• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Cowley Thomas b.1834

T

trotman

Guest
Hi im after some information on on a Thomas Cowley b.1834 in Overley nr Telford i know he lived in Birmingham from at least 1861, im keen to find his parents who i believe to be from Sedgely, Birmingham cheers:)
 
Re: Thomas Cowley b.1834

in 1851 he is down as a visitor to hannah walthew and family. its could possibly have been transcribed wrongly and could be matthews, not sure.

john cowley 50 visitor blacksmith b. sedgley
thomas cowley 16 visitor blacksmith b. sedgley
 
Re: Thomas Cowley b.1834

The dates tie in anything on th 1841 census?:)
 
I am also looking for info on Cowley family, I am related through my grandmother to Henry Cowley from Kilsby Northamptonshire, settled in Birmingham around 1860, his son was John Thomas Henry Cowley. Two areas I'd like to know more about, firstly seems the Cowleys in Kilsby were farmers/graziers, owned alot of land and property, am trying to track down a book by Gren Hatton, Kilsby, The Story of a Village (out of print). Secondly, Henry Cowley was a medical assistant, surgeon accoucherer in B'ham (like a midwife I think), family story is that he was thrown out of the job due to some kind of misconduct, by 1881 he was a brass founder...would be interested to know more about his work at the hospital or if there are newspaper articles about him etc. Can anyone help with either of those?
 
May be a complete red herring but in June 1887 there were reports of a reprieve of death sentence upon a Henry Cowley, surgeon's assistant, convicted of causing death by unlawful operation. Along with Henrietta Elisabeth
Powell, midwife.
 
May be a complete red herring but in June 1887 there were reports of a reprieve of death sentence upon a Henry Cowley, surgeon's assistant, convicted of causing death by unlawful operation. Along with Henrietta Elisabeth
Powell, midwife.
That sounds interesting, where can I find those reports Pedrocut?
 
Probably here: Free to search but you need to pay to see the article and download it.
 
It appears he's a medical assistant in 1861, a brass founder in 1871 and then medical again, a surgeon accoucherer in 1881.

Possibly 2 other mentions in newspapers- in 1879 in regards procuring an abortion and in 1870 he appears to have been the victim of a violent assault
 
It appears he's a medical assistant in 1861, a brass founder in 1871 and then medical again, a surgeon accoucherer in 1881.

Possibly 2 other mentions in newspapers- in 1879 in regards procuring an abortion and in 1870 he appears to have been the victim of a violent assault
Thanks for the reply, the 1879 article would certainly fit with the family story handed down
 
Thank you, yes, unlikely to be him, must be another Henry, a different crime
And ye....looking again at the reports etc. everything fits for 'my' Henry, except the dates of birth are out by a few years. Census returns put him with a dob around 1826, and there is a Kilsby baptism in 1826, but I have no definitive birth certificate. Newspaper reports on the court case say he is 67 in 1887 which would mean a dob of 1820. All in all, I think there are enough matching bits of info to make it likely this is he? as surely there weren't many Henry Cowleys in the area who were surgeon accoucherers. I'm trying, without luck so far, to find him or the family in the 1891 census, (wife Louisa, children Jane, Lizzie and John) that would clarify, as he would have been in prison by then, ( in Warwick gaol?).
 
It would seem likely that all the newspaper reports refer to your Henry Crowley.

I searched for the family but none of them seem to be on the 1891 census. There's a death registered for a Henry Crowley (age listed 68) Kings Norton Mar 1891, so I thought maybe Winson Green.

However, I've just seen another Henry Cowley living in Kings Norton in 1881 that this death probably refers to.
 
Last edited:
And I think I've found Louisa (a widow) and Lizzie as well, living at 25 Saltley Road under the name Bennett. Ages are about right and Louisa's birthplace is listed as Grafton House (?), Oxfordshire. It is Grafton, Oxfordshire in 1901.
 
