Missing Winson/Bright 1841 and 1871

[nd_SAOZ]

I am doing some "filling in" of the family tree and have stumbled upon a mystery:

William Winson (brother to my ancestor) is baptised in Thorverton, Devon, 1829, as son of William Winson and Ann (Bright).

I find him in the 1851 census. He does not seem to be with his family in the 1841 census although he would only have been 12.

He marries in 1858 to Maria Elston in Bristol and the GRO has him as William Winson BRIGHT. All children are registered under the surname BRIGHT.

In the 1861 census his whole family have the middle initial W (including his wife), and the surname is Bright. He is a policeman in Bristol.

In 1881 the family are Bright (Rail Police now) as in 1891 (Railway Police Inspector).

Despite this in 1887 in a record for the marriage of one of his sons he is William Bright WINSON, and his son is also Winson.

In 1898 his wife's death is registered under Maria Bright WINSON, and subsequent records for his children also use the surname WINSON. There is no record of the family as Bright at all, as adults.

In 1900 his second marriage has him as William Bright WINSON.

In the 1901 census he is William B WINSON (Retired railway inspector).

Can anyone help locate his in the 1841 and 1871 censuses?

And does anyone have a suggestion as to why his name changed?

Thanks (off to untangle the Family Search record where I initially had the Bright children as adopted by William Winson).

[Pam Downes]

When did the parents of William born 1829 marry?

My great-grandfather was baptised on the same day as his parents married in 1830.
In 1841 and 1851 he's living with them, and has his (assumed) father's surname. In 1861 he's using his birth (i.e. mother's) surname, and the family have used that surname since. Fortunately he gave his two sons his father's surname as a middle name which made it easier to find him in the earlier census, because otherwise I would never have managed to
join the dots.

Pam

[Pam Downes]

1871 census.
Try RG10/2551 folio 11 page 13.
William Bright, aged 42, living in Bright Street, St George, Clifton.
Occupation is labourer and wife is listed as Emma. But his and her birthplaces match the 1861 census,
Not unheard of for enumerators to make mistakes when writing up the schedules we see.
Children - Eliza, Jane, William, Charles, Walter.

Pam

[nd_SAOZ]

Thanks Pam - Strangely there is another record from the 1871 census (indexed on Family Search) which has just him and the son William and a boarder. I think it is the same (part) record though. That threw me.

I haven't been able to find a marriage for William's parents - I've looked on Family Search, Ancestry and Find my Past. Two children were baptised on the same day in Thorverton (no birth dates unfortunately) although I find no further records of the other son, Henry. I like your possible explanation - I can perhaps page through the Thorverton registers at a Family History Library. This doesn't happen with any of William and Ann's other children, so perhaps he was the oldest and not actually a Winson. Although strange that he then reverts to that later in life.

[helachau]

FMP has the banns/marriage of an Ann Bright and William Winsent, parish of Sandford St Swithen, Crediton, 26 Dec 1828

Possibility?

[helachau]

On the '81 Census Ann Winson gives her age as 74 (born 1807) and PoB looks like "West Morchard"

FMP has the baptism of (transcription)-
Ann Bright, 26 Dec 1806, Morchard Bishop, parents Philip and Ann.

[helachau]

FMP has only 7 baptisms under the Surname "Winsent" - none for the Devon area or period you are interested in.

On the '81 Census William gives his age as 77 (born 1804) and PoB "Newton St Cyres".

FMP has the baptism of (transcription/image)
William , son of Wm and Eliz Winson born Sep 18, bap Oct 2nd (1803), baptism place Newton St Cyres.

On the marriage register, both William Winsent and Ann Bright made their mark. Therefore, if the groom was William Winson he would have not been aware of possible error re.the Surname.

[helachau]

Ann Bright, 26 Dec 1806, Morchard Bishop, parents Philip and Ann.

The 1841 Census has a Philip and Ann Bright living at "Wood Park, Sandford, Crediton"

[helachau]

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette Daily Telegrams, 20 Mar 1884, carries a report of a " ... William Winson alias ?right (? - the first character is unclear but very likely a "B"), of Bristol, a detective in the employ of the Great Western Railway Company ..." appearing at the County Petty Sessions to answer a charge of failing " ... to maintain his father, who has become chargeable to the Tiverton Union ..."

[nd_SAOZ]

Thank you!! This is all relevant. The “Winsent” explains why I missed that marriage and their son William gave his birthplace as Crediton in one census return. Perhaps the ‘not maintaining his father’ charge suggests a fractured relationship which might explain the name change. He may even have been attempting to ‘hide. He didn’t have an excessive number of children and appears to hold regular employment so surely would have been able to support his father. The next son was my ancestor who migrated to South Africa. Could you tell me where I can I find the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette online?