Edward DOWNES

[orkrad]

 Edward Downes is an ancestor who went to NZ with his family in 1853.

I am trying to verify his  family details in the 1841 and 1851 censuses. I think he married in Ludlow in 1843/44 so he should appear in the 1841 census somewhere in that area .  He was reputedly born at Knoll Hill Shropshire in 1813 but no record of his birth exists .Two of his children that I have found on IGI were christened in Hope Bagot  in 1851 and 1853.

Could someone please check 1841 and 1851 censuses for me?

Thanks Orkrad

[groom]

What was his wife's name? There is an Edward Downes in Bridgnorth Shropshire in 1851, wife Mary and 5 children. He was a blacksmith.

[CaroleW]

These are the baptisms and wife was Jane

If he went to NZ in 1853 - it must have been after October 1853 in view of the baptismal date

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JQXF-ZSH

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JQXN-W9G

[CaroleW]

1851  for Hope Baggot indexed as Downs - children all b Hope Baggot


Edward Downs   36 master boot & shoe maker b Burford
Jane  34 b Bitterley
William 6
Edward  4
John  2
Emma  2 Months
Elizabeth Jones   76 lodger b Caynham
HO107 Piece 1982 Folio 435 Page 1

[MargP]

Hi

Could this be Edward this would tie in with his place of birth on 1851 census

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J73X-7ZR

Margp

[MargP]

Hi

1841 Census, living alone at Hope Knowle, the birth year can be out by 5 years either way on the earlier census

Edward Downs b 1816 Burford occ Shoemaker

Margp

[orkrad]

 Thanks Carole w and Marg p  for the speedy replies.

The familysearch data on Edward (sen )s christening tallies with what the family stories suggested. It is good to have  the birth date verified with a christening record..

Thanks also for the information on the 1851 census. I did have information on two of the children . now I have a lot more to go on.

I wonder who Elizabeth Jones was? Jane's parents were  William and Ann Gittings/Gittens  so she was probably not immediate family. The whole Downes clan emigrated as steerage passengers on the ship Stately so  Elizabeth was not likely to have been a  domestic helper.!

Regards Orkrad 

[CaroleW]

Hi

Elizabeth Jones was just shown as a lodger.  Quite common in those days for people to take in lodgers 

[orkrad]

 Thanks Carole.
I suppose they sometimes took in lodger to help pay the rent. My assumptions that it must have been a relative or someone to help out just shows how my 21st century thinking didn't account for  other possibilities. Shame on me !

Orkrad