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I am trying to trace my great grandmother. According to her marriage certificate, her name was Elizabeth Julia Rose Dottie Sowerby, and was born c1857. Her father is listed as James Sowerby, deceased, Gentleman. The marriage to George Muras Walton took place in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1878. After the wedding, she is known as Rose Walton, and the census records of 1881-1911 state she was born in Newcastle.

There are no census records which link an Elizabeth Sowerby to Newcastle before the marriage, or any using her other names. I have checked with Newcatle Registry Office and there is no listing of her birth. I thought there was a possible match with an Elizabeth Sowerby in Caldbeck, Westmorland. The registry office in Wigton has nothing to match. I am waiting for response from Whitehaven which is checking parish records in the area.

Basically I need to find a James Sowerby who fathered an Elizabeth Sowerby c1857. Maybe all the names she uses in the marriage certificate do appear on her birth certificate, but I am not certain.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this?

Regards

Philip Walton

Possible?

1861 England Census
about Elizabeth Sowerby Name: Elizabeth Sowerby
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: James Sowerby
Mother's Name: Elizabeth Sowerby
Gender: Female
Where born: Caldbeck, Cumberland, England

Civil parish: Sebergham Low
County/Island: Cumberland
Country: England

Registration district: Wigton
Sub-registration district: Caldbeck
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 44
Piece: 3931
Folio: 36
Page Number: 10
Household Members: Name Age
James Sowerby 37
Elizabeth Sowerby 33
Joseph Sowerby 12
Robert Sowerby 10
Thomas Sowerby 8
Mary Ann Sowerby 6
Elizabeth Sowerby 4
Sarah Sowerby 2
James Sowerby 2 Months
John Patinson 73

But father is an ag lab. (Far cry from gentleman!)

Not the one above in 1861 she is working as a servant in 1881 and still single unfortunately.

Curious one. She's listed as daughter but name is definitely Hartley. Also father would have been 12 when she was born!

1871 England Census
about Elizabeth Hartley Name: Elizabeth Hartley
[Elizabeth Sowerby]
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: James Sowerby
Mother's Name: Mary Sowerby
Gender: Female
Where born: Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
Civil parish: Knottingley
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Registration district: Pontefract
Sub-registration district: Knottingley
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 47
Piece: 4631
Folio: 108
Page Number: 9
Household Members: Name Age
James Sowerby 29
Mary Sowerby 29
William Sowerby 8
Jane Sowerby 7
Margaret Sowerby 5
Nancy Sowerby 3
Anne Sowerby 3 Days
Elizabeth Hartley 17

Edit: Sorry, just noticed she's not a daughter on original.

Does her death record confirm her birth year as 1857, and what name is used on it?
Thanks

Who were the witnesses to the marriage? and what was her address?

1911 she says born 1861 Newcastle

The marriage cert. was witnessed by Thomas Dunn and M J Dunn.. She gave her age as 21, a year younger than her husband, suggesting she was born in 1857. Date of marriage 13 march 1878. Residence at time of marriage 20 Edward Street, Newcastle.

Her death record is for 2nd quarter of 1921 and gives her age as 62. I am waiting for a copy of death certificate. That age would suggest 1859.

So we have three birth years on the go, 1857, 1859 and 1861.

Not sure what to make of the Hartley record. Probably just a servant.

The more I look the more intriguing it becomes. I'm starting to think that she may have changed things in order to marry George who was a commercial traveller in the brewing industry. He certainly appears to have been reasonably wealthy.

Another interesting possibility is this one I found yesterday:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/records.page/image/e1861image/897810

Seeing as we have a selection of dates for her birth year, each one making her younger than before, it is possible thar this Elizabeth, born in 1854 in Bongate, Appleby, Westmorland fits the bill. She is illegitimate, living with her mother Margaret, and grandfather Anthony. She would have every reason to change her story. As yet I have not found out what happened to her,so this is another possibility.

Sorry, I do not have credits for genes so cannot read that image - could you say what it is?
Thanks

(Age at wedding bumped up to 21 so as to be of full age - no permission necessary?)

The Elizabeth, 1854, appears still unmarried in 1891:
Elizabeth Sowerby
Age: 37 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation: Servant Gender: Female
Where born: Appleby, Westmorland, England
Civil parish: Great Crosby Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
Town: Waterloo County/Island: Lancashire Country: England
Registration district: West Derby Sub-registration district: Crosby
Piece: 2982 Folio: 10
Page Number: 14
David Tweddle 51
Mary Tweddle 57
xxxElizabeth Sowerby 37
Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 2982; Folio: 10; Page: 14; GSU roll: 6098092.

1861 (from above link, Find My Past)

SOWERBY, Anthony Head Widower M 56 1805 Agricultural Labourer
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Margaret Daughter Unmarried F 31 1830 Dressmaker
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Elizabeth Granddaughter F 7 1854 Scholar
Bongate
Westmorland
SOWERBY, Joseph Grandson M 2 1859
Bongate
Westmorland
Piece:
3956 Folio:
54 Page:
14 Registration District:
East Ward
Civil Parish:
St Michaels Bongate Municipal Borough:
Address:
Terrace, Bongate, St Michaels Bongate County:
Westmorland

Chris :)

Thanks for finding that the 1854 Elizabeth is still single in 1891. Feel as though I'm running out of elizabeths at this rate.

BTW I forgot to mention her name was Elizabeth Walton on death record.

So if she went by the name of Rose on 81/91/1911 census then maybe she would have been down on others as Rose.
It would have been strange for her to change her christian name after her marriage.
Just a thought.

Maryb.

I'v tried ALL the names Maryb - she just isn't there under any of them !!! :-(

Dea Xxx

I have too dea and without the surname.

No clues in address 20 Edward st either
1871 D6 > 5 Westgate Newcastle
20 edward street
William Glendinning 1841
1881 D7a >20
Thomas lamb 33
Margaret 31
Sarah 6.


Witnesses Thomas Dunn 1852 (son of Joseph) comercial traveller for tabocco firm married to Mary Jane nee Gaul 1856 dad John Gaul.They married 1876.

Maryb.

Yes - I followed the witnesses too - I can only think that they were friends, not relatives. Perhaps, as Thomas later dealt in wines as well as tobacco, they were 'sort of' work associates?

Anyway, it didn't help with the mystery!

Dea x

I have found a Female Sowerby birth registration on Findmypast.co.uk for Penrith, Cumberland 3rd quarter 1856. Not exactly sure if this is helpful. Perhaps they hadn't decided on name at the time, or is it a registration for a baby who died before they named it?

Found this for Tynemouth on Findmypastpast. This could be more promising, as it is just down the road from Newcastle:

Name: SOWERBY, ElizabethRegistration district: [?] Tynemouth County: NorthumberlandYear of registration: 1855Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3Volume no:[?] 10BPage no:[?]137
 

Unfortunately She died a year later.