Author Topic: Lydia Gowan  (Read 11840 times)

Offline jenwren13

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #27 on: Wednesday 08 April 09 11:52 BST (UK) »
Hi Lorraine and Jane
Interested to see these posts about Lydia Gowan.  I am doing some research for a friend and Lydia and James Matthews are her 3 x great-grandparents through their youngest son Joseph (Harelip) Matthews.  You are correct about them being travelling families.  James (Chewbacca) Matthews was a Prize-Fighter.  Joseph was a Steam Roundabout Proprietor.

We have found a lot of information from a book " Fairfield Folk" A History of the British Fairground and its People by Frances Brown (Also a descendant).  You probably got the date 1807 from there as we did too.  Ewell church website has a list of rectors but no Gowan?  Baptisms in Battle taken from the online parish clerk has no Gowans but does have some Gowers? 

Having extracted information from the book we are now looking at census returns etc but we have not been able to find James's parents or grandparents so would be interested in any information you could give us on them?

Happy Hunting
Jenny

Offline lolmac3

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 146
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #28 on: Wednesday 08 April 09 12:19 BST (UK) »
Hi Jenny

Interesting to read your post.

I can help you with all that information, I have been doing the Matthews family tree for 12 years now and can go back to early 1700's.

Your friend must be on my family tree as I have several of Harelips decendants helping me (I am a decendant of Harelips brother Chorley) I know Francis Brown she is my 3rd cousin once removed !

Anyway let me know where your friend fits into my tree (there's over 1000 people on it now) if you prefer to email me my address is (*)

Look forward to hearing from you.

Lorraine

(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.

New members must make at least three postings before being allowed to use the PM facility.
See Help-Page:  http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline jenwren13

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #29 on: Wednesday 08 April 09 16:26 BST (UK) »
Hi Lorraine
Having just spoken to my friend was just going to reply to you and found that the moderator has removed your email address.  I made an mistake - my friend's grandmother was Amy Matthews born 1883, youngest daughter of Redshirt

I have emailed what I hope is the correst email address from memory.  My address is aqua   (at)  ducks 27. fs net . co . uk  all lower case and no gaps!
Best wishes
Jenny

Offline lolmac3

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 146
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #30 on: Wednesday 08 April 09 16:50 BST (UK) »
just answered you Jenny  ;D
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland


Offline cheeky bird

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #31 on: Friday 17 April 09 22:35 BST (UK) »
Just stumbled across this thread whilst googling "Lydia Gowan". Lydia and James/ Chewbacca/ Jemmy were my 4 x great grandparents. My line goes down through their eldest son James (Jemmy) Matthews and Famebridge (surname unknown), through their daughter Mary Ann Matthews who married John Smith, through their daughter Lydia Smith who married Francis William (Frank) Townsend (my great gran and grandad) through to their daughter Eileen Lydia Townsend, my grannie. I was wondering if anyone has come across Famebridge and has any idea of her surname. All I know is that she was born in Ballscross/ Petworth, Sussex in or around 1831 and died 1913 Hambledon District aged 82.
Also does anyone know who Amy Matthews, daughter of William "Redshirt" and Mary Ann Matthews, married. All I know was that he was killed around 1915.
It would be great to be able to tie up some loose ends, and I'm afraid there are a few!  ???
Many thanks, Vicky

Offline lolmac3

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 146
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #32 on: Saturday 18 April 09 05:01 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky

Thanks for your post!  ;D guess that makes us distant cousins  ;D ;D

All I had on the family tree was Jemmy marrying a 'famebridge' and them having a child, though I had no name for that child, so you have opened up a while new avenue on the family tree!! thank you.

As I said on a previous post I have been doing the Matthews family tree for 12 years now and there are over 1600 people on it!

If you could let me know how you fit in (you didnt mentioned your parents, only your granny) that would be great, or any aunts uncles cousins anything you have!  as I said before I haven't got this line. :o

In return I will tie your loose ends up for you! Amy Matthews married Henry Turner and they had 7 children, Henry, ada, Maggie, May, Joey, Mary & Patience. I have Henry & Joey's decendants but not the girls, however I have just made contact with May's daughter who is sending me all the information on the rest so I will keep you posted.

