Events
Date of Birth: 24 November 1784.
Place of Birth: Aberhafesb, Montgomeryshire, Wales.
The date is given in the baptism record. The place is given in the 1851 and 1861 censuses.
Date of Baptism: 28 November 1784.
Place of Baptism: Aberhafesb, Montgomeryshire, Wales.
The baptism is given in a transcription of the parish registers by the Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society.
Date of Death: 19 May 1867.
Place of Death: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.
The death is recorded in the Wellington Journal (25 May 1867, page 1): "BREEZE - 19th instant, in his 83rd year, Mr James Breeze, blacksmith, of Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury."
Relationships
Father: Thomas Brees (1754 - 1806).
Mother: Mary Powell (1754 - 1844).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Jane Pryce (born about 1794). Married 15 July 1809 in Llandinam, Montgomeryshire (St Llonio).
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
James Brees (born in Caersws, baptized 14 August 1811 in Llanwnnog) married Ann Griffiths. James was a baker.
Mary Brees (baptized 17 November 1812 in Llanwnnog).
John Brees (born in Caersws, baptized 24 September 1815 in Llanwnnog - buried 18 January 1874 in Kidderminster) married Mary Ann Pardoe Mayers 8 February 1836 in Edgbaston, Warwickshire. John was a tailor.
Sarah Brees (baptized 6 June 1819 in Llanwnnog).
Thomas Brees (born 2 December 1821, baptized the same day in Llanwnnog - died 4 December 1821, buried the same day in Llanwnnog).
Thomas Brees (baptized 5 June 1825 in Llanwnnog - buried 5 September 1825 in Llanwnnog).
Thomas Breeze (born 9 August 1827 in Shrewsbury - buried 21 November 1828 in Shrewsbury, St Chad).
Thomas Breeze (baptized 18 May 1831 in Shrewsbury, St Chad’s) married Hannah. Thomas was a blacksmith and later an innkeeper.
Evidence
from the Aberhafesb parish register:
James Powel the son of Thomas Breese Blacksmith, & Mary his wife formerly Mary Powel of the Parish of New Town born Nov.r 24 1784, baptized Novr 28 1784.
Apprentice's Indenture
7 [June] 1803 17 Thos Brees Parish of Llanwonog: C. of [Montgomery] Blacksmith Jas Brees
from the Montgomeryshire Quarter Sessions:
[for the repair of Caersws bridge]
20 June 1807. James Brees for cramp of iron 19 6
Mr Matthew to Mary Breese [Caersws bridge]
24 May 1809. Cramp pins serv? & 58 lb 1 9 0
Gads ditto, 2 lb 1 0
Cramps & gads, 7lb 3 9
Pins serv, 11 lb 5 6
Gads. 1 lb 6
24 June 1809, settled, James Breese. 1 19 9
[1817: juror to try between the King and the several prisoners]
James Brees of Caersws
James Breese - Jane Pryce marriage (Llandinam, Montgomeryshire, St Llonio)
James Breese of the Parish of Llanwnog singleman & Jane Price of the Parish of Llandinam were Married in this Church by Licence this seventeeth Day of July in the Year One Thousand eight Hundred and nine By me John Tilsley
This Marriage was solemnized between Us James Breese Jane Pryce
In the Presence of Us Elizabeth Arthur Mau. Davies
James Breese - Jane Pryce marriage bond
Breese, James, bach., blacksmith, Llanwnnog, Montgomeryshire to Price, Jane, sp., Llandinam, Montgomeryshire: 1809 Jul 15. Marriage at Llandinam.
