Research Forum

James and Elizabeth Vowles
published by on Sun, 09/02/2014 - 19:23

The 1951 Barrow Gurney census (P13) shows Jame Vowles, age 50, a haulier, born in Barrow Gurney and his wife Elizabeth, age 44, born in Winford.

I am trying to find their marriage and birth dates. There is an Elizabeth Cook(e) baptised on 29/03/1803 but that would have made her 48 on the 1951 census.

If anyone can find definative dates I would be very grateful. I have researched the CD database witout success.

Comments ..

Submitted by on Mon, 10/02/2014 - 9:54

Sorry, the reference to the 1951 census should have said the 1851 census

Submitted by Pat Hase on Mon, 10/02/2014 - 15:57

That's easily done - I'm sure we all knew what you meant!

Looking for the same family on the 1841 census I see that the eldest child mentioned there was Virtue and I found a christening for her in the Barrow Gurney transcriptions on FreeREG in 1824 d/o James & Elizabeth VOWLES. So assuming that's the same Elizabeth who is on the censuses (and she hasn't died and James remarried another Elizabeth in the meantime!) you are looking for a marriage - hopefully before 1824. There is always the possibilty though that they might not have got married until after the birth of some of their children.

Using the same source (FreeREG) you will be able to find a christening of a James VOWLES in Barrow Gurney in 1805 with parents Joseph and Sophia VOWLES. You can check these aginst the original records either in Weston Library or at the Heritage Centre in Taunton. Although this doesn't match exactly with the age on the census - not all children were christened when they were just born and not all ages on censuses were accurate!

I haven't found a marriage yet for James and Elizabeth VOWLES but there are some in Bristol - Not sure which CDs you have checked but the CDs of transcriptions produced by the Bristol & Avon FHS (which can be consulted in Weston Library) may be helpful.