In the 1841 census, Charlotte Stockwell is at home with her parents and two younger
brothers, in Dudbridge, in the parish of King Stanley, Gloucestershire.
Ten years later in the following
census, her parents have with them one son, John Stockwell age 28, and two grandsons, Henry Stockwell age 9 and Enoch Stockwell age 8. The census records each person's relationship to the head of the household. It does not necessarily show the relationships between family members although sometimes these can be inferred, for example a mother-in-law would be the wife's mother.
On looking at this census household our first thought would naturally be that John, age 28, farm labourer, could be a widower who has brought his two sons to be cared for by the older generation. However, John Stockwell is recorded in the census as being unmarried.
Amongst the birth registrations for the district, there is one Henry Stockwell which is in the last quarter of 1842 and one Enoch Stockwell whose birth was registered in the first quarter of the following year. These births seem to be too close together for these to be brothers of the same mother. According to the baptism record, Enoch was baptised on 3 January 1844, having been born on 4 January 1843. As for parents - just Charlotte Stockwell of Dudbridge is named, with the column entitled "Quality, Trade or Profession" recorded as "Spinster".
The corresponding birth certificate says Enoch was born on the Fourth of January 1843 at Dudbridge Rodborough. The spaces reserved for the father's name and "Rank or Profession" contain no text but just have a line drawn through. However, the baby is registered with a middle name of Charles Pegler! Whilst the clergyman wrote only Enoch on the church register, John Stephens the civil registrar recorded the child's name as Enoch Charles Pegler Stockwell for posterity.
Two years later, on the Third of July 1845, at Ebley in the Parish of Randwick, Peter was born to Charlotte Stockwell. The local registrar for the Stonehouse area was John Cooper Grimes and, as before, the birth certificate columns for the father's name and rank/profession were left empty. However, this time there was no middle name clue, but perhaps the first name itself could be key.
Showing posts with label Stephens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephens. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 January 2019
Wednesday, 2 January 2019
Same surname, same job, same village
Charles was born at Peaked Elm, Kingstanley on the Eighth of April 1847, the son of Peter Mackway, so it was recorded, whose occupation was Pin Pointer. The birth registration was in the district of Stroud, sub-district of Rodborough in the County of Gloucester, by John Stephens, Registrar. The mother was named as Charlotte Mackway, formerly Stockwell.
Charles McQuay died age 1 year and 8 months, on the Eighteenth of December 1848, of "inflammation in the bowels". This sad event happened in the hamlet of Redditch, and was registered in the district of Bromsgrove, sub-district of Tardebigg in the Counties of Worcester and Warwick, by John Osborne, Registrar. The space on the certificate labelled Occupation says, "Son of Peter McQuay (deceased) Pin Pointer".
Whilst this Registrar had got the spelling of the surname correct, the record that the child's father was deceased was incorrect! Charles' parents, Peter and Charlotte, went on to have further children and in fact did not die until 1877 and 1908 respectively.
The informant who registered the death of young Charles was Henry Waterson, who had been in attendance and lived in Redditch. We will probably never know whether it was this Informant, or the Registrar, who was the source of the misinformation.
What we do know is that ten days earlier, on the Eighth of December 1848, a 26 year old Pin Pointer with the surname McQuay had indeed died in Redditch. The Informant, who gave the cause of death as consumption, was named as Mary Waterson. She is recorded has having been in attendance at the death. The 1851 census shows Henry and Maria Waterson as husband and wife living a few doors away from the surviving Peter and his family. The Registrar who recorded the death was John Osborne.
The man who had died was named Joseph McQuay. Three and a half years later a new son of Peter McQuay (Pin Maker) and Charlotte is registered with the name Joseph, on Sixteenth of July 1852, by John Osborne, Registrar. Did Joseph and Peter, with the same surname, same job, living in the same village, know each other? Did Peter name his new baby after the Joseph who had died? Were they related? Also, exactly when and why did Peter and his family move the 50 miles from King's Stanley to Redditch?
Charles McQuay died age 1 year and 8 months, on the Eighteenth of December 1848, of "inflammation in the bowels". This sad event happened in the hamlet of Redditch, and was registered in the district of Bromsgrove, sub-district of Tardebigg in the Counties of Worcester and Warwick, by John Osborne, Registrar. The space on the certificate labelled Occupation says, "Son of Peter McQuay (deceased) Pin Pointer".
Whilst this Registrar had got the spelling of the surname correct, the record that the child's father was deceased was incorrect! Charles' parents, Peter and Charlotte, went on to have further children and in fact did not die until 1877 and 1908 respectively.
The informant who registered the death of young Charles was Henry Waterson, who had been in attendance and lived in Redditch. We will probably never know whether it was this Informant, or the Registrar, who was the source of the misinformation.
What we do know is that ten days earlier, on the Eighth of December 1848, a 26 year old Pin Pointer with the surname McQuay had indeed died in Redditch. The Informant, who gave the cause of death as consumption, was named as Mary Waterson. She is recorded has having been in attendance at the death. The 1851 census shows Henry and Maria Waterson as husband and wife living a few doors away from the surviving Peter and his family. The Registrar who recorded the death was John Osborne.
The man who had died was named Joseph McQuay. Three and a half years later a new son of Peter McQuay (Pin Maker) and Charlotte is registered with the name Joseph, on Sixteenth of July 1852, by John Osborne, Registrar. Did Joseph and Peter, with the same surname, same job, living in the same village, know each other? Did Peter name his new baby after the Joseph who had died? Were they related? Also, exactly when and why did Peter and his family move the 50 miles from King's Stanley to Redditch?