Stowaway with very little info

[TrapperB]

I think this may qualify as a brick wall. Please move my post to the appropriate location if not.

An ancestor of mine (born in 1853 or 1854) stowed away on a ship from England (I don’t know which port he would have departed from) to Newfoundland, at the age of 12. I believe the year he stowed away would have been either 1865, 1866, or 1867. The reason for a 3 year span is that sometimes I’ve heard it told that he was 13 years old, but the majority of tellings have him aged at 12.

I’ve often wondered how or why a 12 year old would have done this, was he in trouble, an orphan, did his family (if he had any) not worry? I don’t have much more information than that. I know he came out from hiding on the ship when he figured they were far enough from shore that they would not have returned him, and they put him off the ship when they stopped in Twillingate Newfoundland. A family took him in and gave him odd jobs to perform. He married, had children, and lots of descendents from there.

His name was Thomas Pryor. Unless he made that up.

If anyone has any info or resources that might help me find some answers, I would appreciate it. I know it’s a long shot but it never hurts to ask.

Thank you

[almach]

There's a tree on Ancestry which may be him, his wife is Mary. The tree has attached thee Canadian 1921 census which has wife, Mary, a dau Joy and son Augustus would that be your chap?

The tree owner has him born Devonshire Park Cheshire, though I don't know how they've reached that conclusion as the census says he was born Devonshire which is an English county miles away from Cheshire.

I've not done further searching yet.

ETA: Sorry, Joy is listed as grandau

[TrapperB]

Mary was his wife yes, and Augustus was one of four sons from what I am aware. Is this Ancestry.com you’re has this info?

[almach]

Mary was his wife yes, and Augustus was one of four sons from what I am aware. Is this Ancestry.com you’re has this info?

Hi TrapperB, yes the tree is on Ancestry Com. tree name is: Janes, Ribble Family Tree

Apologies, I should have welcomed you to B-G on my first post on the thread, but better late than never!

Good luck with your search.

[almach]

If he was born in Devon these are the possible birth registrations.

The surname is spelt PRIOR but that's OK as Thomas was more than likely illiterate (as were many people back then) he wouldn't have given PRYOR as the spelling in Canada rather a scribe decided the spelling on how he interpreted the name.

PRIOR, THOMAS, Mother's Maiden Name BAZLY
GRO Reference: 1851 J Quarter in THE BIDEFORD UNION Volume 10 Page 72

PRIOR, THOMAS Mother's Maiden Name PAINTER
GRO Reference: 1853 S Quarter in TAVISTOCK Volume 05B Page 326

PRIOR, THOMAS, Mother's Maiden Name BAKER
GRO Reference: 1853 D Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 22

PRIOR, THOMAS, Mother's Maiden Name BISHOP
GRO Reference: 1856 D Quarter in CHARD Volume 05C Page 487

[almach]

Possible marriages for parents of Thomas Prior

Apr- Jun 1853 William Prior/Mary Ann Baker, Launceston 5c 78

Apr-Jun 1852 Thomas Prior/Eliza Painter, Tavistock 5b 632a

Oct - Dec 1853, William Prior/Elizabeth Tupp Bishop

[TrapperB]

Possible marriages for parents of Thomas Prior

Apr- Jun 1853 William Prior/Mary Ann Baker, Launceston 5c 78

Apr-Jun 1852 Thomas Prior/Eliza Painter, Tavistock 5b 632a

Oct - Dec 1853, William Prior/Elizabeth Tupp Bishop

Wow, thank you for your help! That’s pretty incredible. I’m new to this, so I’m not even sure how to make sense of most of that information. The Apr-Jun would mean the were wed in either April May or June? And 1856 D quarter Chard, means he was born in 1856, or just that he was counted in 1856? Not sure what D quarter means. (And if I’m correct, that would eliminate the Bazly entry as he wouldn’t have been born yet, hence why you removed it from the possible marriages list)

Aside from looking into ancestry site, what steps would you suggest I take next to try and narrow down those choices? I believe somewhere along the way there was an Eliza born after him, perhaps named after his mother. But I’ll have to do some calling around to confirm that name.

I really appreciate your help, thanks again.

[almach]

We can eliminate Thomas Prior son of William and Mary Ann, Launceston as he can be found on UK census 1871.

Births, Marriages and Deaths (BMD's) are arranged quarterly as Jan - Mar, Apr- Jun; Jul - Sept; Oct - Dec, to get the exact date of an event you need to buy the certificate unless you are lucky and find the event in an online parish register. D quarter means an event Oct - Dec.

Most of us use this site to find BMD's https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

After finding a birth we then use https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...cates/menu.asp

The GRO site is free to use but you must first register with them. After registering click on this link 'Search the GRO Indexes' and select either births or deaths and fill in the necessary boxes. It's a most useful site as for births it gives motther's maiden name if there's no MMN listed that would normally indicate an illegitimate birth. It is also useful for deaths as it gives the age of the deceased as entered on the death certificate, though these ages are not always accurate as the informant didn't always know the precise age. Note these are indexes not certificates.

[helachau]

First, a very warm welcome to Brit-gen.

Family Search has the 1935 Newfoundland Census on line. There's a Thomas Prior, age 81, wife Mary, age 76, residence "something Island (Calltes?)". Also 2 Prior households follow (John Prior heads one, Augustus Prior the other). Is this the family?

This Thomas gives PoB as Newfoundland?

Very unfamiliar with chasing Newfoundland BMDs**. Do you have any details of his marriage? Do Newfoundland certificates include parental details of bride/groom?

** - I recall reading somewhere (Canadian Archives?) that Newfoundland was late coming to the party re. the Census?

Re. Island I think it's Cottles?

[helachau]

On the 1921 Census a Thomas Pryor, Cottles Island, gives year of immigration as 1856, born Oct 1852, Devonshire, Eng.

Note - re. the 1935 Census it's Pryor, not Prior as posted.