FOWLERs of Cudworth and Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset

[Brambletye]

Many thanks again! I'll have a good look through and compare your files to what I have - at the moment it looks as though each of us has part of the story but neither of us has the whole...!

[Dimond]

Hi ,

I am descended from Robert Dare and Mary Fowler who married at Cricket St T on 28.2.1781. I am having difficulty establishing who Mary's parents were. Does anyone  have any information that may help?

Was the Sarah, who was a witness, her mother or sister?

Kind regards
Geoff.
Canberra

Hi Peter,

Many thanks for the info., the text documents came over OK...

I have some additions on the Cricket marriages, from FreeREG:

28.1.1774 James Fathers of Crewkerne m. Hannah Fowler otp by Licence, witnesses John Hilton, Charles Sh???
20.9.1780 Henry Dyer of Church St Michael m. Elizabeth Fowler otp by Licence, witnesses Robert Fowler, Robert Dare
28.2.1781 Robert Dare of Hawkchurch m. Mary Fowler otp by Licence, witnesses Sarah Fowler, Francis Kentesber

...and one where there's just a Fowler witness -
6.7.1816 Samuel Warren m. Mary Syms, witnesses William Glyde Fowler, Charles Guppy Smith

I also have Baptisms at Cricket (from PRs):
Sarah 1765, Henry 1769, Mary 1771 -
all children of Henry & Ann Fowler

and Burials at Cricket (from PRs, except * from FreeREG):
1743   Henry Fowler   son of John & Hannah
7.8.1744   Hannah Fowler   wife of John
1764   Henry Fowler   son of Henry & Ann
1767   Susanna Fowler   dau of Henry & Ann
(Susanna was chr. 9.5.1767 at Winsham)
2.12.1776   John Fowler   of Horne in the parish of Chard
26.11.1781   Henry Fowler
21.4.1795   Mary Fowler   of Grange Farm, Thorncombe*
15.9.1795   Hannah Fowler   of Chard

As it's so close, I also had a look at Crewkerne Marriages (on FreeREG again), but so far it's just a list of names, no witnesses etc. Did you find anything there that looked useful?

Next time I am at Somerset Records Office, I will have a look to see what else they have for Cricket & Cudworth other than PRs - if there are any Land Tax or Poor Rate records etc., I'll see what I can dig up...!

[Peter Ferreira]

Hi Geoff, 

Greetings from Toronto, Canada. 

I am descended from Mary Dare's brother, Robert Fowler junior (c1757 - 1848).  Mary Dare and my Robert Fowler junior were both the children of Robert Fowler senior (17?? - 1806).  In 1781, at her marriage with Robert Dare, Mary had an unmarried sister, Sarah Fowler, who married William Glyde, the next year.  We do not know the name of the wife of Robert Fowler senior.  So that witness could have been Mary Dare's sister and probably was.  I am not researching the families of any of the siblings of Robert Fowler junior. 

I have a few notes on your ancestor and mine, Robert Fowler senior, which may help you:   

"  Our earliest known Fowler ancestor was Robert Fowler senior (17?? – 1806), yeoman, of Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset, and of Thorncombe, Devon.  We can state this with a good deal of certainty.  Locations and dates of his baptism and marriage are not known.  [A possible marriage for this Robert was in Cricket St. Thomas, on June 1st., 1753, when a Robert Fowler, otp, married a Mary Pall, sp, of the parish of Winsham.]  It is also not known where he lived in the 1750s and 1760s, when his ten children were born  -  it was not in Cricket St. Thomas.  Robert senior was a dairyman, who left, in his will, all his dairy goods and utensils to his daughter, Martha.  Robert senior and family later lived in Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset, till after 1782.  Six of  his children, all described as of this parish (otp), were married in that parish, between 1774 and 1782.  Robert senior and family were living in Thorncombe, Devon, by 1790 and two more of his children were married there, in 1790 and 1792.  Robert senior signed his last will on January 30th., 1805, in Thorncombe, Devon.  When Robert signed his will, he was a dairyman and he left all his dairy goods and utensils to his daughter, Martha.  That will was proved at London on December 10th., 1806, sons Robert and James Fowler being executors  (prob. 11 / 1453).  In his will Robert Fowler mentioned, by name, his 10 (surviving?) children.  Robert Fowler 80, of the parish of Thorncombe, Devon, was buried in Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset, on October 11th., 1806.  " 

Geoff, I hope that this helps! 

Hope that you and your family are keeping well and clear of all trouble from Covid 19.   

Best wishes.   


Peter.   

[Dimond]

Thanks Peter,

this will be most helpful in chasing the Fowler side of the family.

We are all clear of COVID.  It seems to be one thing Australia has managed reasonably well.

Best wishes

Geoff