Thanks @Jellylegs, Thats an awful and I mean awful lot of workhouse info. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse - the 1895 register lists poor Harriet not only as a "Tramp" and "vagrant" but also "Manic suicidal" I wish I'd never embarked on this, she's not even my direct line but its still upsetting. Oh and just found little Mary Ellen's burial record.
I wonder if this is your William Bowater? It is from the Chelmsford Chronicle, 7 December 1832, where he was a witness at a trial in Essex, I think.
Thanks @Jellylegs. I haven’t seen this one. Yes it will be my William I’m sure, especially being a hairdresser, although I haven’t any other sightings in St Albans for him in particular. But his mother Susannah was in St Albans around that time along with his brother Hozias (I love that name ) as were very many members of her extended family then and later. They were the only Bowater’s around the area. Was this snip from BNA ?
Thanks @Jellylegs , I used your details and found the article on BNA. Having read the whole article I will claim James Parsons as well - he’s one of mine I have to say I smell a bit of a rat here - William and James are cousins of some sort and the defendant John Hope was hawking wooden bowls. It just happens that Kings Cliffe where William is from was famous for its wood turning business, which most of the village was involved in. Reading between the lines, I’m pretty sure William’s father was at some time a hawker of said Woodware. But maybe I’m just an old cynic
Well @Jellylegs you’ve opened a can of worms with Harriet Bowater (Fletcher) And the workhouse saga. While still getting my head round all the entries, I came across a workhouse record for a child Richard Bowater. Lo and behold in a Liverpool workhouse but a decade after Harriet had moved out to her brother Alfred’s.. Didn’t give this too much attention until, while looking on that “Frustration” tree there was a mention of an entry for Harriet on the 1891 but no source. This was Probably because its been transcribed as Harriett BOWEVSTER ! and Aged 20 years younger (although to be fair the age was kind of obliterated.) and who was listed underneath ? Richard Bowater -Son 10 months old. Back to Workhouse records on Find My Past Richard was baptised in the workhouse d.o.b 28 June 1890. Name of parents Harriet & Charles Bowater - status “legitimate” Now, by my records Charles died in 1880 , this is corroborated by the fact that Harriet is listed as a widow on the 1881 census, living with her brother Alfred and family ! There are a couple of workhouse records for Harriet at the time of giving birth - one of which has her as “lying in” which I understood to be just admitted for the birth. But another of the pages gives admitted from “The streets” and "No friends" Yet on the 1891 she is back listed with brother's family. There are then a couple of records for Richard in 1896 which Im having difficulty reading, One is for “cottage Homes Fazakerley' where his mother is listed as “Hannah” and it says discharged “to service” ? He is only 6 years old ! Would this be with his mother ? It was bad enough worrying about poor Harriet but with children involved - the tears have started
Richard is in the Cottage Homes for Children, Fazakerley in 1901 - did they put them to work at a young age in the 1890's. I thought they would have gone to some type of school or had lessons.
... and a possible sighting of him in 1911 on board a ship in Weymouth, Dorset. Did he become a sailor/seaman? Ooooh, looks like he did. Service Record on FMP with same d.o.b. as on his baptism record.
Yes, that what I thought - surely at aged 6 they wouldn't have been sent"to service" even then! I haven't had a chance to find Harriet after 1891, was thinking maybe she may have been sent to service and child went with her, but I didn't think this was usually the case. I was looking briefly earlier at the Workhouses website for the Liverpool(West Derby) workhouses, which looked extremely grim and I think did come across the Fazakeley children home which looked a slight improvement, but didn't read about it. Will have a look tomorrow Need to retire to bed now - night night. p.s. and so should you
I know, especially as we are starting to take the bathroom to pieces, and do some bits to it ready for the first week in March when we will be changing it all around and installing a shower instead of a bath - I know I won't though Night night x
I think it is, it all points to him - giveaway is that it is for a “Public Assistance Institution” I was hoping the Navy might have been a way out
FMP have an entry for a Richard Bowater in 1941, record set “People in the news” but my subscription doesn’t give me access to that. Prob not my Richard but Would be very grateful if someone could check it out for me please x
It's a reference to an article in the Newcastle Journal of the 12th April 1941. The article is entitled "Safety Badges" and goes on to say The following have won Safety in Mines badges at Hetton Lyons; Eppleton Colliery - a list of names follows including Richard Bowater.
It is for Newcastle Upon Tyne. A list of people that won Safety in Mines badges at Hetton Lyons, so doubt it is him.
There is a death reg for a Richard Bowater in Leeds in 1945 - age 43, so a year of birth 1901 (which is the original date on the 1939 register)