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The newspaper cutting is very interesting and answers my thoughts as to where Maria was. Putting the variety of names aside it could easily be my relative Elijah. How sad that his baby son was so young. History repeated itself when William John died aged 40 also in part from an aneurism and his son (my Grandpa) was just 2. Life was tough in those days. Thank you all for your help and for taking an interest, your support is much appreciated.

I've sent you the article (snipped as I can't download the whole page).

If it was only the paper calling Elijah by the wrong name I would have no trouble accepting it. Where can I find the paper report, please? However the Borough Coroner and Registrar have also called him by another name which is neither Fredrick nor Elijah. Why so many mistakes/changes of name. Sorry, not criticising you, just voicing thought processes. And where was Maria and why didn't she notify the authorities? Certainly still a possibility as there are similarities too.

I'm pretty sure the name in the paper was a mistake. I don't see any other records for an Edwin Elisha Dowding.

The fact that we know from the newspaper report he was married, and it was in the correct location and time- I'm certain it's the correct one.

Have located the certificate; memo to self, don't rely on memory now you're getting older!!

The details are as follows:
Date of death: 11th July 1855
Place of Death: Eastern Road near the Hospital
Name: Edwin Elisha Dowding
Sex: Male
Age: 32 years
Occupation: Labourer
Cause of death: Sudden death the exact cause unknown
Informant: David Black, Borough Coroner
When registered: 13th July 1855
Signature of registrar: S Thorncroft

I agree it does match in many respects apart from the name Three names for one person is at least one too many!! Can deaths of soldiers in action be checked? Maria could have come back to England to have the baby while Elijah remained in Ireland, or he could have been killed prior to the birth of their son. Just trying to be sure we've got the right Dowding.

I did have a death cert for Edwin Elisha , need to go and see where I put it cos its a while back!! I know at the time I discounted him on age grounds but the parameters have changed since then. Will look it out in the morning,

Job Dowding
Marriage Date: 28 Aug 1809
Parish: Winkfield
Marital Status: Bachelor (Single (Male))
Residence: Winkfield
Spouse: Jane Moore
Spouse Marital Status: Spinster (Single (Female))
Spouse Residence: of This Parish

The reason I ask is there is a newspaper report in July 1855 Brighton Gazette re an inquest on the body of Frederick Dowding aged 32.

I know Frederick isn't the name you're looking for, but when I searched deaths he isn't listed. Wondered if they'd reported the wrong name- Edwin Elisha's death fits. If Frederick was Edwin Elisha, then the age and area fits too.

The inquest was in the Brighton Gazette - Thursday 12 July 1855

Do you have the death cert of Edwin Elisha Dowding? How do you know he is too old?

All this ties in nicely, Elijah's first grandchild was called Winifred Louisa and the family had strong ties with Wiltshire. I wonder who Jane was? But going back to dear Elijah, he married Maria in 1850 and in 1854 they had a son (William John) but by 1859 she had remarried. I can't find a death for Elijah. William John was born in Brighton so I assume Elijah either returned from whatever soldiering he was doing in Ireland or died whilst out in Ireland. How are deaths of serving soldiers recorded? The death in Brighton of Edwin Elisha Dowding (mentioned above) would fit nicely for date but the gentleman concerned is too old.

Possible death for father:

Death:
First name(s) JOB
Last name DOWDING
Gender Male
Death quarter 3
Death year 1847
District BRADFORD ON AVON
County Wiltshire
Volume 8 Page 168

possible siblings:

First name(s) Eliza
Last name Dowding
Baptism year 1816
Baptism date 01 Dec 1816
Place Wingfield
Father's first name(s) Job
Father's occupation lab
Mother's first name(s) Jane
County Wiltshire
--------------------------------------------

First name(s) James
Last name Dowding
Baptism year 1812
Baptism date 22 Nov 1812
Place Wingfield
Father's first name(s) Job
Mother's first name(s) Jane
County Wiltshire
Record set Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530-1886
-------------------------------------------------

First name(s) Louisa
Last name Dowding
Baptism year 1819
Baptism date 07 Mar 1819
Place Wingfield
Father's first name(s) Job
Father's occupation lab
Mother's first name(s) Jane
County Wiltshire
Record set Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530-1886

Above is possible- Elijah had brother James- see baptism below

Born in Wiltshire:

First name(s) Elijah
Last name Dowding
Birth year -
Birth date -
Baptism year 1822
Baptism date 06 Oct 1822
Place Wingfield
Father's first name(s) Job
Father's occupation lab
Mother's first name(s) Jane
County Wiltshire
Country England
Record set Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530-1886
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

This is the only Job Dowding I can find in 1841 - he died in Bradford in 1847:


Name:Jobe Dowding
Age:60
Estimated birth year:abt 1781
Gender:Male
Where born:Wiltshire, England
Civil Parish:Wingfield
Hundred:Bradford
County/Island:Wiltshire
Country:England
Jobe Dowding 60
James Dowding 25
Sarah Dowding 30
Matilda Dowding 14
Emma Dowding 10

Looking at the 1841, he wasn't born in county (Kent) and there is no I to indicate that he was born in Ireland.

This from FMP:

First name(s) Elijah
Last name Dowding
Sex Male
Service number 1661
Rank Private
Unit or regiment 55th Foot
Sub unit Depot
Year 1841
Date 26/06/1841
Event type Embarked for Service Coys.
Remarks -
Location Chatham
County Kent
Country England

The National Archive reference
WO 12/6505

Record set
British Army, Worldwide Index 1841

My father has just died and whilst clearing his house I found Maria and Elijahs marriage certificate (see thread above). It states that Elijah was a soldier (like Maria's first husband Robert Mowbray) I think I may have traced him in the 1841 census in the Medway barracks tho' the entry has been transcribed as EliZah Dowding, seems unlikely that a girl was there undergoing military training. If that is indeed him it also appears that he would have been born in about 1826 and is either Kentish or Irish. I can't trace details of his death or his birth with any of the website searches, can anybody out there help me please.

That's fantastic, I've been stuck on that for the last 2 years!! Is it greedy to ask if anyone can find other references to Elijah, such as a death somewhere between 1850 and 1859, maybe also in Ireland? Was he a soldier too I wonder? Thank you all again. Susan

Nice one MargaretThat accounts for why they aren't on the English census. I wonder if she moved to Ireland with Robert Mowbray.

Possible marriage? But it's in Ireland. It's from BVRI:

DOWDING, Elijah Marriage
Wife: Maria MOWBRAY
Marriage Date: 9 Oct 1850 Recorded in: St Patrick's, Wexford, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Husband's Father: Job DOWDING
Wife's Father: James BARNES
Source: FHL Film 101321 Dates: 1850 - 1850

Thank you all for yor interest, Maria did indeed remarry after her Dowding connection as you have found and was married before to Robert Mowbray. (He was a soldier but interestingly no trace of his death either!) Maria and Mr Dowding's son was the William John you traced, they had no other children. I'm not sure about Edwin Dowding, he seems the best option but I can't put him and Maria at the same place at the same time and his death certificate does not include her.