Author Topic: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)  (Read 13452 times)

Offline AndrewMartin

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
  • Tweet me: www.twitter.com/familytreeuk
    • View Profile
A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« on: Monday 26 November 12 21:39 GMT (UK) »
I've been stuck with my Gtx4 Grandfather, Henry Bowers, for a long time and have just re-freshed my determination to crack his origins. I'm wondering whether anyone can offer information or some fresh ideas on this?

What i know...

Henry Bowers married Ann Bailey on 27th October 1832 at Wicken. The couple had 8 children between 1833 and 1846. For whatever reason, there were no Banns recorded at Wicken between 1828 and 1833 (so close!), and the couples' ages and parents names were not noted.

Henry died on 22nd Feb 1847 of consumption in Wicken. His sister-in-law Sarah Bailey was present at his death. He is noted as 35 years old. Going by this date, he would have been born in 1811/1812 (depending on whether his birthday had passed or not, and if his sister-in-law knew his age).

This leaves me with just the 1841 census as a snapshot of his family life, and unfortunately doesn't reveal his parish of birth. The census does give the 'y' for the 'born in this parish' question. It also gives him the age of 29, which given the creativity of that census with ages, seems pretty odd if it wasn't accurate.

What i'm stuck on is...

Where was Henry born? There's no Bowers in the Wicken registers until his marriage to Ann Bailey in 1832. A few Bowers do turn up as the children of 'John' a shoemaker, in marriages either side of the 1851 census, yet John doesn't appear anywhere on the census at this time. There's also no reference to Henry being baptised in nearby Soham, and there are several Bowers in Burwell, but again, no Henry.

Having looked at that 1851 census (when of course, Henry is dead), i've looked to see where other Bowers name-bearers of a similar age were born and it brings up places such as Horseheath, Boxworth, Elsworth - all in Cambridgeshire, and Lakenheath on the Suffolk border. These places are all within 25-37 miles of Wicken, so not exactly next-door compared to all the other relationships i've researched during this period and area.

A fresh set of eyes and mind is gratefully received! :S
Andrew Martin
Cambridgeshire, England.
https://www.familytreeuk.co.uk
https://familyhistoriespodcast.com

Researching: BABBIDGE, BAILEY, BARBER, BARKER, BISHOP, BOULTER, BOWERS, BRIGHTWELL, BURNELL, CLARKE, COOPER, CROSS, DEWEY, DEWSBURY, FLOWER, FREEMAN, GAWTHROP, GIDDINGS, GIGNER, GILBERT, GILLIONS, GOLTRIP, GOTHARD, HARRISON, HAWKINS, IRONS, JEFFERY, LEVITT, MARTIN, MODEN, NEWMAN, NEWELL, ONG, TALL, TAYLOR, TINGEY, WHITEHEAD, YARROW.

Offline Paco

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,446
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 27 November 12 21:29 GMT (UK) »
You will find quite a lot of Bowers living in Cambridge on FreeREG.
regards.
Essex/Dorset/Berks

Offline NettieS

  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 573
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #2 on: Friday 30 November 12 00:29 GMT (UK) »

Hi Andrew,

My great grandmother was Sophia Bowers she was born in Landbeach, where there does seem to be cluster of Bowers, I have a couple of links with some of the Bowers who were born in Cambridge, but not with any of them that were in Horseheath, Boxworth or Elsworth.
Regards
Lyne
Bramwell -  Derbyshire and Bolton
Pottinger -  Gloucestershire, Berkshire
James- Gloucestershire
Rawley, Wheeler - Middlesex
Nicholls, Nichols -  Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire
Lee, Porter - Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire
Bowers, Coxall, Coe, Dawkins, Hawkins, Horspoole, Rule - Cambridgeshire
Stoughton - Bedfordshire
Stewart - Stirlingshire,  Glasgow and Edingburgh
Tulloch - Orkney Islands
Liddell - Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire
Tulloch, Wilson, Stevenson, Baxter, Muir, Boag - Scotland

Offline lizdb

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 25,307
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #3 on: Friday 30 November 12 08:36 GMT (UK) »
Weddings traditionally took place in the brides parish, so the groom could live anywhere!

Also, he could have moved to the area since his birth, so place of birth/christening may be further afield than you would think, but he moved to the area at some stage and then met his bride to be.

So, worth pursuing all these Bowers hints you have come across.
Edmonds/Edmunds - mainly Sussex
DeBoo - London
Green - Suffolk
Parker - Sussex
Kemp - Essex
Farrington - Essex
Boniface - West Sussex

census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline AndrewMartin

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
  • Tweet me: www.twitter.com/familytreeuk
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 01 December 12 12:59 GMT (UK) »
I've decided to explore the Bowers family group in nearby Burwell. So armed with Burwell censuses and a copy of the parish registers, i'm trying to map out their family/families. This should help me either a) tie them to mine, as there's Wicken/Burwell cross-over for my own Bowers and the Burwell Bowers group, or b) help me eliminate them from my suspicions.

