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I would appreciate any look-up or other help about the life and family of my lateral, Mary Ann Lawrence. 

Mary Ann Lawrence, daughter of William Lawrence, yeoman, and Mary Wilkins, was born in Hilmarton, Wilthshire, England, and baptized there on April 26th., 1818.  Her parents were yeoman farmers in Beaconhill Farm, Hilmarton, till about 1825, when they moved to farm in Berkshire.  Mary Ann's older sister, Sarah Lawrence, was married on April 15th., 1833, in Ashbury, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire).  William died in Ashbury, Berkd, in 1838.  Mary Ann Lawrence received a bequest from her father’s will signed in 1834.  Our Lawrence Tree, prepared in about 1970,  shows no marriage or issue for her. 

However, a Mary A. Lawrence married an Edwin Clark (Free BMD) in Calne St. Mary’s, Wilts, in Q4 of 1855.  Has anybody spotted a marriage / family for this Mary Ann Lawrence, please?   

Best wishes.


Peter Ferreira.
Toronto, Canada. 

I seek assistance in defining the descendants of my FOLWER branch, descended from this John Lawrence Fowler.  Here is what I know about them: 

John Lawrence Fowler, eldest son of Joseph Francis and Elizabeth Fowler, was born c 1851 in Winterborne Kingston, Dorset, and baptized in Wareham, St. Mary, on August 11th., 1851 (I.G.I.).  On September 5th., 1878, in St. John’s Church, Ealing, in Brentford district (BMD ref:  3a / 103) John married Marianne Tillyer, the only daughter of James Tillyer, of Craven House, Ealing;  Marianne had been born in London, Middlesex about Q1 of 1854, when her birth was registered in St. George Hanover Sq.  In the 1881 census they lived on Dorchester Road in Milborne St. Andrew, John 29 being a senior partner in J. L. Fowler & Co. Coal Factory, living with Marian 26 and Joseph H 18 months.  In the 1891 census at 5 North Parade Passage, St James, Bath, Somerset, there were John L. 39 and Marianne 37;  their three children, Elizabeth T. 9, John L. 7 and Mary 4, all pupils / scholars, were enumerated boarding with a family  in Milborne St. Andrew;  no sign of son Joseph.  In the 1901 census, John Fowler 49 married was a boarder in Melcombe Regis, living on his own means;  Elizabeth  was in Bromley, Kent;  John jr. was in Basing, Hants;  I  cannot find Joseph or Mary;  Marian 50, single <sic>, was living on own means in Wallington, Surrey.  Marianne Fowler 47 died in Dorchester district, Dorset, on April 23rd., 1901.  John Lawrence Fowler 60 was buried in Melcombe Regis, St. Mary and St. John churchyard, Dorset, on March 22nd., 1911 (NBI-2).  John and Marian(ne) had issue:
(1)   Joseph Honnor Fowler, born in Milborne St. Andrew about 1879;   the birth of Joseph Honnor Fowler, in Q4 of 1879 was registered in Blandford district (BMD ref:  5a / 260);  bp. in Milborne St. Andrew, on October 24th., 1879.  Joseph, 18 months old, was noted in the 1881 census, living with his parents, in Milborne St. Andrew.  I cannot find this Joseph in the 1891 or 1901 censuses.  Joseph ?Honnor? Fowler 31, single, born in Milborne St. Andrew, was enumerated in the 1911 census, as a farmer employer, at ?Rynell / Rignall Farm, at Great Missenden, Bucks, in the district of Amersham.  Joseph H. Fowler 66 died in Amersham, Bucks, on September 30th., 1945.     
(2)   Elizabeth Tillyer Fowler, born in Milborne St. Andrew, Dorset, in Q4 of 1881; bp. there on October 21st., 1881.  Elizabeth Tillyer Fowler 29, single, was last noted in the 1911 census, in Westerham?, Tatsfield, Surrey.             
(3)   John Lawrence Fowler, born in Northport, Wareham, Dorset, on January 21st., 1884;  bp. February 24th., 1884.  John Lawrence Fowler 27, single, a farm bailiff, was enumerated in the 1911 census in Great Missenden, Bucks.  John L. Fowler married Ida M. D. White, in Aylesbury district, Bucks, about Q2 of 1911.  They apparently lived in Uxbridge district, where the births of their three children were registered.  John died about Q3 of 1952, in Uxbridge district.  .    [ancestors of John S. L. Fowler and James Fowler]   
●   Marjorie E. M. Fowler, birth registered in Q3 of 1912, in Uxbridge district.  About Q3 of 1935, in Uxbridge district, she married John J. O’Reilly, an RAF Squadron Leader, who died about the 1980s.   Marjorie died in the 1990s.  John and Marjorie had one son and one daughter.     
●   John Lawrence Fowler, born April 16th., 1914, birth registered in Q2 of 1914, in Uxbridge district, Middlesex, England.  John married and had two known sons.  John 89 died in April 2003, in Ealing, London. 
●   Robert G. A. Fowler, birth registered in Q4 of 1917, in Uxbridge district.  Bob was in the RAF and was killed in W.W. II.  No issue.     
(4)   Mary Fowler, born in Milborne St. Andrew, Dorset, about Q3 of 1886.  Mary 24, a poultry farmer, was last noted in the 1911 census, living with her sister, Elizabeth, in Westerham?, Surrey.           

I would appreciate any assistance defining other descendants of this family, especially from Joseph Honnor, Elizabeth and Mary Fowler, all cousins of mine. 

