MARSH/POOLEY and/or TOWNER/PANKHURST families

[JETART]

I am researching my British roots and looking for relatives (dead or alive!)

My grandparents: George Wilfred Marsh (1903-1998) and Freda Ellen Towner (1901-1981) both from Kent area, married in February 1927 and emigrated to Canada, landing April 1927.

Great Grandparents:
John Marsh & Ada Annie Pooley (m 1893) had 12-13 children: George, Cecil, Cyril, Eddie, Jack, Henry, Flo, Bill, Fred, list incomplete.

Charles William Towner & Julia Ellen Pankhurst (m 1890) children Freda, Hilda, Arthur, Dorothy, Win, list incomplete.

Would love to connect with anyone related. Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you!

[Trish]

...John Marsh & Ada Annie Pooley (m 1893) had 12-13 children: George, Cecil, Cyril, Eddie, Jack, Henry, Flo, Bill, Fred, list incomplete...Do you have any census information on your ancestors?

There's a possible match for the MARSH family on the 1901 census: John and Ada MARSH, 28 and 26, respectively, with children Florence, 6, Henry, 5, William, 2 and Frederick 6 months, living at Manor House Cottage in Whitstable, Kent. John's occupation is given as "Gardener Gds". All were born in Whitstable with the exception of Ada who was born in Wingham, Kent. [Reference: RG13/799 Folio 7 Page 5]

HTH,
Trish

[Trish]

...Charles William Towner & Julia Ellen Pankhurst (m 1890) children Freda, Hilda, Arthur, Dorothy, Win, list incomplete...There's also a possible match for this family in the 1901 census: Charles and Julia TOWNER, 48 and 34, respectively, with children, Charles, 14, Harry, 12, Arthur, 9, Dorothy, 4 and Florence, 2 living in Boughton Aluph, Kent. Charles's occupation is "Groom Gardener" and Charles Jr. is a "Farm house boy". Charles was born in Pembury, Kent and Julia in Burwash, Sussex and the children in Hythe, Rolvenden and Pembury all in Kent. [Reference: RG13/787 Folio 43 Page 5]

The only hitch is... your TOWNER great grandparents were married in 1890 whereas this couple has children born before 1890.

Regards,
Trish

[JETART]

You've certainly been a HUGE help. I'm just getting started searching and appreciate any connections.
Re: Towner/Pankhurst - I did find a marriage record for a C.W. Towner in 1884, I suspected he was married prior to marrying my ggrandmother, so this makes sense.
I've not yet checked the census, frankly didn't know where to start as the info I had was sketchy at best. I wish I'd had the foresight to quiz my grandparents when they were alive. I plan on travelling to England someday and would love to meet any relatives (the ones I did meet are now gone).
Thanks again,
Joanne

[Trish]

...Re: Towner/Pankhurst - I did find a marriage record for a C.W. Towner in 1884, I suspected he was married prior to marrying my ggrandmother, so this makes sense...Joanne,

I think we're on the right track with Charles -- in the 1891 census, he is listed as Charles W. TOWNER, 38, a general labourer. He's living at Oakleigh "Stables", Tunbridge, Kent, with wife Julia, 24, and sons, Charles Cecil TOWNER, 4 and Harry TOWNER, 2. Birthplaces are Pembury, Burwash, Hythe and Pembury, respectively. [Reference: RG12/680 Folio 52 Page 16]

Hope this helps. Good luck with connecting with living relatives!
Trish

[Trish]

One more census, Joanne...

At a glance, I don't see Charles in 1881 [which you can access for free at www.familysearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org/)] but he is on the 1871 census as an 18 year old, no occupation given, with his father and brother, living at 10 Slate Row in Pembury:

-- Father Henry is 39, a widower, no occupation given, born in Pembury;
-- Brother Henry is 15, no occupation, born in Pembury.

Listed in the same household -- but, oddly, with an address of 10 Rell Row -- is:

-- Adelaide YOUNG, daughter, 13, scholar, born in Pembury;
-- Sarah A. YOUNG, daughter, 10, born in Pembury;
-- Sarah YOUNG, mother-in-law, widow, 77, a "Housekeeper" born in Frant, Sussex.

