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She was born in Axbridge in c. 1835-36 and appears in the 1841 census as living in the village with her family which consisted of Mother (Mary - listed as a schoolmistress), 3 sisters and a brother.

She next appears in history in 1951 when she married my 1st cousin x3, Percival Horatio COOME in Cheltenham Registry Office. Later reports claim that he was her 1st cousin which makes her some sort of relative of mine I think. His family came from Locking (his father was John Valentine Coome baptised on 22 March 1799 in Locking church).

Apparently Percival was not a nice person and caused her to leave him soon after the marriage. For the next 40 years she assumed the guise of a man, Charlie Wilson, and worked as a steward on board a P&O liner and at various jobs in the building trade. She fell on hard times, was sentenced to 4 months hard labour (at the age of c. 64!!) in Wormwood Scrubs for obtaining money by false pretences and died in hospital in Chelsea in 1911.

I am working on a comprehensive story of her life as I can discover it which I will be happy to share with the Society at some point. The purpose of this query is to ask if anyone has any information, particularly about her early life, which could help to fix the relationship between her family and that of Percival (and therefore me).

Comments ..

Submitted by Pat Hase on Thu, 18/04/2013 - 2:19

I think I have a possible relationship for her but it needs a lot more research to prove it.

In the Axbridge Baptisms which are online you will find some christenings of children to John Wickham TOZER and his wife Mary. Unfortunately at the moment these only go up to 1812 so do not include your Catherine Wreford TOZER. There is a John Wickham TOZER baptised 27th March 1809 and a Sarah (I think her second name may be Drewit) TOZER baptised 6th Feb 1811.

There is a marriage at Temple Church Bristol on the 2nd Oct 1808 of a John TOZER and a Mary HAM. (from CD available from Bristol & Avon FHS) - If this is the same couple and they are the parents of Catherine then it might be worth looking at the parents of Percival Horatio COOME who I believe could be the John COOME and Sophia HAM who were married 26th March 1820 at St Paul's Portland Square (also from CD available from Bristol & Avon FHS).

All you have to do then is to prove that Mary HAM and Sophia HAM were sisters and that would make Catherine and Percival 1st cousins.

Submitted by on Thu, 18/04/2013 - 23:52

Very helpful and rather exciting so many thanks.

John and Sophia are certainly Percival's parents. What's more, the Parish Register for Winscombe shows a Mary HAM born in 1788 to the same parents as Sophia so if I can show that the the two Marys are one and the same and also Catherine's mother, I'm there.

Submitted by on Fri, 19/04/2013 - 10:24

Nic, I have copied the following newspaper report and can send you a copy if needed?

~~My email is:-~~

mikeeuoeoeuoeuouor.co.uk (email address removed - see note below)

It gives a lot of history in Cheltenham and her life as a 'male'.

Michael and Penny Oram

Headline: "CHARLIE WILSON" REAPPEARS.

Publication: Cheltenham Chronicle

Publication date: Saturday 30 July 1904

EDITOR NOTE: email address redacted. Publishing your email address will attract spam. Login to the site, click on a member's name and use their contact form as a secure means of exchanging email addresses.

Submitted by on Fri, 19/04/2013 - 20:15

Thanks, have emailed.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Sat, 20/04/2013 - 14:51

During the Advice Session at the Library this Saturday we discovered 10 more children for John & Mary TOZER christened at Axbridge between Jan 1st 1813 and Jan 1st 1837.

Catherine Wreford TOZER was the last child to be christened on 1st Jan 1837 to John & Mary TOZER of Axbridge, Currier.

I can send the other entries if you are interested.

Submitted by on Sun, 21/04/2013 - 11:21

I don't have that many. I'd love to see those others. Thanks very much.

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