James Owen

[Jenny1]

I wondered if someone could find James Owen b 1832 Handsworth Staffordshire on the 1861 census please. In 1871 he is in Harborne with wife Fanny 35, William 16, Jane 14, James 6,
Henry 4 Alice 8mths.

James was born in GREENWICH 1865 so  wondered if the family were there in 1861. I've drawn a blank....

Thanks in anticipation

Jenny

[lizdb]

1861

5 St Davids Place, Greenwich

James Philip Owen 27 labourer bn Handsworth
Fanny 25 bn Handsw.
William H 7 bn Handsw.
Sarah A 5 bn Greenwich
Philip James 2 months

[Jenny1]

Thank you for your reply. Just got a couple of queries. James has never used a middle name on any later censuses and neither has William. I was also expecting to find Jane aged 4.

It seems all very confusing......

Jenny

[lizdb]

I think this is your family.
The chances of another James Owen bn 1832ish in Handsworth and being married to a Fanny, being in Greenwich in 1861 are pretty slim!

I guess middle names come and go, and it does rather look as if Sarah Ann and Jane are the same girl. Either an error on one or other census, or she just used the name Jane for some reason.

Does James use the middle name Philip in earlier records at all?

[Jenny1]

On the records I've found so far James doesn't use a middle name but as you said it seems too much of a coincidence not to be them.

Just checked my records again and on the 1871 census son James is listed as being 6 years old but he should be 10. Perhaps dad was the one giving the info to the enumerator and got mixed up with names and ages! Who knows?

Thanks again for your help

Jenny