Author Topic: Lydia Gowan  (Read 11842 times)

Offline cheeky bird

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #36 on: Saturday 18 April 09 14:06 BST (UK) »
Hi Lorraine, hi Jenny.
Back from a pleasant walk with the dog.
Terrific to get so much input. Its much appreciated.
I'll try to attach Mary Ann Matthews baptism certificate with this post. As I said in my earlier post she was the child of James (Jemmy) and Famebridge Matthews (James being the son of Chewbacca) and all the details are in Fairfield Folk except Mary Anns name. Came across it clearing my grannie and grandads house in November.
Back to my line!
Mary Ann Matthews (details above) married John Smith 22 July 1872 Worplesdon, Surrey. (He was born circa 1852 Sussex). They had 4 children that I know of so far-
Lydia (my great gran) born 21 Nov 1889 Martinstown, Maiden Newton, Dorset. She married my great grandad Francis William Townsend (another showman/ travelling family originally from Oxfordshire) 14th February 1912 at Weymouth Registry Office. Great grandad was born 30 May 1888 Taunton, Somerset and died 16 Feb 1972 Chickerell, Weymouth (just after their diamond wedding anniversary) aged 83. Great gran died Christmas Day 1986 at home in Chickerell aged 97. I have individual photos of them on their wedding day and great gran looks stunning. Unfortunately they are too big to scan. Somewhere someone must have a picture of them together on their wedding day but so far it has eluded us. My cousin Kay Townsend has written books on the family, and one of them gives a really good insight into life living in a vardo (where the blankets would be covered in frost in the winter and too hot to sleep in during the summer!) and what it was like travelling around with their fairground.
Next child of John and Mary Ann Smith nee Matthews was Mary Ann Smith born about 1879 Woking, Surrey. She died 18th May 1902 Poole District aged 27, 9 days after giving birth to my great uncle Joe. Mary Ann fell in love with her cousin, a Matthews, but we don't know which one. They wanted to get married but her father forbade her (apparently there was some sort of family feud going on) and great uncle Joe was born as a result of this union. He was christened Joseph Matthew Smith, Matthew after his fathers surname. Uncle Joe died 19th July 1991 Weymouth aged 89. He never married, and after his mothers death he was cared for by his grannie. When his grannie died he was looked after by my great gran and grandad Frank and Lydia, and after great gran died he lived with my grannie and grandad. A lovely man who always wore jeans with bicycle clips round the legs, and he cycled the few miles to great gran and grandads grave nearly everyday to clip the grass with a pair of scissors.
John and Mary Ann also had a son Joseph Smith born 1883 Farnham, Surrey baptised 25 Feb 1885 Farncombe, Surrey. He died in 1904 of peritonitus aged 22. He is buried Weymouth Avenue Cemetery, Dorchester but I have never been able to find his grave.
Their 4th child William (Bill) Smith was born 1875 Knaphill and that's all I know about him.
The family were living in Branksome, Dorset for the 1901 Census, and Sampford Peverell, Somerset in 1911.
John Smith died in 1909 aged 54 and is buried in Yeovil, Somerset. Mary Ann died in 1931 aged about 78 and is also buried in Yeovil. I have the bill for her grave somewhere, and also there is a picture of her tending John's grave. Must look them out.
Will try to insert that certificate now or in a separate post, then start again with another line! There is certainly plenty to put on here!
Vicky
Just seen the new message Jenny. No, I could never find the family!! No wonder!! That is a fantastic new piece of information! This is great! Going to peruse it and write again in a moment!

Offline lolmac3

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #37 on: Saturday 18 April 09 14:17 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky, Hi Jenny

I went to the harbour for lunch and when I came back all this is there! fantastic, I will get to work on it now!  ;D

Vicky if you need to ask any questions of Jemmys brothers or sisters let me know as I have most of them complete, I have a decendant of harelips (John Smith) and a decendant of Redshirts (George matthews) who are also doing research for me, they are filling in the gaps while I concentrate on going backwards! back to 1740's at the moment.

Anyway let me analyse all this data and I will post again!

many many thanks for all the info !!!! it's soooo exciting ha ha

Lorraine
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline lolmac3

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #38 on: Saturday 18 April 09 15:13 BST (UK) »
Vicky just sent you a message!

Lorraine
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline lolmac3

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #39 on: Saturday 18 April 09 15:25 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky

Confused already ha ha !!

