Dear Hugo, Meleri and Downunder
Thank you all for your comments, help and searches. You're all most kind
Having internet access only I have been searching the FreeBMD and the GRO sites to try to pare down the list of possibles.
Hugo: The Dec Qtr 1840 Llanrwst V27 P128 was 86 years old. I don't know Thomas' age at death but he'll have been born before 1795 as he married in 1812 and had Mary by Emma in 1814 and John in 1817. This would mean he'd have been 50 when he fathered Mary and 53 for John.
The Mar Qtr 1841 V27 P149 was aged 0 so obviously not that Thomas
The Jun Qtr 1841 V27 P146 Aged 50 is the one I bought, but this chap was a farrier whereas mine was a shoemaker at one time. I believe this is also the Thomas you have all been suggesting but turned out to be married to Ann and so have all discounted, rightly
Meleri: Very many thanks but as from my research noted above and yours, Hugo's and Downunder's this is not my man
Downunder: Thank you too. As you see it turned out he was a farrier!!
The 1841 Census for Emma doesn't state whether or not she was widowed by then but it does say in the 1851 census that she was or at least my interpretation of the squiggle is Wdr. It also states she was widowed by the time she died in 1860 mentioning him as having been a shoemaker, as does his son John's marriage certificate for 1865 (though this only states his occupation not the fact that he was deceased)
At least I have ruled a few out with your significant help!!
I am not certain he died in the Llanrwst district and have taken a leap of faith with Emma living as head of the household in at Tre Y Dre, Llanrwst in 1841
Having looked at the Llanrwst Registrations, IF he died after Sep Qtr 1837 then these are those potentials I have left to investigate
1840 Dec Qtr V 27 P 128 Aged 86 - seems too old
1841 Jun Qtr V27 P 146 Aged 50 is the farrier
1847 Dec Qtr V27 P127 Aged 84 - therefore bn abt 1763 so again seems too old
1849 Jun Qtr V27 P 174 Aged 71 - therefore bn abt 1778 - possible and will investigate him
1850 Jun Qtr V27 P162 Aged 54 - therefore bn abt 1796 - possibly too young in view of Emma's age? I BELIEVE she may have been bn abt 1775. This makes Emma abt 37 when she married though. This date is reached from the 1851 census and her death cert
1853 Jun Qtr V11b P302 Age 84 - therefore bn abt 1769 - but he'd have been alive in 1851 census.
I can't find an obvious Thomas on any census, so of course he may have died before registration!!!!!
I have 2 x Certificates for Thomas WILLIAMSs who died in Conway reg district. These were
Conway 1857 Jun Qtr Died 3 Apr 1857 Aged 58 a shoemaker of Old road, Llandudno but can't find him on any census returns (could have been a journeyman) and I believe he would have been too young
The other is Conway 1841 Dec Qtr Died 15 Nov 1841 Age 72 at Felin Ucha Caerhun and was a labourer. This chap is not out of the question as my Thomas children were born Roewen / Caerhun. However why wasn't he with Emma in 1841? I haven't been able to find him on the census for 1841 either. I appreciate he's not a shoemaker but may have lost dexterity and just laboured instead?
Certainly an enigma wrapped in a conundrum!!! Thoughts, questions, theories most welcome