Fouchard family - how did they arrive into the UK?

[LindseyB]

Hi,

"Anthony" Fouchard was my husband's 4xgreat grandfather.  We believe he was born around 1785, probably in France so was Antoine rather than Anthony.

In 1813 in Edinburgh, he married Jacobina Toppin/Tephin and they went on to have seven children.

Anthony taught French at the Dumfries Academy and then moved to Liverpool.  In 1830, he advertised in the Liverpool Mercury that he was giving lessons in French but in 1835 he lost his sight.  With no employment fell on hard times and advertised, again in the Liverpool Mercury, asking for donations.  He died in 1847 in Disley Street, Liverpool.

I've looked on this site before about specific people related to Anthony, but I'm now asking for a history lesson!  Why would he have left France to travel to Scotland?  How would he have got there?  Obviously boat, but from where to where? 

Any help much appreciated.  Thanks for reading.

[KGarrad]

France's economy had been severely depleted by it's involvement in the the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), and the French Revolution wasn't far off (1789-1799).

Obviously the Fouchards's didn't feel safe at home?

[LindseyB]

Hi, thanks for that.  I read that the term "Auld Alliance" was used for the friendship between the French and the Scots going way before the Revolution but why Scotland when he travelled?  Most people travel south these days (obviously to find the sun).  It's frustrating not knowing where he was born, when he travelled, how he travelled, what kind of boat, how long it took etc..  I assume he sailed to Edinburgh as that's where he married.  Did he go with his parents or on his own?  So many questions ... 

In the '41 census, Jemima is living with two daughters, Rosalie and Jemima.  The box "whether born in Scotland, Ireland or foreign parts" is ticked for Jemima and Rosalie, but Jemima the daughter has a squiggle in the other box "whether born in same county".  The "y" is clear for others on the census bur for her it looks more like a "no" in which case, the other box should have been ticked.  In the '51, Jemima (daughter) has Liverpool as place of birth ...

[garstonite]

were these 2 of his sons ?...both Watchmakers by trade
Baptism: 13 Feb 1860 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
David Fouchard - [Child] of William Fouchard & Isabella
    Born: 28 Jan 1860
    Abode: St. Anne St.
    Occupation: Watch Maker
    Baptised by: A. J. Tomlin, Curate

Marriage: 10 Apr 1860 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
William Thomas Lightfoot Fuchard - Full, Watch Maker, Bachelor, Brownlow Hill
Isabella Walsh - Full, Spinster, Sidney St.
    Groom's Father: David Fuchard, Watch Maker
    Bride's Father: Samuel Walsh, Accountant
    Witness: Anthony Fuchard; Elizabeth Connor, (X)
    Married by banns by: A. J. Tomlin B. A. Curate
   
3 Fouchards are Watchmakers on these 2 records ...

[LindseyB]

Hi,

The children I have are:

Jammima b 1815, d 1815 both Edinburgh
Rose Ella (or Roselie) b 5/2/1816 in Edinburgh, d 1884
Mary Fouchard b 1817 Edinburgh
David b 1818 Edinburgh (yes, a watchmaker)
Jemima b 1824 Liverpool
William b 1824 Dumfries (he had a chequered life with a couple of arrests under his belt so not a watch maker)
Elizabeth b 1827 Dumfries.

Strangely, when Anthony was asking for donations to help his family, it stated that he had six children and one step child but he married Jacobina/Jemima Tephin/Toppin (!!) on 7 May 1813, so it would look as if all the children were his.

 

[LindseyB]

Sorry garstonite, I've just re-read your post.

There was a David born 1818 and was a watchmaker and he married Mary Ann White and then Eliza Bryant.  They had a son named William born on 16 July 1838 in the Workhouse, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool.  He married Isabella Walsh.  They had three children, the David you found born 28 January 1860.

The marriage on 10 April 1860 is the correct one.

[LindseyB]

When she married, Anthony's wife was known as Jacobina but later (censuses etc.) called herself Jemima.  This is the marriage Proclamation.  Am I reading Tephin correctly?  It gives her father as James, but on scotlandspeople, I can't find any mention of either Jacobina/Jemima or a James Tephin ...   

[Orkneytrinidad]

I have a 'Fouchard' watch, almost certainly purchased in Edinburgh. It has the ?? Fouchard and Geneva engraved on the movement. It was presented to a family member 13 November 1872.

[LindseyB]

Oh wow, Orkneytrinidad ...

Are you able to get a photo of it - both sides?  I'd love to see it!

If you are, I'll message you with my direct email address.

So interesting!

Thank you :-)