Maybe the enumerator made a mistake with Adelaide and Sarah A. and should have written TOWNER as their surnames instead of YOUNG. [Reference: RG10/936 Folio 17 Page 26]

Trish

[Trish]

Okay, one more! 1861... which clarifies the 1871 census:

Reference: RG9/496 Folio 98 Page 26

Address: 4 Larkings Row, Pembury
Henry TOWNER* Head 27 Brickmaker born Kent Pembury
Adelaide TOWNER Wife 28 born ditto
Charles Wm TOWNER Son 9 Scholar born ditto
Henry T TOWNER Son 5 born ditto
Adelaide L TOWNER Daur 3 born ditto
Sarah A TOWNER Daur 1 born ditto

Address: 7 Larkings Row, Pembury
Thomas YOUNG Head 72 Carpenter born Sussex Frant
Sarah YOUNG Wife 60 born Kent Tonbridge

*handwriting could be misinterpreted as TORRNER [as transcribed on Ancestry]

Trish

[Trish]

Joanne,

Re your e-mail to me about Julia PANKHURST -- I think this must be Julia with her parents and siblings in 1861:

Reference: RG10/1046 Folio 150 Page 13
Address: Holmeshurst, Ticehurst, Sussex
Frederick PANKHURST Head Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield
Emily PANKHURST Wife 42 Ag Lab [sic] born Sussex Warbleton
Urbin PANKHURST Son 17 Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield
Ann PANKHURST Daur 14 born Sussex Burwash
Joseph PANKHURST Son 11 Scholar born Sussex Burwash
Samuel PANKHURST Son 6 Scholar born Sussex Burwash
Julia E. PANKHURST Daur 4 born Sussex Burwash
James PANKHURST Son 2 born Sussex Burwash

Worth noting is another PANKHURST family just two households away [same address and reference, Page 12/13]:

Levi PANKHURST Head 30 Ag Lab born Sussex Burwash
Betsy M. PANKHURST Wife 31 born Sussex Fields
Caroline PANKHURST Daur 9 Scholar born Sussex Mayfield
Margrett PANKHURST Daur 7 Scholar born Sussex Burwash
Thomas W. PANKHURST Son 4 born Sussex Ticehurst
Charles PANKHURST Son 2 born Sussex Ticehurst

Happy Thanksgiving!
Trish

[Trish]

Here are the PANKHURSTs in 1861:

Reference: RG9/570 Folio 142 Page 11
Address: Witherenden, Ticehurst, Sussex

Frederick PANKHURST Head 31 Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield
Emily PANKHURST Wife 31 Ag Lab Wife born Sussex Warbleton
Jane PANKHURST Daur 9 Scholar born Sussex Warbleton
Hirbin PANKHURST Son 7 Ditto born Sussex Heathfield
Ann PANKHURST Daur 4 Ditto born Sussex Burwash
Joseph PANKHURST Son ?1 born Sussex Burwash
Samuel PANKHURST Father Widower 73 [smudged] Formerly Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield

And nearby on Mayfield Rd:

Jemmima PANKHURST Head Widow 67 Female Ag Lab born Sussex Burwash
Emily PANKHURST Daur 22 Ditto born ditto
Charles PANKHURST Son 16 Ag Lab born ditto
Thomas PANKHURST Grand Son 13 Ag Lab born ditto
Emily PANKHURST Grand Daughter 3 born ditto
Daniel PANKHURST Head 26 Ag Lab born Sussex Burwash
Frances PANKHURST Wife 34 Ag Lab Wife born ditto
Emily PANKHURST Daur 12 Scholar born ditto
Harriet PANKHURST Daur 10 Scholar born ditto
George PANKHURST Son 5 Scholarborn ditto
?Nahoma [or Mahomy] PANKHURST Daur 2 born ditto
?Mary PANKHURST Daur 2 mo. born ditto

Trish

[Trish]

The YOUNGs in 1851:

Reference: HO107/1615 Folio 378 Page 28
Address: Lower Green, Pembury, Kent
Thomas YOUNG Head 61 Jobing Carpenter ? [next word is illegible] born Sussex Frant
Sarah YOUNG Wife 50 born Kent Pembury
Christopher YOUNG Son 17 born ditto
Algerina YOUNG Daur 15 Scholar born Kent Tonbridge
Harriet Ropter MOORE Visitor Unmarried 24 born Kent Pembury

I'm not sure about the whereabouts of Adelaide but she may be the Adelaide YOUNG, 20, born in Newbury, Kent, working as a servant for Emma DURHEN, her son Thomas H. DURHEN and sister Elizabeth DRAPER in Paddington, Middlesex. Perhaps the enumerator wrote "Newbury" in error.

Trish

[Trish]

The PANKHURSTs in 1851:

Reference: HO107/1638 Folio 369 Page 27
Address: ?East Hill, Warbleton, Sussex
Frederick PANKHURST Head 20 Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield
Emily PANKHURST Wife 20 born Sussex Warbleton

Reference: HO107/1638 Folop 419 Page 25
Address: ?Punnetts Town,
Samuel PANKHURST Head 60 Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield
Elizabeth PANKHURST Wife 57 born Sussex Dallington
Thomas PANKHURST Son 16 Ag Lab born Sussex Heathfield

Trish