Ann Brown

[dhhound]

Thanks to everyone for the comments

Chilverton (modern day) exists in Devon, not far from the Dorset border but I think it unlikely they would travel to Bridport for the baptism.

I wonder if Shilverton was a farm or small hamlet in the Bridport area.

[B.E.]

Chilcombe?

It has its own church, but I guess the parents could have moved down the hill into central Bridport by the time of the baptism.

[dhhound]

I thought of Chilcombe, but looking at the parish records there are very few Browns and if the family lived there I would expect more.

[B.E.]

Pardon my caution, but I want to double-check that we're not barking up the wrong tree...

Dhhound, given your starting point of the marriage certificate from Wyke Regis, does it clearly state that Ann Brown was 18 years old at the time? If not, how do we know that the Ann Brown baptised in Bridport on Christmas Day 1802 is the right person? There were literally dozens of Ann Browns born in Dorset between 1790 and 1803, including one born to Benjamin & Mary Brown of Wyke Regis in 1792. Similarly, when you say you've found her in the 1841 and 1851 census, how do you know it's the right lady? That said, the Ann Brown (shoe binder) living with Benjamin (cordwainer) in Allington in 1841 was 39 years old, which tallies with the Bridport baptism, and two of her children Joseph and Hannah tally with the two Weymouth (Methodist) baptisms I've found, which I'm pretty certain are the children of the 1820 marriage. On the transcription visible to me Benjamin is only 22 years old. I don't know whether he's a son (now head of household) whose baptism I can't easily locate, or Ann's husband with a mistranscribed age. They're living with William Hounsell, aged 69, whom I assume to be Ann's father-in-law. I can't even find them in 1851. Where did you/LMFAO spot them with the Shilverton birthplace?

[dhhound]

You raise a good question, and I’m not absolutely sure the Wyke Regis marriage is the one. But it seems likely. Just to turn your question around, I’m sure the 1841 and 1851 censuses are correct, but whether the Ann and Benjamin married in Wyke Regis are the ones in the census, I can’t be sure.
 
Shilverton comes from the 1851 census, listed as Ann’s birthplace. The marriage certificate I’ve seen has no reference to age at all for either party.

Benjamin was born illegitimate to Ruth Hounsell in 1799, and baptized 7 Aug 1799 in Bridport. (the record exists)

It’s interesting that you have found a William Hounsell.  The father of Ruth’s children has never been identified to my knowledge and it’s been assumed he and she had too close a blood relationship with her to marry.

The 1841 census (HO107/280/8/31/p 25) has a 1799 birth date for Benjamin, and an ‘abt’ 1802 date for Ann. 
7 children are listed, William b 1822, Joseph b 1824, Hannah b 1828, Martha b 1832, Mary b 1836, Jabez (transcribed as Jebez) b 1840, Ann b 1841 (5 months)

The 1851 census, (HO107/1861/14/p 21) has a 1799 birth date for Benjamin and an 1802 date for Ann. They are living in Loders, Dorset
5 children are listed, Martha b 1832, Mary b 1836, (both born Weymouth), Jabez (transcribed as Davis) b 1840, Ann b 1842 and Alfred b 1844.(all born Bridport).

William doesn’t show until the 61 census living in Bridport.  In 1851, Joseph is living in Litton Cheney, Hannah is not listed after 1841
Joseph b 1824 was my GGF. Family stories relate that the family moved from Weymouth.

[B.E.]

Fascinating stuff!

The 1841 transcription I'm looking at is 99% certain to be the same family, but it's subtly different from yours! If we merge the two somehow, so that Benjamin (cordwainer) aged 22 on mine becomes aged 42 and so that William (brick maker) aged 69 on mine becomes aged 19, then we're back on track - even though the family scandal of Benjamin's parentage may have to be put on one side.

Joseph Brown Hounsell and Hannah Hounsell both have christening records from Conygar Lane Methodist Church in Weymouth town centre, parents Benjamin Hounsell and Ann(e) Brown. If it were my own family tree I'd be pretty satisfied that they tallied both back to the Wyke Regis marriage and forwards to the 1841 Census record from Allington. It aligns too with the family tradition that they started in Weymouth and migrated to Bridport. There's no record of them in Allington in 1831, and Mary was born in Weymouth, so the move appears to have at some time between 1836 and 1841..

If Benjamin was Bridport-born (there have always been a few Hounsells in Bridport!) and the 1802 Christmas Day baptism suggests that Ann came from the area too, then there's some logic behind the move back to Bridport. But we still haven't solved the mysterious reference to 'Shilverton' on the 1851 census. Unfortunately the Loders (just up the road from Allington and Bridport) 1851 census hasn't been transcribed in OPC yet. Have you seen the original?

[dhhound]

When William shows up in the 1861 census he's listed as a brickmaker, so probably the 69 is a transcription error for 19 as you say.

I'm pretty convinced short of other evidence turning up these are correct records. Joseph was christened 'Joseph Brown' as you say, he in his turn was a shoemaker, as was his son Frederick. When I was a child Frederick had a room in the house where he still fixed shoes, and I imagine some of his tools were handed down from ancestors. Unfortunately it was all dumped in the 1960's.

Ann's ancestry, and Ruth's 'partner' are the two main missing parts of my father's tree. I have access to the Ancestry records and use OPC a lot, but you have a different 1841 transcription than I do I think. Ruth is reputed to have had 10 children, records for some exist, but no father is mentioned. A number of children suggests an ongoing relationship, either with someone married or a blood relative. The 1851 transcription I've seen is the Ancestry one.

Hounsells were common in Bridport, and in Longbredy but I haven't found any connection to many of the Bridport group and none to the Longbredy group of the 1750 - 1850 period. I think a large number of the Bridport group emigrated to Newfoundland sometime around 1800. Gander, Newfoundland has a large number of them.

Shilverton is still a mystery.

 

.

[Veritas]

Hi

I came across your posting about Ann Brown and her husband Benjamin Hounsell and your quest for her birthplace. (I have Hounsells on my family tree from Long Bredy).

I wondered if Shilverton could be a corruption of the name Shilvington also known as Shilvinghampton which is a hamlet in Portesham,  a village between Bridport and Weymouth.

This may be a red herring but worth a look?

Regards


Maureen

[dhhound]

Thanks Maureen, that suggestion is a very possible one. Family stories say they came from the Weymouth area, and I think Portesham is close enough to be included in that.
Might I ask your connection to the Longbredy Hounsells. If you'd prefer to send that in private, my email is (*)

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