Who were their parents?

[KiwiChris]

I have just checked the birth registration of the daughter of Sophia on the 1871 census, and her mmn was Bousfield, as it should be, but I was making sure it was not Cuthbert!

1851 there is an Emily Jane Bousfield b c1830 ?Black Friars Middlesex, a visitor governess in Poole Keynes with the Rev Charles Avery Moore rector of Poole Keynes and his family
https://search.findmypast.com/record...1%2F0010419330
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...gxMTAyLjAuMC4w

I can't find Sophia in 1851 on either Ancestry or FMP

Is there somewhere we can actually see the will of William Check Bousfield to see what he does say? Although we have a rule that we don't pay doing this research, occasionally rules are made to be broken!

[KiwiChris]

Originally Posted by Merry

UK Census Online 1851 census has

Name: Rebecca Bousfield
Age: 58
Born In: 1793
Profession: Annuitant
London

Name: Emily Bousfield
Age: 21
Born In: 1830
London

Name: Sophia Bousfield
Age: 21
Born In: 1830
London

I don't know if these are the right people or if they are all from the same household, but at the moment I can't find them on Ancestry or FMP.

I think Emily is probably on the link on the post above, and here is Rebecca
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...gxMTAyLjAuMC4w

But I still cannot find Sophia

[KiwiChris]

Do the links work? I have changed them to .co.uk

[Merry]

Yes thanks, they do.

I think the Sophia I found in my last post is probably the unconnected Sophia Bonsfield who is living with her parents in Clapham, London.

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by KiwiChris

I have just checked the birth registration of the daughter of Sophia on the 1871 census, and her mmn was Bousfield, as it should be, but I was making sure it was not Cuthbert!

1851 there is an Emily Jane Bousfield b c1830 ?Black Friars Middlesex, a visitor governess in Poole Keynes with the Rev Charles Avery Moore rector of Poole Keynes and his family
https://search.findmypast.com/record...1%2F0010419330
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...gxMTAyLjAuMC4w

I can't find Sophia in 1851 on either Ancestry or FMP

Is there somewhere we can actually see the will of William Check Bousfield to see what he does say? Although we have a rule that we don't pay doing this research, occasionally rules are made to be broken!

It would cost you £1.50 in GBP to order a copy:

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/

[KiwiChris]

Thanks Kate, a cup of coffee price then! I will go ahead and order it, hopefully it will help. Then I might head in the library and see if I can get a copy of the story he wrote about his life.

[kiterunner]

Let us know what you find out from both!

[KiwiChris]

Will do!

The will is ordered and I will now wander down to the library and see what they have.

Thanks for all the help.

[KiwiChris]

Ok, the library did not have much more than we have found unfortunately!
They did have his birth certificate, son of Henry Philip ANDERSON civilian in the East India company service and Sophia Minnie nee CUTHBERT, and Sophia was the informant. The address is 12 Oval Cottages Bethnal Green

They do have a file of information from on line concerning his family, but it is the submitted stuff that we have been finding and no sources, so that is not very useful.

I have read his life story which he wrote, but he managed to not mention any family, except an unnamed uncle he joined in NZ, which we know was Octavius BOUSFIELD. His early life he described as happy, going to school in a clergymans house at the age of 6 and boarding school at the age of 8.

I have speed read the first 4 years of his dairies which he kept from 1871 until his death. They have not transcribed them all, just the ones that relate to this area. As an aside, it amused me, he lived in the same area as I did a few years ago, and he talks of visiting various locals, their descendants are still in that area and I have also eaten in their houses!

The only mention of his parents in those 4 years, is a comment about someone who "was like myself a clergymans son."
And he mentions just after he married in 1874 that he received a letter from England with his fathers ring and one for Kate (his wife)

He did write home a lot, and often received letters, but rarely says who they were to or from, except for his sister who he does mention. He often uses initials and not names, or mentions Aunt Kate and Aunt Sarah
He does say he received news of Uncle William's death, and the date is the death of William Cheek BOUSFIELD

1872 He says that Aunt Kate informed him of the death of Uncle Ben RICHINGS vicar of Mancetter

There is information, and a diary, of James Henry DRURY who joined him here c1879. James Henry DRURY, son of Sophia Louisa BOUSFIELD died here, so that must be him. James diary was interesting and suggests Philip had a significant drinking problem. There was obviously a problem because Philip and family left this area in a bit of a hurry, and then similarly left the country for Australia.

[Merry]

1872 He says that Aunt Kate informed him of the death of Uncle Ben RICHINGS vicar of Mancetter

Would that be Aunt Kate's uncle or Philip C Anderson's uncle?

Benjamin Richings died 1872 aged 84. Census says b Oxford. Baptism at All Saints Oxford 11 May 1788 has parents Thomas and Mary. Ben's eldest sibling bap 1779. Parents married 1778 at Oxford, bride Mary Haynes.

And of course, one of William Check Bousfield's sons was George Benjamin Richings Bousfield b 1824.

Is the main issue now just why Sophia (Minnie) was calling herself Cuthbert and not Bousfield? Oh and who exactly Henry (Philip?) Anderson actually was, because most trees have just taken entries that are for other people?

I can't find Sophia in 1851 on either Ancestry or FMP

Isn't that because she is called Minnie?:

1851 there is a Minie Anderson b c1828 London, married but no husband as a visitor in Shoreditch with William and Louisa Godwin