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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Norfolk => England => Norfolk Lookup Requests => Topic started by: GenieRachel on Monday 18 July 05 00:50 BST (UK)
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Hi all
Wondering if anyone has access to parish records for Forncett, Norfolk - I'm looking for the baptism of Sophia Lauriel GOWING in about 1828 - father's name recorded as John GOWING on her death certificate.
TIA
Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
If you're still interested... Sophia Gowing was baptised 29 Jan 1826 in Forncett St Mary parish church, the 3rd daughter of Jacob Gowing or Gowen & Elizabeth Lord. Whoever registered her death must have been guessing at her father's name & probably settled for John because that was her husband's name, but by coincidence Jacob's twin brother was called John (who was married to Elizabeth Lord's sister Harriot, then to Abigail Bell). Sophia seems to have adopted the name Lauriel in Australia. The only likely candidate I can find in the 1841 census is a Sophia Gowen, aged 15 & working as a servant in Feltwell, Norfolk. I hope that's of some belated help. Sophia was my great-grandmother's great-aunt.
Regards,
James
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Hi James
Thank you for your reply. Sorry to say I only just noticed that it had been posted. I believe I did make some progress with this after posting my original query. Just checking my records - yes - it appears that I had decided that Sophia was NOT part of the family I was researching. My main interest is in the children of Rev. John Gowing and his wife Charlotte Sones.
I have found that names on death certs are not terribly reliable, especially when the death happened half a world away from where the child was born and the informant may have had only scant knowledge of the family.
So, just out of curiosity, which one was your direct ancestor?
Regards
Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your reply. I'd forgotten about this. I'm glad to hear you sorted it out, even if it was just eliminating someone from your inquiries.
My ancestors were the Jacob Gowing & Elizabeth Lord I mentioned before, & their eldest daughter Hannah (Sophia Lauriel's sister, of course), who all remained in Norfolk. Hannah & Elizabeth are in my mitochondrial DNA line & I was tracing Sophia's family for other female line descendants (they seem to have finished on her grand-daughter's death in 1913, as far as I can tell).
Regards,
James