Henry Bowen Bristol 1851/61 census

[sgf28]

Henry Bowen married Sophia Bassett in 1826 in Bristol. Have found Sophia and her children on 1851/61 census and on both she states she is married but cannot find any trace of Henry. Have tried various spellings of the name Bowen but still no joy. Sophia died in 1864 in Bristol.
Any help with tracking Henry in these missing years would be gratefully accepted. Thanks

[jacquelineve]

Have you found the family in 1841 census? if so,what was Henry's occupation?


Jackie

[sgf28]

Haven't managed to find them on 1841 census, got them 1851 onwards where there's no sign of Henry. Have used various forms of spellings etc to try and track them but haven't succeeded yet

[sgf28]

Henry's occupation was given as labourer on Rosina's marriage to James Woolfrey in 1855 so not very helpful!

[sgf28]

Found a reference on Familysearch for 1841 census for a Rosanah Bowen born 1836 in St Phillip & St Jacob Without Clifton which maybe the missing family but when I go to view on Ancestry it doesn't appear to be there. How do I get to see a copy of this page?

[keyboard86]

Found a reference on Familysearch for 1841 census for a Rosanah Bowen born 1836 in St Phillip & St Jacob Without Clifton which maybe the missing family but when I go to view on Ancestry it doesn't appear to be there. How do I get to see a copy of this page?

Hi they are shown as BOWER no Henry:-

Sophia 25
Eliza 7
Rosanah 5
Henry 3
Census Ref HO107/378/36/15

Keyboard86

[sgf28]

Thank you for that, I had tried all sorts of versions of Bowen never thought to change the last letter! Still no closer to finding Henry though. He must have been about up till 1836ish when Henry junior was born. If he had have died wouldn't Sophia have registered herself as a widow, she states she is married on 1851/61 Census. She had another child in 1847, maybe that one isn't Henry's either unless he came home long enough for this child to be conceived! May need to get this birth certificate.

[sgf28]

Still haven't managed to find Henry Bowen after his marriage to Sophia so sent for the birth certificate of her last child hoping it would mention him and his occupation but no such luck

Birth certificate details: George William Crawford Bowen born 24th February 1847, 13 Great George Street, Bristol. No father's name. Mother: Sophia Bowen formerly Bassett. Birth registered by mother on 6th April 1847.

Baptism details: George Bowen, 21st February 1847, St Phillip & St Jacob, Bristol. Parents: Henry and Sophia Bowen.

So maybe George's father was a William Crawford hence the middle names

Sophia is on 1851/1861 as married, she died in 1864.

But where is Henry over the years!

[sgf28]

Have now received death certificate for Sophia Bowen to see if it helps with the search for Henry

Sophia died 2nd March 1864, Great George Street, Bristol from Bronchitis. She was aged 58 years, (fits in nice with her birth date). She was the widow of Henry Bowen, labourer at Soap Factory. Present at her death was Mary Ann Cribb, who turns out to be Sophia's sister, she had married Thomas Cribb in 1827.

So Henry was dead by 1864 but haven't managed to find when I'm thinking sometime after the birth of their last child Henry Bowen, December 1836 and maybe 1841 Census as he does not appear on any subsequent census with Sophia. But then the spanner in the works is the baptism of George William Bowen in 1847 which names Henry as his father but doesn't name him on the birth certificate