Hi,
After some years of trying to find my Grt x2 Grandmother Jane Bowen I've run out of places to search and require, if possible, some help.
I have gone down all the usual lines of research by using Ancestry, Find my past, Family search, Genuki and various others and have found some information but she seems a very elusive lady.
If I share the information I have, maybe someone would be able to help me
I apologise for the length of info but without it it's very difficult to explain.
Alice Bowen my Grt Grandmother was born in The Union Workhouse, Caersws, Montgomeryshire 10/05/1884. Her Mother Jane entered the workhouse due to her pregnancy on 05/04/1884, her occupation a servant and her year of birth 1863. Jane remained there until shortly after Alice's birth. (I have this information from the register at Montgomeryshire County Hall)
The next document I have is Alice's Baptism which took place at Lydham, a small village in Shropshire just over the Montgomeryshire border.
Alice was baptised on the 15/07/1884 Jane's abode was the "Pentre" (area in Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire) and is described as a single woman.
As the story goes, Jane was unable to look after her daughter at this time and was
forced to put Alice with a foster family in the village of Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire. The family were the Trow family and I believe often took in children in these circumstances. Alice I don't think was adopted but she acquired a different name; she became known as Bessie Trow.
I know what happened to Alice my Grt Grandmother but it's her mother Jane that I'm struggling with.
If Jane is telling the truth that she was born in 1863 the only one I can find on the GRO birth index which fits the area is a Jane Bowen born in Q4 1863 to a mother of the maiden name Andrews. I have found a marriage to a Thomas Bowen in Q2 1863 to Elizabeth M Andrews again this fits. I also have a baptism for Jane 03/01/1864 which makes me think perhaps her birthday was in December??
Jane is the first child according to the dates there are siblings.
After Alice's baptism I can find nothing, I'm told that Jane came back for her daughter when she was able to care for her but Alice wouldn't go, I'm also told that Jane married and was known as Granny Coxall. The spelling of this name is on the back of an old photograph whether it's correct I'm not sure. I believe she had a daughter referred to as Pollie and that she moved to Stroud in Gloucestershire, I don't know her husbands name or anything else. I can find no marriage from a Bowen to a Coxall (or any other version of this name) although I did find a marriage from a Jane Bowen to a Bather then a Coxall but I don't think it's the right Jane.
I know she was alive in around 1924 as there is a photograph of her and my Grt Uncle.
If anyone has any advise or knowledge that could help in finding Jane I can't tell you how grateful I would be.
Kind regards
Joanne Davies
