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  1. #1
    BMcAleer
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    Default William Bowkett Excise waitor

    Hello, to Surrey from Brookline, Mass.

    William Bowkett of the parish of Christ Church Surrey, excise man, was married to Ann Attwood in 1770. The couple had two children, Ann and William. The borders of the documents are frayed but the children were born about 1771.
    There also was a William Bowkett who married Mary and had a daughter Mary in 1772; the child died the same year. This William is also listed as an excise man.

    When my third great grandfather WIlliam Bowkett was indentured in 1789 to John Bridges to learn the trade of cooper, William Bowkett's father is listed as William Bowkett, weaver, deceased. There were two persons named William Bowkett who died in the parish of Christ Church in the 1770's but there are no details.

    Is it possible or likely that the Excise man became a weaver before his death, or is it more likely that there are two adult men named William Bowkett with different careers in the same parish? Are there any other records you suggest that I can research? Thanks!

  2. #2
    Famous for offering help & advice peter nicholl's Avatar
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    Hi You say Waitor and Weaver, could the word be Watcher? After my Grandfather left the Navy he became a Watcher for the Customs and Excise.
    Peter
    Peter Nicholl
    Researching:Nicholl,Boater, Haselgrove & Vaughan

  3. #3
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    Waiter or Tide Waiter (there were also land and coast waiters) was also a recognised Customs & Excise post.

    I've never had to research a Waiter but it may be easier than Watchers where records are hard to come by (I think Watchers were non-established).

  4. #4
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    Bear in mind that the Customs and Excise Services were separate services until the 20th century. The National Archives have research guides for both services. The link below is for the customs service.

    https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/h...toms-officers/

  5. #5
    thewideeyedowl
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    Default Tide Waiter

    This will throw some light on the job of 'Waiter' in the context of customs and excise: https://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Hist...EVENTIVE_STAFF. (It's a very full page, so hit Ctrl+f and then enter 'tide waiter' to get to the relevant bit quickly.)

    Surrey is not a coastal county, but the River Thames is a tidal river, hence the need for customs and excise presence. (You need to get out a map to see how the Thames relates to the places you are searching.)

    Owl

  6. #6
    thewideeyedowl
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    Default 'The parish of Christ Church' - Where?

    Hi - me again..

    We need to establish the location of 'the parish of Christ Church'. The problem is that there are several churches with that dedication. A quick look at the Surrey pages on GENUKI reveals that there was a 'Christ Church' in Camberwell, in Rotherhithe, and in Southwark - all those places are in 'Metropolitan Surrey' (but would now be classed as 'Greater London').

    Also, from where did you get the info on William Bowkett?

    Swooping off.

    Owl

  7. #7
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    We need to establish the location of 'the parish of Christ Church'.
    It will be Christ Church, Southwark (LMA reference P92/CTC)

  8. #8
    BMcAleer
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    Thanks for all your help. Last night I watched the women's World cup. I will write up a reply within a couple of days.

  9. #9
    BMcAleer
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    To Owl, Where did I get the info?
    I began researching from my grandmother’s memoirs, which spoke of my 3rd great grandmother Maria Sarah Bowkett and her brother Dr. Thomas Edward Bowkett of Poplar.

    I found the baptism of Thomas Edward Bowkett in the register of St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, 1805, along with the baptisms of 2 older siblings who died young, bp. 1798 and 1803. The baptism of my ancestor Maria Sarah Bowkett, was located at St. John Horsleydown, Southwark, Surrey; in addition to the baptisms of 3 more siblings. Research was on microfilm before materials were readily available online. Baptisms of these 7 children of William Bowkett , cooper and Ann his wife, were located; the first 3 baptized at St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey and the 4 others at St. John Horsleydown, all records mention the father’s occupation as cooper.

    In 2009 I met a cousin on Brit-Gen, descendant of artist Maria Jane Bowkett, and we compared research.

    One day I was minding my business on Ancestry when I was distracted by a hint:
    records from the London Archives had been posted and I found a treasure: the indenture of my ancestor William Bowkett :

    This Indenture witnesseth, that William Bowkett Son of William Bowkett late of the Parish of Christ Church in the County of Surry Weaver deceased------doth put himself Apprentice to James Bridges----Citizen and COOPER, of London, to learn his Art, and with him, after the manner of an Apprentice, to Serve, from the Day of the Date hereof until the full End and Term of seven Years,

    London Metropolitan Archive; Reference Number: COL/CHD/FR/02/1197-1202

    Ancestry.com. London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
    Original data: Freedom admissions papers, 1681 – 1925. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives. COL/CHD/FR/02.


    The burial record of William Bowcott [sic] of Russell street, 25 June 1837 in the St. John, Horsleydown parish registers, age 66 years, suggest his estimated birth is 1771. His widow Elizabeth also died at Russell street and her burial is in the parish registers of St. John Horsleydown; I am confident I have the correct person.

    I searched the parish registers for a William Bowkett son of William weaver born about 1771, and found the baptism of Ann, daughter of William Bowcott [sic] weaver, and Ann his wife, born 10 Nov 1771, bp. 1st Dec 1771. The year is not legible (clear handwriting, borders look burned) but assuming the register is labeled correctly the year was 1771.

    A baptism for William son of William Bowkett, Excise Man, and Ann his wife, was found 5 May [1776] born April. The border of register appears burned, year estimated by browsing the register. Since this record is later than expected, William would have been a minor when indentured.

    Working backward, I found a marriage bond for the parents of the above children:

    Marriage Bond 19 July 1770
    “William Bowkett of the Parish of Christ Church in the County of Surry Excise Waitor …“

    There were two deaths of men named William Bowkett in the parish of Christ Church Surrey, neither have any details: 28 Mar 1776 and 1 Feb 1779.


    I also found in the Christ Church parish registers, the baptism of Mary daughter of William Bowkett “Of the Excise” and Mary his wife. This was July 1752, and again, the border appears burned, but this couple must be another couple, probably related.

    Thank you for your comments about Excise waitors, and I have a lot to consider, when I’m free from work and family obligations, and not distracted by the RC registers now online at the National Library of Ireland. My ancestor Maria Sarah Bowkett married a seafaring Irishman.

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