Quote Originally Posted by eileench View Post
The Mr Downes was William Downes. He was Marcus seniors half brother and worked on the railway in Norfolk.
I have no connection with this family and I'm sure you have all done great research, but I admit to being confused. It looks to me from the census entries below as if William Downes was Marcus Thompson's uncle rather than his half brother, unless there was another William Downes.

1851 census: HO107; Piece: 1782; Folio: 729; Page: 5 (original TNA Crown copyright)

Nehemiah DOWNES 60 aglab b Boxted Essex
Sarah wife 55 b Langham Essex
Lucy 19 b Boxted
Nehemiah 16 b Boxted
Eliza 13 b Boxted
William 6 b Boxted

1861 RG9; Piece: 1105; Folio: 95; Page: 3 (original TNA Crown copyright)
Nehemiah DOWNES 70 (Ancestry indexed DOWNE)
Sarah 65
Eliza 24
Nehemiah 16 (should this be William?)
William TOMPSON [sic] 32 b Elmstead Essex
Lucy TOMSON 27 b Boxted
William 7 b Boxted
Charles 3 b Boxted
Harriet 1 b Boxted