The period before 1861 is a conjectural view of the origin of the Preeces, based on piecing together various bits of evidence and making some assumptions. No other explanation fits the evidence better, but it still may be hopelessly wrong!
John Preece (b1806 in Herefordshire) was living in Nether Lye between Lingen and Aymestry in 1841. He was married to Charlotte (b 1811, Herefordshire) and they have three children William (b1834), Elizabeth (b1836) and John (b1838) ? this is true but whether this is the ?right? William is conjectural.
By 1851 the elder John and Charlotte have disappeared (presumed deceased) and it appears that the children have dispersed. John, born in Aymestry, is living in Lingen with the Edwards family and working as a labourer/servant. Elizabeth, born in Wigmore is living in Lingen with the Nott family (farmers of 400 acres) working as a House Servant. William hasn?t been tracked down as yet.
Reliably, William appears in the 1861 Census living, aged 29 at Leintwardine Green Barracks (thought to be the workhouse) with wife Mary (nee Benbow, b1826, Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomeryshire), aged 35. No record of their marriage has been found.
The first record of Mary Preece, is in 1841. She is living in Llanfair Caereinion with her parents Edward (b 1806), and Sarah (b1797) and her siblings Sarah 6, Elinor 4, Anne 4 and Elizabeth 4 months.
In 1851 she appears to be working as a servant, aged 25, at Ponbiolert Mill, Cynhynfa, Llangyniew.
By 1871 they have three children (all born in Leintwardine), George (b 1864), Jane (b 1865), and William Edward (b 1869 and father of my maternal grandmother). They are still living in the Barracks. They have a lodger; John Archer aged 40 who is a water carrier. He was also born in Leintwardine.
In 1881 the family are living on Watling Street in Leintwardine. Jane has left home, but George aged 17 is now a grocer and William Edward is still at school. They are also looking after a 5 year old, Thomas Hughes from Abergavenny, Montgomeryshire. Jane (conjecturally) appears in the records at this time working as a servant in the Britannia Hotel in St Chad?s Parish, Shrewsbury.
In 1891 the family are still in Watling Street. Jane is back home with two (presumably illegitimate) children, Edith 5 and Albert 6 months. William and Mary are 58 and 65 respectively. Jane is a dressmaker. George and William have left home.
By 1901 Mary is a widow, though still living with Jane, Edith and Albert in Watling Street.
Mary is still alive in 1911 aged 85, and is still living in Watling Street with Jane, Edith and Albert.
In 1891 George Preece is living in 23 St Stephen?s Road, Bowling, Bradford with his wife Miriam. He is a grocer?s assistant. Miriam was born in Allerton in Yorkshire.
William is at this time also in Bradford (Calverley) living at 4 Dalby Place with his new wife Annie Fletcher (b 13 October 1867, at Clay Felton, Bromfield, near Ludlow, Shropshire). They were married on 13 January 1891 in Bradford. He is working as a bottle merchant.
William and Annie had three girls; Annie Elizabeth, b illegitimately on 23 February 1890 (Auntie Betty to me), Edith (Auntie Edith) b 1892, and Mary Ellen (Grandma) b 1894.
In 1891 Annie Elizabeth aged 1 was living in Norton, Culmington, Shropshire with her maternal grandparents Thomas (b 1839) and Mary Fletcher (b 1842) and their children John, Mary, William, James, Arthur, and Herbert.
In 1901 William, Annie and the girls were living together at 74 Heaton Road. William was a ?bread maker and journeyman baker?.
In 1911 William, now a widow, is living with the three girls at 267 Kensington Street Bradford. He is a horse driver for a brewery. Annie Elizabeth is a silk drawer. The two others are worsted weavers.
Over the next few years the girls would all get married...
Annie Elizabeth to Harold Parkinson. They produced Florence May.
Edith to ?? Metcalf. They produced Albert and Stanley.
Mary Ellen to Albert Mitchell. They produced Dorothy (my mother).
The story of this line of the Preece?s stops here!