I have Eliza already on my tree and have that she was married to Leonard Davis, however I have her father down as Billy (might be a nickname) and that they have 3 children Henry, Jack and Leonard jr.

The Matthews and the Davis's married each other alot which doesn't make my job any easier ha ha

Henry (above child) had a daughter called Ellen, she is not only a distant cousin but a good friend as well, she married Joseph Castle and now travels with the Castle family

Anyway let me get back to the info and I will let you know.

Lorraine
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland


Offline cheeky bird

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #40 on: Saturday 18 April 09 15:47 BST (UK) »
Hi Lorraine, Hi Jenny,
Had no luck posting that certificate. May have to email it separately if thats OK. Also have a few photos you might be interested in.
Jenny, that census info is fantastic. Have just updated my database. I'm a bit confused with Mary Ann/ Marya(Maria) though as I've got my gg gran Mary Ann born 1853 so she fits more with Marya (Maria)!
I forgot to say when I was doing the earlier post on my great grans line just now that when great grannie and grandad married in 1912 there was another feud going on between the Smiths and the Townsends so great grannie and grandad got married secretly and went back to living separate lives with their parents, great gran in Yeovil and great grandad in Weymouth. Apparently great grannies mother thought she'd be marrying beneath her if she married great grandad. Anyway, six months later great grandads mum Alice came across this piece of paper and marched round to her sister-in-law Kate Elizabeth Ann Townsend nee Forse's house with it (Kate could read and Alice couldn't). Apparently she said "Is this what I think it is?!". Yup, she'd found the marriage certificate! I bet there were fireworks that day! Ironically this is the 1911 Census entry:-

1911 Caravan, Smithy Orchard, Sampford Peverell, Somerset
Mary Ann Smith  Head  Wid  50  Showman  Stapleford, Sussex
Lydia Smith  Dau  Unm  22  Assisting in the business  Martinstown, Dorset
Joseph Smith  Grandson  9  Upper Parkstone, Dorset
Frank Townsend  Serv  U  25  Showmans Lab  Taunton

Great grandad Frank was living with great gran and her mum. Given that he is down as a servant and they married less than a year later I guess this is why she said great gran was marrying beneath her!

Also 1901 Census for John and Mary Ann Smith nee Matthews
Caravan, Near Albert Road, Heatherlands St John, Branksome, Dorset
John Smith  Head  Mar  49  Amusement provider shooting gallery  Not known, Sussex
Mary A  Wife  Mar  46  Stapleford, Sussex
Mary A  Dau  Unm  27  Woking, Surrey
William  Son  Unm  26  Knaphill
Joseph  Son  U  18  Farnham, Surrey
Lydia  Dau  11  Martinstown
Martha Matthews  Niece  U  18  Epsom, Surrey

(any ideas on who Martha Matthews is? The only Martha I've got is the daughter of Chorley and Phoebe but she was born in Leigh, Surrey)

Anyway, on to the next line in the family. Jemmy and Famebridge Matthews daughter Eliza Matthews married Leonard Davis 2 July 1898 St Nicholas, Guildford. Leonard was born 1871 Epsom, baptised 28 May 1871 Esher, Surrey (IGI). He died 1 Dec 1932 aged 64. I think he was buried at St Lawrences Church, Alton but I'm not entirely sure. I know the family settled there and started what became a very succesful car business (I've got one of their original business cards somewhere - yup, I'm a clutter nutter!). I've got a photo of the headstone and its gorgeous - a lovely statue of an angel. Eliza died Jan 1962 aged 92 Alton and was buried 29 Jan 1962 probably St Lawrence.
They had 7 children that I've found so far.
Leonard jnr born 1899 Addlestone baptised 19 March 1899 Horsell (?), Surrey. He married Dolly.
Louise (Louie) born 1900 Addlestone.
Lydia born about 1904 Adversane, Sussex.
Henry (no other details). He married Nelly Townsend (on my great grandads side!). They had daughter Mary.
Mary born 1912 baptised 2 June 1912 Elstead, Surrey died 1915 Hambledon District, Surrey aged 2.
James born about 1902 baptised 9 Feb 1902 Horsell (?), Surrey.
Matilda born 1908 Elstead, Surrey, died 1915 Hambledon District, Surrey aged 8.