Best wishes. 


Peter Ferreira.
Toronto, Canada.

I would appreciate assistance in building up my GILLETT branch, detailed, as best I can, below.  This Gillett family group is related to me. 

Mary Anning, born about 1792, bp. Musbury on November 4th., 1792.  On September 15th., 1814, in Musbury, Mary married Francis Gillett, of High Ham, Somerset;  Francis and Mary farmed in High Ham, Somerset.  Then, in the early 1820s, they moved to farm in Musbury, Devon.  Francis and Mary had six children: 
i.   Henry Anning Gillett, born in High Ham, Somerset, about 1818.  In Q1 of 1848, in Axminster district, Henry married Sarah Roper.  Henry, a yeoman, died on September 10th., 1893, aged 75 years  -  M..I. in High Ham churchyard.  No known issue.   
ii.   Francis Jego Gillett, born in High Ham, Somerset, about 1819.  About Q2 of 1845, in St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, London, Francis married Mary xxxx, who was born about 1822, and they farmed 206 acres in High Ham, Somerset (census of 1851), and then in Burton Bradstock, Dorset.     
iii.   Norris Jego Gillett, born about 1826, in Musbury, Devon.  In April 1852, in Yeovil district, Norris married Eliza Dight and had a large family.  Norris Jego Gillett, gentleman of Colyton, Devon.  Norris Jego Gillett 60 died in Axminster district, about Q4 of 1886.  Norris and Eliza had issue  -  I have details on eight known children therein. 
iv.   Samuel Sherrin Gillett, born in Musbury, Devon, about 1831  Samuel was enumerated with his brother Henry in Paddington, at the 1851 census. On May 30th., 1888, in St. Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, in Brentford district, Mx., England, Samuel married Harriette Elizabeth Sherrin, who was born about 1844.   Samuel and Harriette had issue. 
v.   John William Gillett, born in Musbury, Devon, about 1833.  On April 9th., 1866, in Allington, Dorset, John married Mary Pearce, in the presence of Francis Gillett.  John William Gillett, gentleman, of Musbury, Devon.  This Gillett family lived in Musbury, Devon, at the 1871 census.  John and Mary had issue  -  I know of four children in this family.
vi.   Mary Anning Gillett, born in Musbury, Devon, about 1835.  About Q2 of 1859, in Langport, Somerset, she married John Dight.  They lived in Tintinhull and then in Martock, where John was a yeoman.  She died in Yeovil district in 1896.  John died in Marston Magna, Somerset, on July 27th., 1902.  John and Mary Anning Dight had issue  -  I know of 10 children in this family.

I would be delighted to correspond and share GILLETT family history notes with any researcher or descendant of this family, all cousins of mine. 

Best wishes. 


Peter Ferreira
Toronto, Canada.

I am looking for the children of my John WILKINS senior, probably in Alveston, Glos., after 1788.   

On July 14th., 1788, in the church of Clyffe Pypard, Wilts, John WILKINS senior, of Bremhill, Wilts, married Ann CHESTERMAN, "of this parish".   Their first son, John WILKINS junior was born in Clyffe Pypard, Wilts, and bp there on November 2nd., 1788. 

After that John senior "vanishes", till 1819, when he is mentioned in the will of his aunt, as John WILKINS, of Alveston, Glos.  Later, John WILKINS junior, with his wife Celia, was farming in Lodge Farm, Alveston, Glos., where he had eight known children born and bp, in the years 1823 to 1838. 

I have searched for other children of John WILKINS senior, and Ann CHESTERMAN, his wife, in the PR of Bremhill and of Clyffe Pypard, but in vain.  I now wonder if they had younger children, after 1788, in Alveston, Glos.  Can any kind soul out there please help me in this search? 

Best wishes. 


Peter Ferreira
Toronto, Canada.

I am seeking to make contact with any descendant or researcher of the family of my BURBIDGE cousins in London, who lived in the late 1900s and early 2000s. 

My cousin, Lois Clara HULL was born 1863, at 75 Upper Ebury Street, Pimlico, London.  Henry BURBIDGE was born in Bradford, Wilts about 1858.  In 1883, in Richmond, Surrey, Lois Clara Hull married Henry Burbidge;  Henry was a wine merchant.  By the 1901 census, Henry 42 was a superintendent in Harrod’s stores and was living in Kensington, Brompton, London;  by the 1911 census, this family of 5 was in Plympton St. Mary, Devon.  In 1923, Lois moved to Canada with Gladys and Freida and lived there.  About 1938, she was buried in Edgerton, Alberta.  Henry and Lois had issue: 

a.   Edward Hull Burbidge, born in Pimlico, London, about 1888.  About Q3 of 1923, in St. George, Hanover Sq., London district, Edward married Ethel L. Cooper.  They later lived in Stoke, near Andover, Hants.  They had issue: 

b.   Gladys Dorothy Burbidge, born in Pimlico, London, about 1891.  In 1923, Gladys migrated to Canada, to Alberta, where she married her first cousin, Reginald KINGTON, in 1923, in Chauvin, Alberta.  They lived in Edgerton, Alberta, where they had issue. 
 
c.   Lois Freda Burbidge, born in Barnes, Surrey, about 1893.  Freida migrated to Canada, with her sister, Gladys, in 1923.  She married Neil LACEY and they farmed near Edgerton, Alberta.  They raised one son and one daughter.  Freida died about 1983.

Best wishes.


Peter Ferreira
Toronto, Canada.