HASTINGS Charlotte and OWEN Thomas

[kwh]

Thomas OWEN in the 1881 Census (RG11/2950) is effectively the husband (no marriage found) to Charlotte nee Hastings living at 11 Shirley Place, Longmore Street, Kings Norton. Thomas was an Ostler. Thomas and Charlotte, then both 29, have sons Thomas b1875, Joseph b1877 and William b1876.

Thomas Owen b1852 doesn't appear in the 1861 Census and no record appears to exist of his childhood or parents. There are of course many Thomas Owen's and I have exhausted (literally and metaphorically) all possibilities. They included (1) Thomas, a porter, son of Joseph Owen a green grocer in Aston (RG10/3137), (2) Thomas Owen a saw handle maker in Aston (RG10/3150) and (3) Thomas Owen a chandelier maker in Aston (RG10/3135). Number three has been ruled out as he appears in 1881 still living with his parents, whilst both 1 and 2 remain inconclusive.

I have recently encountered a slightly different possibility which is three brothers in the 1851 Census HO 107/2057 where Bryan Owen b1823, Tim Owen b1825 and Thomas Owen b1829 (all from Ireland, appear as lodgers, living not far away in St Peter district of Birmingham. Irish records are somewhat patchy, but it is possible that Thomas b1829 may be responsible for mystery man Thomas b1852.

Apologies, that was a lot to unpack but after 18 years of research I fear that this mystery will out-live me, despite my determination to resolve it. Elsewhere I've made some strong progress and managed to help many others with their research too, so its particularly frustrating that my own paternal line should be so short and the brick wall seemingly impenetrable.

I'd welcome any snippets, insights, thoughts or in fact anything at all that may help to resolve this conundrum, not to mention the preservation of what's left of my sanity too!

Many thanks.
Kev

 

[Astoness]

hi kev as you have posted the same thing on the owen thomas thread its best that we only have one thread so i will shortly be deleting the thomas owen thread so that if we can help you we are just posting on the one thread instead of 2...saves going back and forth from one thread to another and this way everything is in one place....thanks for the info provided hopefully a few of us maybe able to help you..

lyn

 

[MWS]

You may already know this but...

I see that the Joseph Owen greengrocer does not marry Mary (Gough nee Lewis) until 1866 and in 1861 he is a widower living with a housekeeper and no children listed.

Which would account for the lack of a Thomas Owen in 1861 if he is a stepson.

 

[pjmburns]

If that implies he was born Thomas Gough then I can't find an 1852 birth (or even close) for a Thomas Gough at the moment

 

[MWS]

I couldn't see one either so not sure.

I'm not sure if this is her in 1861 but there is a Mary Gough with husband Joseph living on Gooch St. The ages are about right but her birthplace is incorrect (from transcript) but close enough to 1851 to imagine an error was made. Interestingly she is listed as a greengrocer.

No son is with her and with no son being with Joseph Owen in 1861 either could mean he was 'adopted'. Which doesn't do anything to prove he is the right Thomas Owen.