Rebecca Byrde (née Mais)

1. Born 10/12/1809 and baptised 30/07/1812 in St James, Bristol, daughter of Elizabeth Corne Pownall and her second husband Charles Mais, a hat manufacturer.

2. Not found in the censuses until 1871 when she was living at Goytrey House, Monmouthshire, age 60, "wife of Lieut. Col. Byrde", with daughter Annie age 18, born Kandy, Ceylon, sister-in-law Louisa age 49, born Goyfrey, two grandchildren, her elder half-brother Richard G. Mais, a cousin and 3 female servants. Rebecca Byrde, married, age 70, born Bristol St James, was living at Goytrey House, Monmouthshire, with husband Henry C. Byrde age 65, JP for Monmouthshire, her sister-in-law Louisa Byrde, daugter-in-laws Amelia Byrde and Margaret G. Byrde, son Evan M. D. Byrde age 32 born Guernsey, daughter Annie E. H. Byrde, age 28, born Ceylon, six grandchildren aged between 20 and 3 months, all except the youngest born in Ceylon, 4 female servants and 2 male servants. At Pentre House, Abergavenny Road, Goytrey in 1891.

3. Her children were living in the household of her elder half-brother Richard Colston Mais in the census of 1851 at the West End of Vrangue Road, St Peter Port, Guernsey: Henry Bird age 13, Charles Bird age 11, Frederick Bird age 9, and Richard Bird age 7, all born Ceylon.

4. Death of Rebecca Byrde age 83 registered Q4 1893 in Pontypool, Monmouthshire.

1. Ancestry.com, England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906 [database online].

2. Censuses online 1871-1891.

3. 1851 census online.

4. FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Births, 1837-1983 [database online].

We are grateful to Howard Mais, Rita Lamb and Jill Britton for their assistance with compiling this entry.