Partridge, John William

Gender: Male

Maud Karpeles and Pat Shaw collected The Cherry Tree Carol from John Partridge, an ex-miner, in Cinderford on 22 August 1952.

Roy Palmer collected The Cock fled up in the Yew Tree (I wish you a Merry Christmas), Shepherds of Old and With Joy Awake, from Stan and Gwen Partridge at Cinderford on 14th July 1994 when Stan was 80. Stan was John’s son and also an ex-miner. Stan’s wife was called Gwen. Stan and his wife used to sing carols straight after midnight on Christmas Eve.

John Partridge’s grandfather, Richard Partridge of Standish, was born about 1776. He married Mary Langstone of the Parish of Newnham at Newnham on 22 January 1802. By 1841 they were living at Cocklebrook, Standish East, with a probable son, Francis Partridge, where Richard was working as an agricultural labourer.

Another son, Joseph Partridge, was baptised in Standish on 26 September 1819 and became a collier. By 1841 Joseph was living at Soudley, with another collier, Edward Robinson and his family. Joseph Partridge married Ann James, a servant, at Newnham on 22 November 1846. All parties signed this wedding register by mark. Joseph was John’s grandfather. By 1851 Joseph and Ann were living in Ruddle, Newnham with three children, Hannah born about 1847 , Mary Ann born about 1849 and Emma born 1851. All the children were born in Newnham. Joseph was working as a labourer at that time. A son to Joseph and Ann, Alfred, John Partridge’s father, was born at The Forge, Soudley and was baptised in Newnham on 21 October 1860.By 1861 Joseph and Ann were living in near Ruspidge where Joseph was working as a collier. They then had three more children, Alice born about 1855, Harriett born about 1857 as well as Alfred who was aged 6 months at the time of the Census. All the children were born in Newnham. Joseph Partridge died in 1866 in the Westbury on Severn Registration district which included Newnham. His widow, Ann Partridge, continued to live in Lower Ruspidge and in 1871 Ann was living there with four of her children: Mary Ann who was unmarried, Harriet, Alfred aged 10 and another son, John born about 1864. By 1881 Alfred Partridge, John Partridge’s father, was still living near Ruspidge with his mother, then calling herself Ann Bayliss, a widow, and his brother, John aged 16. Both Alfred and John were colliers.

Alfred Partridge married Elizabeth Hardwick in 1885 and by 1891 they were living in Short Row, Ruspidge with their son, John Partridge then aged 3, and two other children, William born about 1889, and Elizabeth born 1891, all born in Ruspidge. Alfred was working as a coal miner. The family continued to live in Ruspidge and by 1911 had six more children, Alfred born about 1897, Dorothy born about 1899 , Harriett born about 1901, Elsie born about 1904, Arthur born about 1906 and Cecil born about 1910.Alfred, John and William were all coal miners: Alfred was a colliery hewer and John and William were colliery labourers underground. Alfred and Elizabeth had 13 children of whom 11 were still alive in 1911. Alfred died in September 1945 in the Forest of Dean registration district.

John William Partridge continued to work as a coal miner and married Mildred Frances Glastonbury of Littledean on 7 March 1915 at Cinderford St John. Their son, William Stanley Partridge, (Stan) was born on 10 April 1916.

William Stanley Partridge of 176 Ruspidge Road, Cinderford married Gwendolin Vera Sterry, a cook, aged 21 of Huntley Court on 1 August 1938, His father, John William Partridge was working at the time as a miner colliery fitter. Both parties signed the register and John Partridge signed the register as a witness. John William Partridge aged 75 of 176 Ruspidge Road, Ruspidge, died in 1963 and was buried on 26 August 1963 at Cinderford.

Stan’s wife, Gwen was born 16 September 1916 and died in May 2002 aged 85 also in the registration district of the Forest of Dean. Stan died in 1999 aged 83 in the registration district of the Forest of Dean.

Notes by Carol Davies November 2011