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Research in Other Countries => Other Countries => Topic started by: ogilmr on Monday 13 July 20 11:50 BST (UK)
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My gggg grandfather, William Henry Downer died in 1891 in Australia, but his death certificate states his place of birth as "Barbados, West Indies". He married Maria Matilda Penman in 1846 at St. Anne's Limehouse, London.
Only his father's name is known, as his wedding certificate mentions his father Henry as deceased.
He is known to have worked as a steward or cook on several passenger ships which travelled between Tasmania and the Australian mainland, with records of his arrival stating his place of origin variously as Barbados, "West Indies", British, or sometimes Tobago.
Searches online have so far been fruitless.
I understand that often people name their children after relatives, so his eight known children were as follows:
- William Henry Downer, named after himself presumably
- Maria Matilda Downer, named after his wife
- Gabriel Downer, possibly named after wife's brother Gabriel Penman
- Alfred Robert Downer
- George William Downer
- Lewis Downer
- Frederick Downer
- Lily Elizabeth Downer
The two eldest children, William and Maria, were born in Stepney, London, while the others were all born in Tasmania.
If anyone has any pointers or information, that would be greatly appreciated!
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Try FamilySearch; https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1923399
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There is a British merchant seaman's ticket for William Downer born Barbados 25 November 1820. A "man of colour", a steward; ticket issued in London in
1846 1845, first went to sea in 1837.
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There is a British merchant seaman's ticket for William Downer born Barbados 25 November 1820. A "man of colour", a steward; ticket issued in London in 1846, first went to sea in 1837.
That sounds like a possible lead, do you have a source/link?
Thanks.
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https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=TNA%2FMSEA%2FBTOTH%2F4584967%2F00561&parentid=TNA%2FBT113%2F2132628519%2F1
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I can't access this as I don't have a findmypast account.
Hopefully I'm not asking for too much here, but would a screenshot at all be possible?
Otherwise thanks anyway.
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May be a red herring but there is this Bapt on Familysearch.Org;
William Henry DOWNEY 13 Nov 1825, St Andrew, Barbados
Mother MARGARET JANE Downey
+ a GEORGE EDWARD Downey bapt 13 Nov 1831 same Mother
She may have married as Margaret Downey 01 Aug 1840 to Alexander MEDFORD
1846 M/C has his Father as WILLIAM
Trish :)
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Parish register of St, Andrew has a William Henry Downey bap; 13-Nov-1825. Mother Margaret Jane Downey.
There could be a 5 year gap between birth and baptism, or some other reason for the different birth dates.
The different spelling is a maybe. Although FamilySearch only threw up 2 Downers, both burials, several Downey's though.
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Snap ;D
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There is a Susan Ann Downey, daughter of Margaret Ann Downey. Bap; 10-Jan-1830
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:) ;D
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I had already seen the Downey baptisms on familysearch, but I don't think there is a connection to my William Downer, as the baptisms only mention a mother's name, whereas my William's marriage certificate only mentions his father's name, Henry. The last of the Downey baptisms occurred in 1835, when William would have been 15 years old, so surely he would have known his mother's name also?
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The fathers name only is on marriage certs,
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That would explain that then. Still, most of the baptism records I have seen include the father's name in full, and then only the mother's first name, if she is mentioned at all.
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The children of Jane were all illeg so only Mothers name shown.
As I said earlier the M/C of 1846 has William Henrys Downers Father as WILLIAM** not Henry (dead)
Illeg children often lied on their marriage certs.