Census Entries:-

1901 Caravan, Green Lane, Thursley, Surrey
(Living next door to Elizas parents James and Phamae[sic] Matthews
Leonard Davis  Head  Mar  28  Traveller Hawker  Epsom, Surrey
Eliza  Wife  Mar  25  Traveller  Hawker  Not Known
Leonard  Son  2  Addlestone
Louise  Dau  7m  Addlestone

1911 Thursley Road, Godalming, Surrey
Leonard Davis  Head  Mar  38  Licensed Hawker  Epsom Town
Eliza  Wife  Mar  37  Licensed Hawker  Knapp Hill, Surrey
Leonard  Son  13  School  Woking, Surrey
Louie[sic]  Dau  11  School  Chertsey, Surrey
Lydia  Dau  7  School  Adversane, Sussex
Matilda  Dau  3  Elstead, Surrey
(entry says Leonard and Eliza have been married 14 years)  

Anyway, my head is starting to spin!
Hope you're managing to keep track and I'm not confusing you too!
If I post my email address on here will I be breaking any policies? Think you'd find the photos etc interesting.
Lorraine, I'm sure I'm going to be asking a lot of questions! The info I've got came primarily from "Fairfield Folk" so its a bit scant! Who've you got back to at 1740? That's incredible!
Would you be able to fill me in on your lines if poss please?
Anyway, let me know about the email addy.
Vicky

Lorraine, thanks ever so much, thats given me some more info on the Davis line! The Castle name pops up on some of the stuff I've "accumulated" through my great gran and then later, my grannie. Will have to look it out! If I sent messages twice ignore them! I'm not used to getting posts coming through so thick and fast!!!

Offline cheeky bird

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #41 on: Saturday 18 April 09 16:00 BST (UK) »
Me again,
Had to take some stuff out as it said I had exceeded 5500 characters!!!

Census entries for Jemmy and Famebridge

1901 Census Caravan, Green Lane, Thursley, Surrey (living next door to daughter Eliza (Davis)
James Matthews  Head  Mar  71  Traveller Hawker  Sussex
Phamae  Wife  Mar  70  Traveller Hawker  Balls Cross, Sussex
William  Son  U  27  Traveller Hawker  Ash, Surrey
Lydia  Dau  U  30  Traveller Hawker  Goudhurst, Kent

1911 Census Deadwater, Bordon Camp, Headley, Alton
James Matthews  Head  Mar  79  General Hawker  Not Known
Fanbridge  Wife  Mar  78  Balls Cross, Sussex
(entry says 58 years married)

Vicky

Offline lolmac3

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #42 on: Saturday 18 April 09 16:01 BST (UK) »
Hi Vicky, Hi Jenny

Vicky on the last post, the martha matthews (niece) is my granny !!!

jenny I have had a look at the census record you supplied but mary Ann's age is out by 5 years which isn't unusal as they used to lie on the census forms! but it has Eliza as being born before Lydia and I have them the other way round. Need to research that a bit before I put it in.

Ok back to the books!!! be back soon

Vicky I sent you my email address in your message so send pictures or anything to that if you like
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline lolmac3

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #43 on: Saturday 18 April 09 16:05 BST (UK) »
p.s Vicky, my granny was born in Epsom in 1877
Matthews - south & south east England
Walls
Deakins
Conneley
Freeman Biddall
Davis
Castle
Noyce
Rowland

Offline cheeky bird

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Re: Lydia Gowan
« Reply #44 on: Saturday 18 April 09 16:52 BST (UK) »
This is all starting to get surreal!!
Lorraine, your cousin and good friend Ellen, would you be able to ask her if her mum was the daughter of Joseph and Ellen Kate Townsend (nee Russett). I've got her down on my fam hist program as Nelly (Agnes L?) Townsend. If she is then its the most weirdest thing. Its just that her grandad was probably brother to my great great grandad Henry Benjamin Townsend. When Ellen Kate died in 1919 my great grannie and grandad Frank and Lil (Lydia) Townsend wanted to adopt one of the children - one of your cousin/friends mum or brother/sister. There were (from what I can gather) Charlie, Joseph, Nelly (possibly your friends mum), Laura and Lily. Lily died as a baby in 1915. In the photos I got from my great grannie and my grannie is a part of a very old photo of 3 of these children when they were little. On the back on old writing it says Fanny Russett 6 years, Lordy 6 years and Charlie 4 years - there ages [sic]. In the end some of the children went to live with their mums family the Russetts and I think one child stayed with their father. Strange huh. I'll email you the picture and you can pass it on to her.
Vicky