Gillam/Lowden Families of St Helier

[lucinda]

18 months ago, 27 Mar 09, Stewart Hill was of great help to us tracing my G.G Grandmother Caroline Gillam. With his help we found that Caroline was born 30 July 1855, Her parents were Charles Gillam and Eliza Gillam (nee Mugford) and he also found birth records for Caroline and her sister Alice. Unfortunately he couldn’t find any reference of Caroline’s marriage to William Lowden. Recently however, we found William Lowden’s Army record, which shows that he married Caroline Sophia Gillam in St Helier on 26 December 1877.

I wonder if we can impose on Stewart again to check the marriage details for 26 Dec 1877. Particularly for details about William and also, perhaps, the Jersey census record for 1861, as we can find no trace of the Gillams, Charles, Eliza, Caroline and the rest of the family in our searches of this census.

[Stewart Hill]

Hi Lucinda

It's no problem to do the searches. However, I'm off to London tomorrow for a few days so can't look until Friday.

Stewart

[lucinda]

Hello again Stewart, thank you for your reply, have a good visit to london, look forward to hearing from you when time allows Lucinda.

[Stewart Hill]

Hi Lucinda

As my flight is until this afternoon I thought I would go and have a look for a marriage. Looking back at the previous post I see that I never actually went back to look for the marriage! My deepest apologies because it looks as though I could have saved you 18 months worth of work.

There is an entry in the index of St Helier Parish Church marriages, Feb 1875 to Jul 1878 on page 187 for Caroline Gillam. There is a William Lowden on the same page. I will look at the certificate later this week.

As for the Gillam's on the 1861 Census, they are there but looks as though they are indexed under Gilham - Charles, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Sarah, Emma, Caroline and Ellen - RG9, piece 4393, page 23.

If you want to put any more lookups whilst I'm away I would be able to do them all at the same time.

Stewart

[lucinda]

Thanks Stewart, We're looking forward to hearing from you when you get back. Looks promising about the marriage, the main information we want, apart from the confirmation, is about William Lowden, he is a mystery to us, hopefully the certificate will give us details about his Father or other relatives and we can then look get further into his origins.

We would also, in view of the cost of Jersey documents, like as much detail as you can get from the 1861 census document, ages of family members etc., and if father, Charles, was still a "Carter". We have come across a Sarah Gillam, born in 1843 who married and went to New Zealand, it will be interesting to know if the Sarah in the '61 census matches this birthdate. Also, you make no mention of an Alice Gillam, who, as you may recall, was at the Jersey home with Caroline in the 1871 census, 2 years younger than Caroline.

Hopefully finally, we also have a note that a Charles Gillam died on 9th September 1862, could this be our Charles ?

Look forward to hearing from you. Lucinda

[Stewart Hill]

Hi Lucinda

Well what a storm last night!! Managed to get back to the island but it was touch and go as to whether I could get to the Registry Office before they closed. I made it but had to slip in between two weddings!!

William Lowden and Caroline Sophia Gillam were married on 26th Dec 1877 at St Helier Parish Church.

WL was aged 33 years and a batchelor. He was a Private in the 29th Regiment and whilst living In St Helier was born in Liverpool. His father was also William Lowden and was a grocer.

CSG was aged 22 years and a spinster. She had no occupation. She was living in the Parish of Trinity but was born in St. Helier. Her father was Charles Gillam a blacksmith.

Witnesses were William Kennish and Elizabeth Gillam.

The 1861 census shows the family living at 7 George Street, St. Helier:

Charles Gilham, Head, 38, carter, born St Helier.
Elizabeth Gilham, 37, born St Peter Port, Guernsey.
Elizabeth Gilham, 17, a servant, born St. Helier.
Sarah Gilham, 12, born St. Helier.
Emma Gilham, 10, born St. Helier.
Caroline Gilham, 8, born St. Helier.
Ellen Gilham, 4, born St. Helier.
Mary J. Wilcocks, 22, a visitor, gentlemans servant, born St. Helier.

There is no mention of Alice and I can't find her hidden under any other surname.



Did you ever manage to obtain the certificates for Alice and Caroline's birth? I can go and have a look next week and just make sure we have the right ones.

I have yet to look at the death of Charles, but again I will do that next week.

Stewart

[lucinda]

Hello again Stewart, Thank you so much for braving the weather on Friday and for the details you were able to get for us. The wedding cert. information was most interesting, WL was supposedly 33, if so, he would have been born in 1844, but when he joined the army in Jan 1862 he was 20yrs 9 months = born 1841. In the 1891 census he is 49, also gives birth about 1841. very odd.

The 1861census information was also a bit strange. In the 1851 census, we have :-

Charles at 31, labourer/carter
Eliza 29, born England
Charles 9,
Sarah 7,
Elizabeth 5
Eliza 1

The details we have on Caroline from the Jersey Heritage website give her birth as 30 July 1855, with father Charles, a carter and Eliza (Mugford) her mother, which matches the age of 22 at her wedding but not the 8 years the '61 census shows. Also Alice being missing is odd, unless she was Ellen Alice, or, of course, away from home (at 5 years?). It also makes Caroline's age of 13 in the Jersey childrens home census of '71 with 12 year old Alice, odd to say the least.

Lastly we have an Eliza Gillam in the 1871 census aged 47 as head of the family with son James, aged 9.

We didn't get a birth certificate for Caroline because we felt the Jersey Heritage detail was as much as we needed. Now, we are not really sure exactly where we are. Have you any ideas. Once again thanks very much for all your efforts. Lucinda

[Stewart Hill]

Hi Lucinda

The death you have of Charles shows he died 16th Sep 1862 at the General Hospital from Phthisie(?) suites de typhus. He was aged 41Y which I think tied in correctly.

Stewart

[lucinda]

Hello again Stewart and thanks once more. Interesting news about Charles Gillam but sad that he died so young of the after effects of typhoid fever, probably quite curable these days. It seems that they were not a well off family, which may throw a different light on Caroline's appearance at the Jersey Orphans home a few years later, even though her mother was still alive. Do you think that poor circumstances etc could have accounted for the discrepancies in the census information that are so puzzling ? Your views would be very welcome. Best wishes Lucinda.

Whoops ! The penny just dropped, Caroline's father was listed as a blacksmith on her marriage certificate and presumably was still alive. This would mean that the Charles Gillam who died in 1862 must have been a relative and may account for the appearance of Alice in the 1871 census with Caroline. Lucinda

[Stewart Hill]

Hi Lucinda

Not quite sure that I understand your statement "this would mean that the Charles Gillam who died in 1862 must have been a relative and may account for the appearance of Alice in the 1871 census with Caroline".

Are you confirming that Charles was a relative ie their father?

As regards their circumstances, George Street was the original name for what is now called Kensington Place. It was a "red light" district and changing its name was an attempt to up-grade the area! Consequently I can fully understand the difference in ages, etc etc.

It would be good if we could find Alice in the 1861 census!

Stewart