dance and Elizabeth Morgan. If we are to believe what we are told, Thomas was 82 when he died in 1840, putting his year of birth at about 1757, but ages at time of death are notoriously unreliable.

Catherine Dance (nee Evans) was born at Burghill, just north-west of Hereford and baptised on 16 May 1773, youngest child of John Evans and Margaret Poole. In the 1851 census she gives her birthplace as Tarrington, but on the 1861 census she must have changed her mind and gives her place of birth as Canon Frome, both quite close to Hereford.

The full family of John Evans and Margaret Poole, who were married at Ocle Pychard on 24 June 1761, is

John Evans born and baptised Ocle Pitchard 6 May 1762

Margaret Evans born and baptised Ocle Pitchard 13 Nov 1763

Mary Evans born and baptised Ocle Pitchard 26 Feb 1766

Sarah Evans born Canon Frome 6 Dec 1767

Anne Evans baptised Canon Frome 25 Oct 1769

Thomas Evans baptised Canon Frome 4 Nov 1771

William Evans baptised Canon Frome 4 Nov 1771

Catherine Evans baptised Burghill 16 May 1773

James Dance was born on 28/2/1830 at Eggleton, Stretton Grandison, son of John Dance and Ann (wife’s maiden name not known) Stretton Grandison is just east of Hereford. John (born 9/3/1703 at Cradley, Herefordshire) was the son of Lancelot Dance and Maria.