OXFORD STREET, LONDON

JJOP · 14-06-2014, 7:26 AM

Hi Salzburg,
Which of Joseph's children are you descended from? I really haven't got much further back than my queries 23/2/2008; but some information on his descendants in Sth Aust. Would love to share with you
Jenny

Salzburg · 15-06-2014, 4:08 AM

Hi Jenny

My name is Adrian Bowen and I'm a descendant of Joseph Bowen through his son Henry Cubitt Bowen (1854 - 1916), Henry's son Alfred Bowen (1885 - 1974) and Alfred's son Frederick Cubitt Bowen (1916 - 1987), my father. All except my father were born in South Australia. Alfred came to Western Australia in the early 1900s in search of work because I understand the work situation in SA at that time was not good. He stayed in WA, got married to Edith Esteve and had three children, namely my dad, another son Ray and a daughter Gwen. While Alfred stayed in WA he always had an affection for SA, especially the Port Adelaide Football Club (they seem to be doing quite well at the moment!).

Bowen is a very common Celtic name with strands from Wales and Ireland. Ours came from Wales. Although I have found that a family of Bowens migrated from Germany to Australia in the 1800s - interesting! (In German, which I speak, its pronounced "Boven") The only thing my grand-father (Alfred) said to me about our family's history was that the family migrated from Wales to London, and lived in the Shepherds Bush area of London, before Joseph and his wife came to South Australia in 1850. As you have correctly noted, Joseph's father, also named Joseph, was deceased at the time he married and came to SA. My sister, who lives in London, and I have actually visited the church in London where Joseph and Ann were married and sighted the original of the marriage certificate. They were married not long before boarding the 'Woodbridge' and heading off to Australia - a 6 months voyage.

Actually, I've only just recently got back into researching Joseph Bowen's history after putting it aside some years ago because of family and work commitments. I really want to find out more about his father but I haven't been, as yet, able to sight the family on the 1841 census. What I do know is that our Joseph Bowen had a sister who stayed in London and married a Cubitt, hence this name being given to Henry and my dad. I've got a bit of information about the Cubitt family.

Not long after migrating poor Joseph died in 1863 of TB which I understand was rife in the SA colony at that time. But his wife lived on until 1899, almost to the turn of the centuary.

The other thing I've only just recently found out is that Joseph kept a diary of most of his voyage to SA. I'm in the process of trying to get a copy or transcript of it from the library in SA who is holding it. Will be very interesting reading and perhaps provide further insights into the family history.

I'd be quite happy to provide additional information to you. Just let me know what you would like to know. By the way which one of Joseph's children are you descended from?

You'll find the following link interesting, although I'm not sure if all the information is totally accurate.

https://histfam.familysearch.org//ge...SouthAustralia

Kind regards for now.

Adrian

JJOP · 16-06-2014, 5:21 AM

Hi Adrian,
I guess we are 3rd,? cousins!

My great grandfather was Joseph Petter Bowen (1850 - 1918), grandfather -Joseph Harold James (1881 - 1936) and father, William Joseph Bowen (1910 - 1997); Joseph, known as Harold, went to WA (not sure when, probably for similar reasons to your Alfred and married Charlotte Thorpe in 1905 in Fremantle; three of their children, Helen Mary (Nell) (1906-1983), Jane Dorothy (1909 - 1986) and Dad were all born in WA, then the family returned to SA and two more girls were born, Marjory Josephine (1913 - 1998) and Shirley Gertrude (1917 - 1993).

How exciting to see the church and original marriage certificate! I have bought a copy of the marriage certificates for Joseph and Jane Ann, also the one for the sister Ann and William Cubitt; Ann apparently died and William went on to marry an Ann Margaret Leaver in 1856( I believe Ann Margaret was Jane Ann's sister); I also have that marriage certificate - I did a liitle research on the Cubitt family as well, as I was curious about the Cubbitt middle name on so many of the Bowen descendants.

I already have a copy of the diary from the SA Library- or part there-of; it's actually a typewritten copy, (or part of the diary) It is quite interesting reading it and makes one appreciate the "modern way of travelling". Have you actually ordered and paid for your copy?

I have a tree on Ancestry, which covers my varying family and also my husband's - it gets a bit complicated sometimes!
Will finish for the moment and work out how to send my email address to you privately
Best wishes
Jenny