Baptisms and burials of children:
Baptisms (Llanwnnog):
[July 1811]
Brees James son of James & Jane Brees (Caersws) do 14th
[November 1812]
Brees Mary daughter of James and Jane Brees “ 17th
[1815]
Sep.r 24 John son of James Jane Brees Caersws Blacksmith David James Curate
[1819]
June 6 Sarah Daughter of James & Jane Brees Caersws Smith By me David James Curate
[1821]
Dec.r 2 Thomas son of James & Jane Brees Caersws Smith By me David James Curate
Burial (Llanwnnog):
[1821]
Thomas Brees Caersws December 4 [age] - 2 David James Curate
Baptism (Llanwnnog):
[1825]
June 5. Thomas son of James & Jane Brees Caersws Smith David James Curate
from the Register of the Claremont Street Meeting House (Baptist), Shrewsbury
Thomas Breeze son of James and Jane Breeze
The Parent's Trade etc: Blacksmith
The Parent's Residence: Pride hill, Shrewsbury
In what Parish: St Marys
In what County: Salop
Date of the Child's Birth: Aug.t 9.th 1827
Witnesses to the Birth: Mrs Wanklin Midwife
By whom Registered: Manoah Kent
Baptism (St Chad’s, Shrewsbury, 1831):
May 18th Thomas son of James & Jane Breeze [abode] Market Place Blacksmith [ceremony performed by] J. Harding
1841 census of England (Shrewsbury, St Julians)
Coleham
James Breeze, 55, Blacksmith, N [“N” means not born in Shropshire]
Jane Breeze, 45, N
Thos Breeze, 10, Y
1851 census of England (Shrewsbury Holy Cross and St Giles)
Abbeyforegate
James Breeze, Head, Mar, 60, Blacksmith, [born] Montgomerysh Aberhafesp
Jane [Breeze], Wife, Mar, 56, [born Montgomerysh] Llandinam
Thomas [Breeze], Son, Un, 19, Blacksmith, [born] Shropsh Shrewsbury
1861 census of England (Shrewsbury St Mary, Holy Cross, Shropshire)
Abbey Foregate
James Breeze, Head, Mar, 72, Blacksmith, [born] Montgomeryshire Aberhavesp
Jane [Breeze], Wife, Mar, 66, [born Montgomerysh] Llandinam
Thomas [Breeze], Son, Un, Blacksmith, [born] Salop Shrewsbury
Commentary
Parentage:
Censuses give this information about James’s date and place of birth:
1841 (taken 6 June): age 55, not born in Shropshire [Ages in this census were rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5.]
1851 (taken 30 March): age 60, born “Montgomerysh Aberhafesp”
1861 (taken 7 April): age 72, born “Montgomeryshire Aberhavesp”
The probable informant for all three censuses is James himself.
James’s obituary in the Wellington Journal states that James died 19 May 1867 “in his 83rd year”.
The above evidence is enough to establish James’s baptism as the 28 November 1784 baptism at Aberhafesb. The record gives his parents as Thomas Breese, blacksmith, and Mary, formerly Mary Powel of the parish of New Town. He was born November 24.
Additional evidence supporting this identification is that James and Thomas were both blacksmiths, and that Thomas’s widow Mary and James were involved in the same 1809 transaction regarding iron used to repair the bridge at Caersws.
I think the evidence is sufficient to establish the relationships.
References
Aberhafesb parish register. Digital images on Ancestry.com, accessed 1 January 2025.
St Chad's, Shrewsbury, parish registers, digital images on Findmypast.co.uk, accessed 29 December 2015.
Llanwnnog parish registers, digital images on Findmypast.co.uk, accessed 29 December 2015.
Montgomeryshire Baptisms, Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society, available on Findmypast.co.uk (accessed 18 April 2014).
Montgomeryshire Marriages, Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society, available on Findmypast.co.uk (accessed 18 April 2014).
Marriage Bonds, ca. 1750 - 1837, National Library of Wales online index (accessed 18 April 2014).
James Breeze household, 1841 census of England. Shropshire, Shrewsbury St Mary, piece 926, book 10, folio 33, page 2, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 18 April 2014).
James Breeze household, 1851 census of England. Shropshire, Shrewsbury, St Mary ED 1b, Shrewsbury Holy Cross and St Giles, piece 1992, folio 34, page 18, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 18 April 2014).
James Breeze household, 1861 census of England. Shropshire, Shrewsbury St Mary, ED 21, piece 1872, folio 57, page 25, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 18 April 2014).
GRO index, Deaths Jun 1867,Shrewsbury, Volume 6a, page 413. General Register Office. England and Wales. Civil Registration Certificates. (London, United Kingdom: General Register Office).