May not be Warwick as penal servitude was served at a large, harsher prison (such as Wandsworth or Parkhurst) rather than locally.
Right, good point, I think he was held at Winson Green for a short time while awaiting trial, that's where he supposedly confessed to another prisoner
 
It would seem likely that all the newspaper reports refer to your Henry Crowley.

I searched for the family but none of them seem to be on the 1891 census. There's a death registered for a Henry Crowley (age listed 68) Kings Norton Mar 1891, so I thought maybe Winson Green.

However, I've just seen another Henry Cowley living in Kings Norton in 1881 that this death probably refers to.
Thank you, I'll keep looking....see what else comes up
 
And I think I've found Louisa (a widow) and Lizzie as well, living at 25 Saltley Road under the name Bennett. Ages are about right and Louisa's birthplace is listed as Grafton House (?), Oxfordshire. It is Grafton, Oxfordshire in 1901.
Yes, thank you, seems that's her, her maiden name was Louisa Bennett Comley, but is this for 1891 or 1901? because for 1901 I have her living in Brass St, with my grandmother Lily Cowley aged 8 or 9 also with them by then...? If it is 1891 I guess Louisa was using Bennett instead of Cowley...(who wouldn't under the circumstances?) ....
 
And I think I've found Louisa (a widow) and Lizzie as well, living at 25 Saltley Road under the name Bennett. Ages are about right and Louisa's birthplace is listed as Grafton House (?), Oxfordshire. It is Grafton, Oxfordshire in 1901
There is a Henry Cowley listed on 1891 census in prison in Gillingham Kent. May be a coincidence as it says born in London.
Thank you, may be a coincidence, I will try to find out more
 
Yes, thank you, seems that's her, her maiden name was Louisa Bennett Comley, but is this for 1891 or 1901? because for 1901 I have her living in Brass St, with my grandmother Lily Cowley aged 8 or 9 also with them by then...? If it is 1891 I guess Louisa was using Bennett instead of Cowley...(who wouldn't under the circumstances?) ....

Sorry, it is for the 1891 census. I only mentioned the 1901 to reference the birthplace.
 
And to complete the set for the 1891, Jane is possibly at 8 New Buildings, Arden Road listed as Porter with a daughter, a bit more doubt though.

She does have children before she marries and in 1901 the eldest daughter's age corresponds to the one in 1891, name different though but as I can't see a registration for either, hard to be sure.
 
Sorry, it is for the 1891 census. I only mentioned the 1901 to reference the birthplace.
Thank you, makes sense she moved, used a different name and said she was widowed ! .... what a revelation all this is .... the family 'story' my dad told me is backed up by fact ... and this context helps explain some of my grandmothers' experiences growing up..... Thank you again, I really appreciate this forum and the help people offer
 
And to complete the set for the 1891, Jane is possibly at 8 New Buildings, Arden Road listed as Porter with a daughter, a bit more doubt though.

She does have children before she marries and in 1901 the eldest daughter's age corresponds to the one in 1891, name different though but as I can't see a registration for either, hard to be sure.
Thank you so much MWS, I will follow up on that ..
 
No, I couldn't see one either. If there actually was a Mr Porter or she's using an assumed name like her mom is anyone's guess. When she does marry in 1899 it's as Cowley.
 
No, I couldn't see one either. If there actually was a Mr Porter or she's using an assumed name like her mom is anyone's guess. When she does marry in 1899 it's as Cowley.
Yes, I have her as marrying William Quinton King and I think they had 3 children...just looking into that next and the first daughter Jane Porter
 
There are definitely 4 King/Cowley birth registration Sarah 1898, Jennie 1899, Bessie 1900, Charles 1902 and they are with William & Jane 1911. Apart from Jane (listed as Christina in 1901?) there is a Will b1894 (in 1901 & 1911) and a Rose b1895 (in 1911 only), not sure how they fit in.
 
Back
Top