1841/51/61/71 census please

[osprey]

just spotted Harry b. 1859 - he's in the Royal Military Asylums for Children of Soldiers of the Regular Army in Chelsea RG10/78 folio 85 pg 10

There were only a couple of marriages between 1848 of a Robert Cockburn to any sort of Emma, and the other one wasn't London area. And there is the death of Emma Louisa Cockburn - there can't be very many of them. Though there do seem to be a few Emma Alfords..

I think Searchers might need to turn to the Armed Forces Board. Someone there will probably know what happened to motherless children of soldiers.

[Necromancer]

sounds like good advice to me .... agree about the marriages / years etc - and yes it really looks like the older girls in 1861 were from a previous marriage .... but then again in 1851, he's shown single - if that means owt of course !

[Frances]

Hi Charlotte,

I am sorry I know I said I would look at the other census years but I had to go and feed a starving husband

I can see that you have had a lot of help while I was away, so will leave you with the Rootschatters that are already helping you.

All the best,

Frances

[osprey]

I've a vague memory of enlisted men having to get permission before they married. If he hadn't asked permission, his commanding officer might assume he was single.

Think I've spotted Henrietta in 1871 as well. There's a 20 year old Henrietta Cockburn b. Paddington, a housemaid at 39 Princes Gate, Knightsbridge RG10/131 folio 48 pg 35. Head of the (large) household is Percy R B Fielding 'colonel in the army on the active list serving in the Coldstream Guards'.
Too much of a coincidence?
 

[JoanA]

The 1851 census shows James & Janet still at Kirkliston Village West Lothian but only their son James (18) is with them. Both James's are Distillery Labourers. James & Janet are still there in 1861 (just the two of them) but James' occupation given as Overseer at a 'Female School'
Can't find Robert in 1851, 1861 or 1871!
The soldiers posted so far are too old aren't they? The original posting gave his birth as c1835 - 46 at the 1881 census - i.e. 36 1871, 26 1861 and 16 1851 or am I getting it wrong  

[osprey]

He's a drill sergeant on his second marriage(1869) and a sergeant in 1861 so that looks ok . He loses a few years when he marries a younger woman - a very common occurence, but I understand your doubts.We need input from Searchers and some certs would be good.
 

[searchers]

Hi,

I went out and then came back to find all these replies!!  That was excellent!

Thanks so much to everyone who's been helping!

May I have the census details for Emma Cockburn & four children in 1861 please?  Also the Emma Louisa Alford, 20, b. IOW in 1851, with father a tailor.

The only other detail from the marriage certificate is a witness:  William Freeman.  Perhaps a friend or colleague of Robert?  The other witness was Eliza Larkin, sister of the bride, Elizabeth.

I had been trying with the Kirkliston Village Cockburns, but it looks like that's a different Robert.  I found four of the children, b. Ratho, living in Edinburgh in 1861:  John, 33;  George, 31; Robert 25; Margaret, 35.  Robert also still there in 1881.  So, he's not our Robert, but had several similarities!

That was interesting about Robert's different ages.  I have found another another Robert from the scotlandspeople site, using the new, older age.

Robert Cockburn, b. 04/04/1824  Abbey Renfrew 
parents:  James Cockburn, Elisabeth Murray

The other Roberts born in Scotland, with father named James are born 1812, 1833, 1834 so this one seems the most likely. 

Thanks again everyone for all your time & searching!

Charlotte

[osprey]

1851 High St, Brading, IOW HO107/1664 folio 396 pg 10
Richard Alford head widower 52 tailor b.Northwood
Emma Louisa dau 20 b. Brading
George James son 16 tailor's apprentice b. Brading

I think George also ends up in London as a waste paper dealer or something similar. Richard remarries and is on the 1881 census aged 82!

1861 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, Wellington Barracks RG9/55 folio 174 pg 27
Emma Cockburn wife mar 30 wife of Sgt Cockburn b. IOW
Henrietta dau 10 b. Westminster, Middx
Isabella dau 6 b. Westminster
Harry son 2 b. Tower of London
Geo Chas 6 months b. Windsor, Berks

RG9/55 folio 169 pg 18
Robert Cockburn (wife page 27) mar 38 sergeant b. Scotland

 Think it would be worth your while asking the armed forces board about the movements of the 2nd battalion Coldstream guards. There are all sorts of records available which might help you trace him and his family.
One problem with the family you've found in Scotland is that he gives Edinburgh as his place of birth in 1851 and Renfrew is the other side of the country! If he's in the military, he could be anywhere and not necessarily in mainland UK.

[searchers]

Thank you very much, osprey!

That helps to fill in the details for us.  Things are going much better with the Cockburns today!

I will go on over to the armed forces boards next.
Thanks!
Charlotte