Mary Jennings of Lambeth

[NTC]

Hi All,

Any help with the following would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to track down details of Mary Jennings born Lambeth around 1839 (date and place of birth as per 1871 census). Her husband was Thomas Owens, married presumably in the late 1850's (first child was born 1859) and they went on to have 10 children, the last being in 1872.

There are a couple of Mary Ann Jennings born in Lambeth around this time apparent in BMD but no Mary's without the Ann and there is no record of marriage between a Thomas Owens (or Owen) and Mary Jennings (or Mary Ann Jennings).

Also there is no apparent death of a likely Mary Owens that I can find. The family were in Lambeth throughout the 1860's to at least 1871 (they appear on the 1871 census as Owen, but not on the 1861 census as far as I can see) and Thomas Owens was still living in Lambeth at the time of his death in 1884 (but again no evidence on the 1881 census).

If anyone has any thoughts about how to track down Mary Jennings/Owens it would be great to hear from you. Would particularly like to find the marriage details.

Thanks,
NTC.

[rosie99]

Is this your family in 1871
RG10/657 Folio   59 Page   4

Thomas Owen   33   
Mary   32   
Annie 12   
Emma 11   
Thomas 9   
John   5   
Rose   1   
Mary   3 bn Southwark

OWENS, ANNE       mmn JENNINGS 
GRO Reference: 1859  March Quarter in LAMBETH  Volume 01D  Page 296

OWENS, EMMA       mmn JENNINGS 
GRO Reference: 1860  June Quarter in LAMBETH  Volume 01D  Page 257

OWENS, JOHN       mmn JENNINGS 
GRO Reference: 1865  June Quarter in LAMBETH  Volume 01D  Page 307

[NTC]

Yes, that's them.

Other children are (as far as I can find):

Charles Owens
can't find in GRO Index but baptism record from 5 July 1863 indicates parents are Thomas and Mary living at Carlisle Street (when John Owens was baptised in 1865 abode is given as Carlisle Square)
d. Sep qtr 1864 Lambeth, age 1, vol 01D page 189

George Owens
b. Dec qtr 1866 Saint George Southwark, mother's maiden name Jennings. vol 01D page 178
d. Mar qtr 1867 Saint George Southwark, age 0, vol 01D page 127

William Owens
b. June qtr 1872 Lambeth, mother's maiden name Jennings. vol 01D page 337
d. June qtr 1872 Lambeth, age 0, vol 01D page 188

Sarah Owens
b. June qtr 1872 Lambeth, mother's maiden name Jennings. vol 01D page 337
d. June qtr 1872 Lambeth, age 0, vol 01D page 187

[jonw65]

Thomas Owens was still living in Lambeth at the time of his death in 1884 (but again no evidence on the 1881 census).

Does that mean you haven't found them in 1881?
Some of the family may be around later.
Marriage, 24 May 1886, Christ Church Southwark
William Beesley, 25, Carman
+
Emma Owens, 25, Spinster, father Thomas Owens, Costermonger
Residence for both 10 Surrey Row
witnessed by The mark of Mary Owens X
Partial transcript here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJ7P-9BL

1891 census
piece 391 folio 176 page 35
8 Waxwell Terrace, Lambeth
Mary Owens, 22, Shirt Ironer, born Southwark
Boarding with the Blackburn family
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q96D-CMM

Now it does say Blackburn, the head of family is Thomas, a Stone Sawyer.
And there is a 21 year old son Joseph H, same occupation, there.

A marriage!
25 Dec 1891, All Saints, Walworth (Newington)
Joseph Henry Blackman, 22, Stone Sawyer, father Thomas Blackman, Stone Sawyer
+
Mary Owens, 22, Spinster, father Thomas Owens (deceased), Hawker
residence for both 9 Maxwell Terrace, Upper Marsh
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGZY-J417

Mary has marked. Is she the Mary Owens who witnessed Emma's marriage (rather than  mum?)
Everyone else signed, the witnesses were Blackmans.

[jonw65]

Lambeth records confirm that Thomas Owens and Mary Jennings were not married.
Cohabited from circa 1857?

[jonw65]

Is this your family in 1871
Thomas Owen   33   
Mary   32   
Annie 12   
Emma 11   
Thomas 9   
John   5   
Rose   1   
Mary   3 bn Southwark

Could Rose have died late 1875?
Dec 1875 Lambeth 1d 222
Owen, Rose   
age 5

I did wonder about this death in the same quarter, but there is now an extra complication
Dec 1875 Lambeth 1d 231
Jennings, Mary   
age 38   

Tis a pity if the family can't be found in 1881

[NTC]

Does that mean you haven't found them in 1881?
Some of the family may be around later.
Marriage, 24 May 1886, Christ Church Southwark
William Beesley, 25, Carman
+
Emma Owens, 25, Spinster, father Thomas Owens, Costermonger

Hi Jon, thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

Yes that’s correct, I can’t find any of the family in the 1881 census. But I am able to trace most of the 6 children that survived past their first year:

Annie Owens died in 1886

As you suggest Emma Owens married William Beesley in 1886

Thomas Owens disappears after the 1871 census – I also can’t locate a birth for him in BMD or the GRO Index

John Owens married Elizabeth Mary Brown in 1885 (my great-grandparents)

Mary Owens married Joseph Henry Blackman in 1891

And as you infer, Rose Owens died age 5 in 1875 … from her death certificate:
Rose Owen, 5, daughter of Thomas Owen, general dealer, died 6 Oct 1875 at 3 Windmill Court, Windmill Street, New Cut. Cause of death – tetanus. Present at the death – Thomas Owen, father.

[NTC]

Lambeth records confirm that Thomas Owens and Mary Jennings were not married.
Cohabited from circa 1857?

Thanks for this fantastic information – I hadn’t considered that they may be cohabiting rather than married.

I think you may have helped pinpoint the family in 1881 … there is an entry (RG11/585 folio 16 page 26-27) which has a Thomas Owens living at 3 Windmill Court – the same address as from your document and also the address that appears on the death certificate for Rose Owens in 1875.

Thomas Owens 48, widower, fish curer and hawker, born Lambeth
James Owens 15, born Lambeth
John Owens 14, born Lambeth
Amos Owens 7, born Lambeth
Ann Jan? Owens 6, born Lambeth
Jane Owens 4, born Lambeth

Some of these details are baffling…

Thomas Owens age is a bit off but marital status and birthplace are correct – his relation to the head of household is ‘brother’ – the head of household is Henry Hollis (so presumably not his brother), perhaps ‘brother’ refers to his relationship with Henry’s wife Catherine, but I can find no evidence of Henry Hollis marrying Catherine Owens or any indication that Thomas Owens had a sister named Catherine. Also the children in the household are puzzling – only John Owens can be accounted for; Amos is John Owens middle name. There was a Jane Owens born in 1876 but no relation as far as I can see.

[rosie99]

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