Missing Miss Tonks 1830s England

Murfomurf

Murfomurf

Well-Known Member
On my family tree there is a family of Boswells who married into my Harveys. When I looked at the 1841 Englad Census for the Boswells I found three extra children born after I thought they had given up. When I looked up the Birth in the GRO of Thomas Boswell, born 1839 in West Bromwich, I discovered his mother was a Tonks and not Hannah Smith (female Head of Household).

Previously William Boswell had married Hannah Smith in 1815 at Oldbury (on the borders of Shropshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire) and they had produced eight children Samuel, John, Hannah, Emma, Maria, Elizabeth, William and George- all listed in FamilySearch Baptisms. Suddenly in the 1841 Census there appeared young Thomas, Richard and Josiah, none with baptisms I could locate. There are five of the original 8 children present with both parents. Where is the mother of the youngest 3 and who is her Boswell husband?

1841 Census details:

Hales Owen
Brimstree (Hales Owen Division)
Shropshire
England
Stourbridge
Halesowen
View others on page
908
7
10
12

TIA- Kay
​
 
I think the 3 Boswell boys are on the 1851 census with father William b1793 Oldbury - a coal miner, widowed with other siblings
Josiah is enumerated as Joseph, all the boys born Oldbury
HO107 piece 2024 folio 318 page 14

So still with 'your' family but enumerated as sons
 
Josiah was baptised at Oldbury 17/9/1837 father William mother Hannah. FS
Added…
Richard…4/10/1835
Thomas 19/5/1839
William and Hannah parents all baptised Oldbury
 
Last edited:
The 3 boy's baptisms are on FMP source FS
Richard 4/10/1835, Josiah 17/9/1837, Thomas 19/5/1839
All give father William mother Hannah

Just a thought, as registration was very new when Thomas was registered, perhaps there was a misunderstanding and either Hannah or William (whoever registered the child) gave their own mother's maiden name - it has happened before
 
Thanks for seeking out those elusive Baptisms @MollyMay and @Archie's Mum! I used FS but could not find those last 3 boys- that's why I thought William and Hannah had given up having further kids. Are they entered without the mother or without the father on FS? I asked for all Boswells from 1828 to 1848 and didn't score those last three. Will try another way of searching, thank you. As you know, I don't have FMP.
 
Although I can’t see the original, the three I found on FS have both parents.
Three deaths of a Hannah Boswell on Freebmd…..Hannah Boswell March 1844, Hannah Maria Boswell March 1845 and Hannah Boswell March 1848 West Bromwich. This last one seems more of a possibility as it’s only 1.3 miles from Oldbury.
 
It's weird how I can only see the three extra boys on the Census and not in FS. The correct Death for Hannah Boswell is the West Bromwich one- the Civil Birth registrations for the kids born after 1837 are in West Brom and other Censuses for the family are there too.
 
Murfomurf said:
It's weird how I can only see the three extra boys on the Census and not in FS.
Click to expand...
I had trouble in finding them on FS (even though I know all the details).
I think the secret is to enter the birth place as Oldbury, Worcestershire.
I tried Thomas and Richard (as AM has found Josiah, same details of pob:)) and they both came up as the first 'hit'.
To be fair FMP has Oldbury Worcestershire as the pob.
 
MollyMay said:
The 3 boy's baptisms are on FMP source FS
Richard 4/10/1835, Josiah 17/9/1837, Thomas 19/5/1839
All give father William mother Hannah

Just a thought, as registration was very new when Thomas was registered, perhaps there was a misunderstanding and either Hannah or William (whoever registered the child) gave their own mother's maiden name - it has happened before
Click to expand...
I have seen that happen several times. Another possibility might be that Hannah Tonks had married a Mr Smith before she married William Boswell?
 
Archie's Mum said:
Although I can’t see the original, the three I found on FS have both parents.
Three deaths of a Hannah Boswell on Freebmd…..Hannah Boswell March 1844, Hannah Maria Boswell March 1845 and Hannah Boswell March 1848 West Bromwich. This last one seems more of a possibility as it’s only 1.3 miles from Oldbury.
Click to expand...
I don't think the distance between West Brom and Oldbury is relevant really as West Brom became the registration place for Oldbury events around this time. I think the third one as well. Would need someone with a family bible to say if that's correct, unfortunately.
 
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