CLEOBURY / OSWELL of Broseley / Astley Abbott

[Dizzy Escape]

I'm replying to two messages here!  Yes, Thomas Cleobury b. 1846 is in my family tree too.  He was the brother of my husband's great grandfather.  And, yes, he was the son of Thomas C. and Mary Oswell who were married in 1842.  I've traced the Cleobury family in Broseley back to the 1680s and some of the families who married into them back to the 1580s and would be happy to send you any material I have. 

As for the Oswells, I'm afraid I haven't made much progress with them, and it's a very interesting idea that they might be connected to the barge owning family and, as you say, it would make sense of his being described as a 'waterman' on Mary Oswell's marriage certificate.  I'll work on that when I visit Shropshire Archives early next month.  I'd love to hear more about your researches into the Oswells.

Sorry I've been silent for a while.  I hadn't realised I'd had any responses recently!

[gailml]

Hi,
I have a Mary Oswell born Jan 7, 1828 (in our family tree) to Joseph Oswell and Sarah Inkin so I guess this is not the connection you're looking for because she would be 5 years younger than the Mary who married Thomas Cleobury in 1842.  However, perhaps I might have at least a little bit of Oswell information you might be interested in so if you think it would be helpful to you please let me know.

[Dizzy Escape]

Thank you for this and for the previous message.  I've done a lot more research into the Oswell connection since I last wrote, using the IGI records and the Broseley History Society records published on the Internet.  Here's what I've found.  Our Mary Oswell was born in 1822, the daughter of John Oswell (b.1795) and Mary Wilde, who married in Broseley in 1819.  John Oswell was the brother of your (I think) Joseph (b.1898).  There were eight other siblings.  They were the children of Benjamin Oswell (b. 1766) and Mary Nevett, who married in Broseley in 1793.  Benjamin, one of eight children, was the son of John and Mary Oswall.  I haven't got any further back yet.  Does this tie in with your research?  I'd love to hear more, if you can fill me in, especially about the barge owning business.  Best wishes, Emma

[gailml]

Hi Emma,
Yes, it ties in with my research.  It took ages to find out the info we have and I have 12 children born to Benjamin Oswell and Mary Nevett--some of them died in infancy.  John Oswell (b. Feb.2, 1795) and Benjamin Oswell (b. Mar. 14, 1796) are both listed as having died on the same day Jan. 7, 1842.  I wondered if there might have been a barge incident.  Perhaps that type of event would have made the local newspaper but how to find the name of the paper?  It was their parents (John and Mary Oswell) who owned the barges.  That info came to me from another Oswell I contacted.  He knew of all those listed but had no idea what happened to George Oswell (b. May 5, 1799).  I found that George married Susannah Inkin (must have been a sister to or cousin of Sarah Inkin who married Joseph Oswell).  Joseph Oswell (b. Mar. 7, 1798 is our great, great grandfather.        Best regards, Gail

[Dizzy Escape]

This all sounds very promising indeed.  I'm going to Shropshire Archives next month, so I'll try to look into the 1842 deaths of John & Benjamin Oswell.  I note from the National Burial Index that a Joseph Oswell was buried in Broseley on 4 May 1831, 'aged 36'.   This is three years out for your Joseph, but inaccuracies regarding age were, of course, rife, so I wonder whether this was him.  A Mary Oswell is listed as being buried on 25 April 1829 'aged 56'.  I wonder whether this was Mary Nevett.  Also an Osmand Oswell aged 5 weeks.  I'll let you know if I come across anything else.  Many thanks for all your help.  With best wishes, Emma

[gailml]

Great, if you find anything out from the Shropshire Archives please let me know.  The Joseph Oswell who is our Great Great appears to have fathered children up till 18 38 so it must not be the same Joseph, however the name's popular at the time and the fact that there seem to be so many sibs means it could be a relative don't you think?  Joseph and Sarah Oswell had 5 children that I know of:  William Nivett, 1826, Mary, 1828, George, 1830, Susannah, 1831 all at St. Leonard's, Broseley and then Benjamin, 1838 in Gloucester.  This Benjamin is our great grandfather.  The name Nevett seems to show up for about 3 generations in various spellings so I'm sure the connection is correct.
Good Luck, Gail
p.s. Do you wish further info on Benjamin Oswell's descendants?

[Debradora]

Hi , I wrote some time back about my  great great grandfather
Richard Oswell who I had found in the 1881,91 and 01 census
I now have him in 1871 listed as  Richard Oswald , I have also sent for his birth and marriage certs which list  his father as Charles Oswell wheelwright
The only Charles Oswell I can track so far is elderly (70)  and listed as an annuitant in Prees 1871 so no help on the occupation front  his wife is listed as Sarah and Richard's mother was Sarah nee Griffiths so it probably is the same one.
I wonder if this Charles is a sibling of one of your Oswells?
any help appreciated
thanks Debbie

[gailml]

Hi Debbie,
I have no definite record of a Charles Oswell being a sibling of one of the Oswells I mentioned but it he could be a distant connection.  I expect a lot of them are related but that none of the ancestors seems to have been much interested in recording their history (or were perhaps illiterate).  I know my father wanted to have called one of us Charles Melton Oswell but didn't get the chance.  I wish I had some info that could help you.  The only Charles I managed to find was 49 at the time of the 1881 census in Gloucester, was listed a "publican" for occupation and was born in 1832.   
Gail   

[Dizzy Escape]

Thanks for this.  Yes, I'd be very interested in further Oswell history.   And yes, I shall certainly get in touch again after my Shropshire Archives trip early next month.  By the way, I had made a mistake.   I had Joseph Oswell married to an Elizabeth Strephan in Broseley on 19 February 1822, according to IGI, and I realise now that you say he was married to a Sarah Inkin.  IGI gives this couple four children:  Ann Fryzer (1822), Emma (1824), George Richard (1825), Elizabeth (1827) & Hannah (1829).  Perhaps this is the Joseph Oswell who is recorded in the NBI as having been buried on 4 May 1831 aged 36.  I wonder how he ties in with the rest of the Oswells.  All best, Emma