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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cambridgeshire => Topic started by: AndrewMartin on Monday 26 November 12 21:39 GMT (UK)
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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
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You will find quite a lot of Bowers living in Cambridge on FreeREG.
regards.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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hi suzard,
thanks for picking that up. i was 'speed typing' without my brain in, - should definitely said 'born in this county'. :)
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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
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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.
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hi
A long time ago, I had a film out for Burwell, Cambridge. I looked up my records, and following is any Henry Bowers in the records.
Buried 1807 Henry Bowers aged 2 yrs at St. Andrews the Great Cambridgeshire
Buried 1830 Henry Bowers 82 years at Wickham West
Baptised Henry R Bowers 1835 at March, Cambridgeshire. F:Zachariah, M:Sarah
Baptised Henry Bowers 1834 at HorseHeath F:Henry, M:Charlotte
Birth Henry William Bowers c1851 Burwell - died age 21 years. Son of John and Ann
1881 Census Henry Bowers b1863 Burwell and lived Ely Holy Trinity.
I do have a lot of other name records (for my family) from the film, but these are the Henry Bowers.
sabrina
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Hi
Did you find Ann Bowers in the 1851 census. Did she marry again.
sabrina
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Hi
Did you find Ann Bowers in the 1851 census. Did she marry again.
sabrina
Hi Sabrina, yes Ann remarried to widower Jackson Layton - i'm okay for info on them including the more recent stuff.
With regards to Matthew and any brothers, there is a Matthew Bowers, baptised with two brothers all on 8th July 1810 at Burwell. Whilst John doesn't have an age next to him (listed last, and presumably the youngest and possibly <1), Matthew is noted as 2yrs and William is noted as 4yrs. Their parents are given as John Bowers and Mary. I believe these to be John Bowers and Mary Durrant who were married in Burwell on 9th Sept 1804, after Banns (22nd July 1804).
I'm still cross-referencing the Burwell registers, against census returns to try to establish the family groups... in order to see if i can find any of my Henry Bowers living with any of these other Bowers - and if so, whether the census reveals what the relationship might be.
Fingers crossed!
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I did have the information on Matthew Bowers, but it is hard to know if the information belongs to ones family without proof.
I happened to see Ann in the 1851 census under Taylor married to Jackson Taylor instead of Layton, and wondered if you had found it.
sabrina
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I did have the information on Matthew Bowers, but it is hard to know if the information belongs to ones family without proof.
sabrina
Yes, it's a big shame about the missing 1851 census, as that's the one that would nicely tidy up a lot of the questions, and the ambiguity that the 1841 census creates.
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I have Bowers ancestors too.
My great grandmother was Millicent May Bowers. You can read about her and see a photo at
https://a-little-bit-of-this.co.uk/2021/01/16/millicent-may-bowers/. She was the second wife of my great grandfather Joseph Charles Abram and they had three children, including my grandfather my grandfather Louis Bowers Abram.
She can be found on the 1891 census living at Horringer Road, Bury St Edmunds, with her parents Henry and Eliza and four brothers and sisters. Aged 17 she can be found at 18 Eastgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, again with Henry and Eliza. In 1911, she can be found in Woodbridge with her sister.
Looking for Henry, I believe I have found him on the Bury St Edmunds census in 1881, Horningsheath in 1871. I am struggling with 1861, as I believe that Henry's parents were John and Elizabeth or Eliza. I may have located him on the 1851 census, again in Horningsheath but the surname is Bowars not Bowers and because I haven't found the 1851 census, I cannot be sure. Then in 1841, I have located a Henry Bowers, less than one year old, living with an Eliza Bowers and no other family members at Upstreet Green, Great Waldingfield, Sudbury, Suffolk.
I can't quite make out what is going on but maybe the information about my Henry will be useful to you.
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I believe that Henry's parents were John and Elizabeth or Eliza. I may have located him on the 1851 census, again in Horningsheath but the surname is Bowars not Bowers
Is this Henry’s marriage
Henry Bowers age 32 widower , Stamford Street, carpenter
Marriage 11 Oct 1874 St John, Walham Green, Hammersmith and Fulham
Father: John Bowers, carpenter
Spouse: Eliza Bugg age 24 father William, labourer
One witness Susan Bowers
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Thank you. Yes, I believe that Henry may have been married first to Eliza Harris and secondly to Eliza Kezia Ann Bugg. (I am related to the second Eliza). John Bowers I think had a wife called Elizabeth.