Fowler / Beal of Ridgmont **COMPLETED**

[johnP-bedford]

While researching one of my family tree members I find I have a link to some Fowler names of Ridgmont that I know Jimbohodge is currently asking for lookups. 

I have a William Melville b 1846 Edinburgh, who married Sarah Elizabeth Beal b 1851 Ridgmont, in June 1870 at Kensington RD. This family is in Grantham Lincs for 1881/1891 census. For 1871 they are in Sarisbury, Southampton which is where the majority of their children were born. Although one daughter Elizabeth Ada was born 1873 in Fulham.

In the household in 1871 is a Betsy Fowler (lodger / married)  b 1820 Beds, suspecting that she is Elizabeth Melville's mother !

Back to 1861 & in Fulham, is Elizabeth Fowler (wife/married) b 1819, plus Sarah Fowler 1851 & Samuel Fowler b 1854 all in Ridgmont.  Now in 1871 I've found a Job Fowler b 1816 Ridgmont with son Samuel BEAL b 1853 Ridgmont, plus another daughter Martha Fowler b 1863 Fulham.
 
Now I am thinking that the Sarah Fowler on the 1861 census, is really Sarah BEAL & she's the girl married to William Melville.

So can anyone unravell this ? find me a link between Fowler & Beal.

regards John

 

[johnP-bedford]

more info ...

1881 census has living in Fulham, Betsy Fowler head / lodger ? / Widow b 1819 Ridgmont, plus daughter Martha Fowler b 1863 Fulham. Job Fowler death index in Dec 1871 Kensington RD

Suggesting that Betsy Fowler (ne. Beal) was married to Job Fowler, before 1861 but when ?, & were living apart on 1871 census.

[tazzie]

  Good morning John.

 Lets see what you make of this......

    Job Fowler m Elizabeth Maddox Ridgmont 1832 14 May.
 
    Elizabeth Keep m Thomas Beal Ridgmont 1839 11 Nov.
   Children to Thomas & Elizabeth..
      George Enoch b 1841
                            c 1848 Bedford circuit
       James            b 1844  Flitwick
      Sarah Elizabeth b 23 Nov 1849
                                c 24 March 1850 Wesleyan Methodist Amptill
       Samuel             c 30 Oct 1853 Ridgmont.

   Thomas Beal dies Woburn  Q3 1854.
 An Elizabeth Fowler dies Woburn Q2 1857...did find others local so we can say she died here or before this date.


      Job Fowler m Elizabeth Beal WOBURN Sept 1858 3b  page 315.

         So I would say the children being young were bought up as Fowler.
 The eldest 2 in 1881 are George now living in Tiddington, Alveston Warks and James in Durham.

  Hope this all makes sense now.

                       Tazzie

[tazzie]

   John....

 Just had a thought about 1871 and why they were living apart...

  William and Sarah married in 1870 ... so could she be expecting a baby and close to delivering ( William George )?
 Elizabeth may have gone to help look after her.

                         Tazzie

[johnP-bedford]

thanks Tazzie - your first reply confirms what I found on 1851 census

Rebecca Keep, head, Widow age 33 b Lidlington
Thomas Beale age 33 son in law, born Ridgmont
Elizabeth Beale age 31 wife  born Ridgmont
son George age 9
daughter Sarah Elizabeth age 1


I suspect that in 1861 when mrs Elizabeth Fowler was recorded, the children are named as Sarah & Samuel - but the enumerator assumed they were Fowlers without being told that the mother had recently remarried.

regards John 

[tazzie]

   John

  If only the enumerator's knew what we would all be up to 150 years later..... but that would make it too easy wouldn't it?

 Sometimes another pair of eyes works.

                 Tazzie