My desultory genealogical researches have brought me to whom I think may be my great-great maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Purvey, who according to the 1871 census was a 45-year old widow, living at Lowell's Yard in Witney and described as a dressmaker. She was born in 1826 at Chalton (sic) in Gloucestershire. She must have been living in Witney since at least 1852, the year my great-grandfather, Robert Purvey, a groom, was born in the town. He is the only child of hers that I can trace. According to the census, he was not living in Witney in 1871, having at some time moved to Oxford where he lived with his family at no. 100 Blackfriars Road. His wife, Rose, came from Bampton-in-the-Bush. At one time, they was only one Purvey family in Oxford
Did Elizabeth Purvey come to Witney through marriage, was she originally in service in the town or the vicinity thereof, did she turn to dressmaking on becoming a widow? I could not find anywhere called Chalton in Gloucestershire, although there was an area called Charlton in Bristol. As for Lowell's Yard, this would seem to no longer exist although there is a Lowell Place off Corn Street in Witney.
I would be grateful for any information about the Purvey family of Witney.
Thanks and regards,
Ig Roberts
Results 1 to 10 of 33
Thread: The Purvey family of Witney
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06-02-2011, 5:17 PM #1Ig RobertsGuest
The Purvey family of Witney
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06-02-2011, 5:29 PM #2CoromandelGuest
Hello Ig and welcome to the forum!
I see from the parish register transcript for Witney St Mary that Horatio Robert Purvey (son of Robert, a servant, and Elizabeth) was baptised there on 5 May 1852. Do you have his birth certificate? It should give Elizabeth's maiden name.
Old maps confirm that Lowell's Yard in Witney was off Corn Street: it has since been renamed Lowell Place. It was one of the poorest parts of the town, with many people squashed into tiny cottages.
I hope to be in Witney library tomorrow so will see if I can dig up anything else about the Purveys.
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06-02-2011, 5:52 PM #3
- Join Date
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1852, the year my great-grandfather, Robert Purvey, a groom, was born
Births Jun 1852 Purvey Horatio Robert Witney 3a 568
You'll need to get the birth certificate to get details of his parentage including her maiden name.
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06-02-2011, 5:55 PM #4Lizzy9Guest
Did Horatio Robert marry twice? I see in 1881 he's entered as a married man, there's no wife in the household, but I think Rose, his future wife is living with him.
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06-02-2011, 5:58 PM #5Lizzy9Guest
Following on from above.............
Marriages Mar qrt 1871, Headington. Robert Purvey, two brides are indexed Mary Ann Matthews and Martha White
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06-02-2011, 6:31 PM #6Lizzy9Guest
I can't find a marriage between Robert and Rose. Do you know if/when they married?
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06-02-2011, 6:49 PM #7CoromandelGuest
I tried Oxfordshire County Council's 'Heritage Search' site, which allows simultaneous searches of several useful databases. It only came up with one reference to the name Purvey, but it is an interesting one:
Rose Maria Purvey, aged 54, a laundress of 32 Blackfriars Road, St Ebbe's, is listed as 'indoor poor' in the Oxford Board of Guardians' Report for 1905.
These reports are in printed volumes at Oxfordshire Studies in the Westgate Library, Oxford. So it looks like Rose was in the Oxford workhouse in or around 1905 (I'm not sure if 1905 is the date the report was written or the date it was published: they're not necessarily the same).
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06-02-2011, 6:53 PM #8Lizzy9Guest
In 1881, Rose Allen, a visitor in Robert Purvey's house was entered as a widow.
I think there's a possibility this is her first marriage.
Marriages Sept 1874, Abingdon, 1c/519 Rose Shepherd and Walter Allen
Of course it will be necessary for you to buy certificates to prove. Do you have Rose and Robert's marriage cert, and if so can you tell us what info is on there?
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06-02-2011, 6:58 PM #9Lizzy9Guest
If Rose Shepherd is yours, this could be her in 1861. RG9 Piece 905 Folio 40 Page 9 (Crown copyright, in care of TNA) Living Bampton. All born Bampton except Harriett, Corbridge.
Edward Shephard 37 occ. Mason
Harriett Shephard 38
Mark Shephard 13
Rose Shephard 11
Louisa Shephard 9
Lucy Shephard 6
Edward Shephard 3
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06-02-2011, 7:03 PM #10CoromandelGuest
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