I too am descended from Edmund & Ethelinda married in Lakenham, via their son John. I believe John might be the "Jaen" in the 1841 census. Its my father who did the DNA test as we had come to a complete standstill - well documented back to John Bowles (although I haven't yet found any record of his birth) but then Edmund is a real mystery. Are there any male Bowles descendants of Thomas who could do the test too?
I've found the information about Thomas fascinating. Where should I look to see the transportation details? I've also been trying to trace Ethelinda too as the Rainford Cookson should make her easy to trace but I've found nothing, but then she was born in "America" c 1800 so there isn't much help there.
Edmund Bowles seems to be a rare combination of names - there is the convict who was transported, who was born in Great Yarmouth, but no way of telling for certain if this is the same Edmund who married Ethelinda in 1827. The ages are all a bit fuzzy.
I hope this isn't repeating too much but thought it would be helpful to summarise all the information I have about this family in date order!
Will have to do in bits as there is a character limit.
Birth of Edmund Bowles in Great Yarmouth
Born March 30th, baptised April 7th 1809 in Great Yarmouth son of Thomas and Mary, nee Fleming. (I would like to work out if they had other male children, and any Bowles descendants, but it takes an age working through the images of the parish registers)
Marriage of Edmund & Ethelinda
5th June 1827 in Lakenham, Norwich - all the banns were read in the church and they were both given as single and residents of the parish. They were both literate, signing their names in the parish register.
Parish of St Michael at Thorn, Norwich
The Parish records were all destroyed during the second world war, however one dedicated group has reconstructed some of the baptismal records from the bishops transcripts: There is the following record:
Entry 977 18/5/1828 Edmund Bowles son of Edmund Bowles Weaver and Sarah Rainford, born 12/5/1828.
This looks like an elder brother who died, with John being born between Judith and Martha - age given in 1841 was only 8 I think (my subscription to the censuses has expired, so will have to go to the library to check).
Parish of St Gregory, Norwich baptisms 1813- 1890
Baptised Sep 16th, born Sep 9th 1830, Judith, daughter of Edmund Bowles and Ethelinda Sarah (Rainford), late Cookson.
This gives Edmund's profession as weaver. The date ties in perfectly with the Judith's age of 10 in the 1841 census as this was in June 1841. On the census / marriage records she was sometimes Judith Sarah and other times Sarah Judith. She later married Christopher Ignatius Nelson (her mother Ethelinda Sarah Bowles was living with them in 1851) and moved to Australia before 1861, and died aged 40 in 1870 in Australia.
Parish of St Mary Coslany, Norwich Baptisms
May 25th 1834 (Born 14th) Sarah Martha, daughter of Edmund and Sarah Ethelinda Bowles of this parish. Here Edmund's profession is given as "traveller". This child isn't shown in the 1841 census - could have died, but I couldn't find a burial record in that parish.
Both daughters have been given their mother's name Sarah as one of their names.
1841 Census
Sarah Bowles , married, (40) is living with Thomas (15) Judith(10) and Jaen (6) and is shown as being a confectioner of foreign birth. I haven't been able to find Edmund anywhere. The only other trace of Thomas I found was the 1851 visitor mentioned earlier, a marriage in Norwich in 1845 and a death in 1846 (although I haven't purchased the certificates so don't know if these are relevant)
1844 Edmund is transported to Tasmania.
He is described as being born in Great Yarmouth, has a wife called Sarah and 2 children (do not know if that means 2 non-adult children - presumably Judith and Jaen/John). he can also read and write.
tbc
