*Completed*Mary Ann and James DOWNER

[Philcandy]

Can anyone help me to find Mary Ann and James William DOWNER in censuses after 1861?

Mary Ann VICK married James William DOWNER just before the 1861 Census, and in that year, Mary Ann is shown living with her parents - John and Eliza VICK - in Lymington Hampshire. Mary Ann is described as "Wife Of A Ship Carpenter Absent At Sea."

Their first (only?) son, John William DOWNER, is shown as 12 days old.

The next mention I can find is John William, this time calling himself William John DOWNER, marrying Amelia MILLER in Lymington in the March Quarter of 1882.

I can't find any mention of Mary Ann or James in later censuses, however in 1881, William Downer is shown as living with his grandparents, named James and Mary DOWNER in Lymington. James is a retired farmer aged 76, and William a carpenter aged 20.

Using this information, I went back to the 1861 census, and there is James and Mary Downer, right ages, living in Lymington, with their son James William DOWNER, a shipwright. So it looks as if he wasn't at sea after all!

It would be very helpful to find either Mary Ann DOWNER (nee Vick) or her husband James William DOWNER in 1871 or, indeed, in either 1881 or 1891.

Can anyone help?

Kind regards

Philip Candy

[Little Nell]

Hi Phil,

1871 census

RG10/1174/21 p 5  Shore? Road Walhampton, Boldre

James W Downer Jnr Head 29 Married Carpenter b Boldre, Hants
Mary A Downer wife 29 born Ireland
Amy Vick Downer daughter 8 b Boldre Hamshire.

No sign yet of John/William.  No, he's apparently next door with his Downer grandparents!

RG10/1174/20 p4

Nell

[Philcandy]

Many thanks Nell.

This is really interesting, since Mary Ann's maiden name was VICK. It certainly looks as if the couple were still together ten years after they married in 1861.

I'm wondering if the son John (or William) was with his grandparents, as he was in 1881?

Speaking of 1881, I can't see Amy Vick DOWNER in that census, but from freebmd, it looks as if she married in Christchurch RD in 1886, so she must be hiding there somewhere. Any sign of her?

Kind regards

Philip Candy

[Little Nell]

1891 census

RG12/898/12 p 12

Middle Road, Lymington

William J Downer Head 30 Marr Carpenter b Boldre
Amelia Downer wife 32 b London
James H Downer son 8 scholar b Boldre
William J Downer son 7 scholar b Boldre
Frances M Downer daughter 1 b Boldre

Nell

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

Transcribed as Amy C DOUNE, looks like DOUNA


1881  RG11/2093  f.112  p.3  Corfe Mullen, Dorset

Henry S GROVES  Head  36  Farm Keeper                 Dorset Spetisbury
Scharlett    "  "     Wife  39  Farm Keepers Wife        Ireland Baltimore
Moses        "  "       Son   9    Scholar                       Hants Horton?
Henry S      "  "       Son   5        "  "                        Dorset Corfe Mullen
Scharlett E  "  "     Daur   2                                         "  "          "  "
Amy C DOUNA     Niece    17                                  Hants Lymington

Yet another new way to spell Charlotte


From you earlier posts I think you already have this marriage but just in case,

Henry Stevens GROVES  Jun Q 1869  Lymington  v.2b  p.926
Charlotte VICK with same details.


Regards
Daisy

[Philcandy]

This is extremely clever, thank you. Who would have thought of looking for Amy V DOWNER under Amy C DOUNA?? In any case, this is definitely the right person since, as you point out, Charlotte GROVES was Amy's aunt - her mother's sister.

It also suggests that Mary Ann Downer had died since 1871, and I notice there is a Mary Ann DOWNER of the exact right age dying in Southampton RD in 1874, so I think we can be fairly sure this is what happened.

I wonder if James William DOWNER remarried or himself died before 1881?

Kind regards and many thanks

Philip Candy

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

If you think they moved to the Southampton area I've found these which may be James,


Marriage
James William DOWNER  Dec Q 1876  Southampton  v.2c  p.77
Mary Ann BAKER
Mary Ann T HEAD
Hugh PATERSON


Death
James William DOWNER  age: 38    Dec Q 1879  South Stoneham  v.2c  p.33


There are lots of DOWNER's in Hampshire so it might be worth getting a cert. or two to check if these are yours.


Daisy

[Philcandy]

Thanks a lot for these leads.

It seems likely that this is the right James William DOWNER, since the age fits exactly, and it would mean that both William John DOWNER and his sister Amy Vick DOWNER were both orphaned by the time of the 1881 census. This would account for the fact that one of them was with his grandparents and the other one with her Aunt at the time of the 1881 Census.

I appreciate your help with this inquiry; another little twig on the family tree seems to be resolving itself!

Kind regards

Philip Candy

[Ytene]

James William Downer and Mary Ann Vick had other children:
Frederick b 1867 d 1867
Frank       b 1869 d 1869
Sydney James  b 16/9/71 d1954
in 1881 Sydney was in Boldre:

1881 census RG11 1190 BOLDRE, Hampshire  F24  P7
Rock Cottage
Edmund SHEPHARD   Head M 60 Joiner    Lymington, Hampshire
Annie SHEPHARD    Wife M 49           Carisbrook, Isle of Wight
Alice LESLIE   Visitor    4 Scholar   Winchester, Hampshire
Sidney DOWNER  Visitor    9 Scholar   Southampton, Hampshire

RN SERVICE RECORD ADM 188/196
Name:   Downer, Sidney 
Official Number: 140614 
Place of Birth: Lymington, Hampshire 
DoB: 16 September 1871

1891 census RG12 723 MINSTER, ISLE OF SHEPPEY, Kent  F90  P3
HMS "WANDERIN"
S Downer   Crew U 19 Qualfd Sig l     Lymington Hants

1901 census RG13 1008 PORTSMOUTH Hants  F149  P2
HMS "VICTORY", Portsmouth Harbour
Sidney Downer  Crew U 29 Quald Sigln   Lymington Hants