John Bowden in 1823 Marple

[AlexBowden]

I'm replying to a very old post here.   But even if John has already solved this issue, it may be of interest to others searching that find this page.

So, John, you're right to be suspicious.  If you check the 1861 census then you'll get even more suspicious.  Because in that census Thomas' age is given as 61 and Sarah's as 62.

Now would any woman who is 2 or 3 years younger than her husband ever give her age as a year older than him?  I've seen enough cases of the inverse, to claim to be younger, but older, really...   This isn't just forgetting, or rounding that only applies to to the 1841 census.  It's just plain unlikely.

Especially when there is another Sarah Broadhurst that was born in Marple in 1799 which resolves the issue.

Now the consensus view of existing family trees on Ancestry all favour the same Sarah Broadhurst that you chose.  But I am convinced that they are wrong.  The problem is this.

If you search for Sarah Broadhurst, 1799, Stockport, Cheshire (as the marriage certificate) or Marple, Cheshire, then you won't find her.

Because though she was born in Marple, she was baptised in Marple Bridge, Derbyshire at the Mill Brow independent church on 22 Feb 1799.  Her family home was Owl Clough, or Old Clough at the south end of Marple.

Further more the index that Ancestry uses has her name as Broadhirst with an I, not a U,  and misleadingly lists her father as Broadhirst.

All of this is enough to throw off the the always taciturn Ancestry search mechanism,  even if you do make it through to the non com registers.

However there is a third party transcription of the whole register available which lists the father as blank.   Mary Broadhurst was her Mother's name.  And not to put too fine a point on it, I believe that her mother was born a Broadhurst and never married!  The transcript also specifies Sarah's place of birth as Marple on 2 Jan 1799.

Just to tie the whole thing together, each of Thomas and Sarah's first 5 children including John (your ancestor) and Charles (my ancestor) where also baptised at Mill Brow independent in Marple Bridge, Derbyshire. In each case it specifies place of birth as Marple, and in a couple of cases specifies Old or Owl Clough, Marple.

Finally note that the whole of the Mill Brow baptism register only lists 6 Bowdens but 147 Bodens.  I think all of the above entries are listed as Boden, but I think that this is simply the minister's preference.

Old or Owl Clough is now a well preserved listed building.  Immediately adjacent to the house there is a (listed) road bridge over the Macclesfield Canal which is actually called Broadhurst's Bridge.

Maybe John Bowden found all this years ago,  But I hope it is useful to some future seeker.

[chslady]

Hi David
I have no connection with the Bowden family but maybe the following will help. On North East Cheshire Marriage Index the marriage of Thomas Bowden and Sarah Broadhurst was 27 Dec 1819, Thomas' occupation is Hatter. Also regarding the age of Sarah on the 1841 census, the ages on that census were rounded up or down as follows so for your info (if you don't already know) this is what the enumerators were instructed to do - (Taken from GenUKI.org.uk)

Write the age of every person under 15 years of age as it is stated to you. For persons aged 15 years and
upwards, write the lowest of the term of 5 years within which the age is.

15 years and under 20 write 15
20 years and under 25 write 20
25 years and under 30 write 25
30 years and under 35 write 30
35 years and under 40 write 35
40 years and under 45 write 40
45 years and under 50 write 45
50 years and under 55 write 50
55 years and under 60 write 55
60 years and under 65 write 60
65 years and under 70 write 65
70 years and under 75 write 70

And so on up to the greatest ages.

Also on NECMI there is a marriage of a Joseph Broadhurst and Catherine Whittingham on 5 Sep 1802 at Cheadle (probably St Mary's). Kitty could be another name for Catherine.

Hope this helps you a little bit.

[djpegg]

My great grandmother was Isabella Bowden. She was born in Hulme, Lancs in 1856. Her parents were John Bowden and Elizabeth Rae. They were married in 1855 in Hulme, Lancs. John died in 1883 in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancs. I am interested in John Bowden and his Marple connections. I looked at the 1841 census and found the family of Thomas Bowden living at Church St, Marple. Thomas was 40, as was his wife Sarah (don't know her maiden name). John was listed as 18, which would give him the right birth date of 1823. On FamilySearch, I found a christening  on 20 April 1800 for a Thomas Bowden. The christening was at St Mary, Stockport. The parents were listed as John Bowden and Sarah ? I also found a marriage between a Thomas Bowden and a Sarah Broadhurst in 1819 in Stockport. I then found a christening for a Sarah Broadhurst on 2 may, 1803 in Stockport. This would make her 38 in 1841 and not the 40 listed on the census. But it is close. Her parents were listed as Joseph Broadhurst and a Kitty ?That is as far as I could go. i was hoping that since all these events took place in Marple, or nearby Stockport, I could find someone that might be able to help me. Perhaps all these assignments are wrong. All I know as a fact is that John Bowden was born in Marple in 1823. I would greatly appreciate any assistance, comments or suggestions in determining the earlier male members of the Bowden family and the maiden names of the women they married. Regards David