Already found that in Burwell, the Bowers surname turns into Boar, Boer and Bowyer a few times.
Andrew Martin
Cambridgeshire, England.
https://www.familytreeuk.co.uk
https://familyhistoriespodcast.com

Researching: BABBIDGE, BAILEY, BARBER, BARKER, BISHOP, BOULTER, BOWERS, BRIGHTWELL, BURNELL, CLARKE, COOPER, CROSS, DEWEY, DEWSBURY, FLOWER, FREEMAN, GAWTHROP, GIDDINGS, GIGNER, GILBERT, GILLIONS, GOLTRIP, GOTHARD, HARRISON, HAWKINS, IRONS, JEFFERY, LEVITT, MARTIN, MODEN, NEWMAN, NEWELL, ONG, TALL, TAYLOR, TINGEY, WHITEHEAD, YARROW.

Offline suzard

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 23,197
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 01 December 12 13:26 GMT (UK) »

This leaves me with just the 1841 census as a snapshot of his family life, and unfortunately doesn't reveal his parish of birth. The census does give the 'y' for the 'born in this parish' question. It also gives him the age of 29, which given the creativity of that census with ages, seems pretty odd if it wasn't accurate.





On 1841 census the "Y" is not in answer to a "born in this parish" question. It is in answer to "Born in County" question. So all it tells you is that your ancestor was born in Cambridgeshire
Ages of adults 15+ are supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years - but this "rule" wasn't always adhered to
Thornhill, Cresswell, Sisson, Harriman, Cripps, Eyre, Walter, Marson, Battison, Holmes, Bailey, Hardman, Fairhurst Noon-mainly in Derbys/Notts-but also Northampton, Oxford, Leics, Lancs-England
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline AndrewMartin

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
  • Tweet me: www.twitter.com/familytreeuk
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 01 December 12 16:55 GMT (UK) »
hi suzard,

thanks for picking that up. i was 'speed typing' without my brain in, - should definitely said 'born in this county'. :)
Andrew Martin
Cambridgeshire, England.
https://www.familytreeuk.co.uk
https://familyhistoriespodcast.com

Researching: BABBIDGE, BAILEY, BARBER, BARKER, BISHOP, BOULTER, BOWERS, BRIGHTWELL, BURNELL, CLARKE, COOPER, CROSS, DEWEY, DEWSBURY, FLOWER, FREEMAN, GAWTHROP, GIDDINGS, GIGNER, GILBERT, GILLIONS, GOLTRIP, GOTHARD, HARRISON, HAWKINS, IRONS, JEFFERY, LEVITT, MARTIN, MODEN, NEWMAN, NEWELL, ONG, TALL, TAYLOR, TINGEY, WHITEHEAD, YARROW.

Offline sabrina

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 233
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 26 December 12 11:51 GMT (UK) »
Hi
I am related to the Bowers from Burwell, Cambridgeshire.  My Gr Grandmother Ann Barnes married Matthew Bowers in 1847.  Both of their fathers were John.  Matthew was married to Mary Bridgeman previously.  In the 1861 census Matthew and Ann are under Barnes, presumably as they were living with or next to Ann's son Charles who married Matthews daughter Mary.  Must have been a typo.

I understand that the Burwell section of the 1851 census is missing never to be found.  I had this info from the Gov't on enquirery.  I have no idea if Matthew had any brothers.

sabrina

Offline AndrewMartin

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
  • Tweet me: www.twitter.com/familytreeuk
    • View Profile
Re: A missing Bowers (last seen: Wicken, 1847)
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 27 December 12 14:25 GMT (UK) »
Hi
I am related to the Bowers from Burwell, Cambridgeshire.  My Gr Grandmother Ann Barnes married Matthew Bowers in 1847.  Both of their fathers were John.  Matthew was married to Mary Bridgeman previously.  In the 1861 census Matthew and Ann are under Barnes, presumably as they were living with or next to Ann's son Charles who married Matthews daughter Mary.  Must have been a typo.

I think i may have also located a third marriage for Mathew was well - 10th August 1867, he being a 59yr old widower, son of John, marrying Tabitha Smith (x) aged 47, daughter of Thomas Larner, labourer.

I understand that the Burwell section of the 1851 census is missing never to be found.  I had this info from the Gov't on enquirery.  I have no idea if Matthew had any brothers.

sabrina

Ah, this would explain quite a bit - thanks for that.
Andrew Martin
Cambridgeshire, England.
https://www.familytreeuk.co.uk
https://familyhistoriespodcast.com

Researching: BABBIDGE, BAILEY, BARBER, BARKER, BISHOP, BOULTER, BOWERS, BRIGHTWELL, BURNELL, CLARKE, COOPER, CROSS, DEWEY, DEWSBURY, FLOWER, FREEMAN, GAWTHROP, GIDDINGS, GIGNER, GILBERT, GILLIONS, GOLTRIP, GOTHARD, HARRISON, HAWKINS, IRONS, JEFFERY, LEVITT, MARTIN, MODEN, NEWMAN, NEWELL, ONG, TALL, TAYLOR, TINGEY, WHITEHEAD, YARROW.