Many thanks again

Lorraine
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline cheeky bird

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #33 on: Saturday 18 April 09 11:09 BST (UK) »
Hi Lorraine. Thanks ever so much for your reply. I added that info on Amy to my tree. Glad to have tied up that loose end!! Cheers for that.
I'll elaborate on my line but the later family I'll PM privately if that's OK. Plus there's a few bits and pieces you might like for your collection such as the copy of the birth/ baptism certificate for Jemmy and Famebridges daughter Mary Ann which was made in 1926. I believe there is a protocol for PM-ing privately isn't there?
Anyway, here goes. I think the best way to do it will be generation by generation, so I'll start with Jemmy and Famebridges' children that I've found so far. There may well be more but the unusual name "Famebridge" has caused a few problems in transcribing as you can imagine. Its been entered as Fanbridge and Phoebe, to name a couple.
Their children were:-
Mary Ann baptised 1 June 1853 Shere, Surrey (I have the copy of the record). If you have got a copy of "Fairfield Folk" Mary Ann is the child who was born to James (a chairbender) and Famebridge. Her name wasn't mentioned in the book.
Eliza born about 1870/1876 Knapp Hill, Surrey. She married Leonard Davis 2nd July 1898 St Nicholas, Guildford. They settled in Alton, Hants. When she died in 1960 her funeral procession was the biggest ever seen in the area. I've got the photos and its an incredible sight. Can see my great grannie and grandad in the procession. Maybe some of your family were there too. I've got a transcript of the newspaper article with lots of names on.
Matilda born about 1877 baptised 1 June 1879 Thursley, Surrey (abode Ditchland) married Arthur Hedges 23 March 1901 St Nicholas, Guildford.
William born about 1874 Ash, Surrey.
Lydia born about 1871 Goudhurst, Kent died 1906 Hambledon District, Surrey aged 36.

These are Jemmy and Famebridge's children thus far. I imagine all that country air must have been good for them as Famebridge was nearly 50 when some of her children were born!!
I'm going to break off now and take the dogs out but I'll be back with another installment in a bit!

Vicky

Offline jenwren13

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #34 on: Saturday 18 April 09 11:40 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky and Lorraine
Interested to see more on this family which I will pass on to Amy's granddaughter who is sending you information Lorraine about her branch of the family. 

Just to add to the record.  Lydia Gowan, according to the 1851 census was born 1811 in Battle Sussex.  I have just found in the 1841 census a John Gowen aged 75 living in Dallington, Sussex,  District Battle.  He was of Independent means (hence her may have been a preacher?).  Ages in the 1841 census are to the nearest 5 years.  He was born in Sussex.  Quite often someone born in a village would put themselves down on the census as being born in the nearest town so quite likely that Lydia was baptised at Dallington.  Dallington parish registers are at the East Sussex Record Office at Lewes.  The records for this period are not on the IGI nor have they been added to the online parish clerk's website yet.  Therefore what is needed is a visit to the RO.

Research at the RO could also follow James (Chewbaccy) Matthews family back in Chiddingly where he was baptised on 23rd June 1811 son of John and James Matthews (born 19th June 1811)  Again earlier records for this parish are not on the IGI or OPC.
Happy hunting
Jenny

Offline jenwren13

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #35 on: Saturday 18 April 09 13:48 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky
Do you have Jemmy and his family on the 1871 Census?  They are indexed under Mathey! As follows
Hawker Wood Vale No 2
Camberwell, Surrey
Jane (James) 35
Phenbridge  35
Mary A 12
Job 10
Marya 8 (Maria)
John 6
Louisa 3
Phebe 2 (Phoebe)
Lydia 2 (1) (2 is crossed out and replaced with 1)
Eliza 2 months
As Indexed - in brackets what it actually says!
If you look at the original the name is Mathews!  Father's occupation Hawker born in Huddersfield Yorkshire?  Nextdoor are a Charles and Mary Mathews

Hope this helps
Jenny