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I agree, there are too many discrepancies between Thomas & family in 1841, and the Manchester family in 1851.

Re Thomas coming from Scotland - I wouldn't attach too much importance to that. Ireland and Scotland seem pretty much interchangeable in English censuses, especially 1841. Perhaps the enumerators went by the accent, and couldn't tell the difference.

If Thomas was from Ireland, perhaps they went back there after 1841.

You're not doing anything wrong! Sometimes the records just aren't there to find.
And names like McDowall could be spelled in a large variety of ways, depending on how the enumerator heard them spoken, and thought they should be spelled

I don't see anything for William Alfred and daughter Mary either, apart from Mary's christening.

I had another look at the 1851 census Kathleen found but I'm not sure it's them.. It says they were born in Manchester but I know from the 1841 census, they were born in Leicestershire? Also I spoke to someone in my family today who is adamant Thomas came from Scotland, not Ireland.. However I can't seem to find any other records for them..
William Alfred McDowall that someone mentioned earlier in this conversation was Thomas's brother.. But again I can't find anything on him or his daughter Mary Elizabeth McDowell born in 1834 in any of the censuses! What am I doing wrong?!
%3A-S

Hi.. Thank you ArgyllGran that's brilliant.. I had another look at the 1851 census Kathleen found but I'm not sure it's them.. It says they were born in Manchester but I know from the 1841 census, they were born in Leicestershire? Also I spoke to someone in my family today who is adamant Thomas came from Scotland, not Ireland.. However I can't seem to find any other records for them..
William Alfred McDowall that someone mentioned earlier in this conversation was Thomas's brother.. But again I can't find anything on him or his daughter Mary Elizabeth McDowell born in 1834 in any of the censuses! What am I doing wrong?!
:-S

And his sister:

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Birth, Baptism & Christening
Name: Isabello Cripwell
Baptism: 9 Jan 1763 - Ruddington,Nottingham,England


There are other Cripwells baptised in Ruddington around the same time, but with different parents.

Possibly Mary's father?? Ruddington's not far from Kegworth.

Thomas Cripwel
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name: Thomas Cripwel
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 3 Jul 1765
Baptism Place: Ruddington,Nottingham,England
Father: Henry Cripwel
Mother: Elizabeth

Or perhaps this one instead! (But more likely the one above with father Richard.)

Elizabeth Sutton
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name: Elizabeth Sutton
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 19 Dec 1759
Baptism Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Father: William Sutton
Mother: Sarah
FHL Film Number: 952280

Mary's mother's baptism:

Elizabeth Sutton
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name: Elizabeth Sutton
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 30 Dec 1760
Baptism Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Father: Richard Sutton
Mother: Catharine

Mary's parents' marriage:

Thomas Cripwell
in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973

Name: Thomas Cripwell
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 12 Mar 1780
Marriage Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Spouse: Elizabeth Sutton
FHL Film Number: 952282

Maybe other siblings??

Richard Sutton Cripwell
in the England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991
Name: Richard Sutton Cripwell
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 17 Sep 1788 (buried same day as the first Mary's death?)
Burial Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Father: Thomas Cripwell
Mother: Elizabeth



Richd. Sutton Cripwell
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Richd. Sutton Cripwell (same child as above - one of the years of death is wrong - either 1788 or 1789)
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 22 Apr 1787
Baptism Place: Kegworth,Leicester,England
Death Date: 16 Sep 1789
Father: Thomas Cripwell
Mother: Elizabeth


Elizabeth Cripwell
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Elizabeth Cripwell
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 9 Sep 1784
Baptism Place: Kegworth,Leicester,England
Father: Thomas Cripwell
Mother: Elizabeth


Melisent Cripwell
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Melisent Cripwell
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 27 Feb 1781
Baptism Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Father: Thomas Cripwell
Mother: Elizabeth

Good find, Zoe!
Cripwell's certainly not a common name, so that looks good.
Maybe she eloped with the soldier!


Possibly Mary's christening??

Mary Cripwell

in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Mary Cripwell
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 5 Sep 1790
Baptism Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England
Father: Thos. Cripwell
Mother: Elizth.
FHL Film Number: 952280
Reference ID: v 4

And a previous Mary who died in infancy:

Mary Cripwell

in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Mary Cripwell
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 26 Jan 1783
Baptism Place: Kegworth,Leicester,England
Death Date: 17 Sep 1788
Father: Thomas Cripwell
Mother: Elizabeth
FHL Film Number: 590791

Thanks for checking for me! I made a break though last night that leads me to believe that Thomas and Benjamin were related so I'm going to follow that line a bit more.. I found a marriage bann from Bolton Le Moor in 1808 for a John MCDoul, soldier and a Mary Cripwell from Kegworth.. Thomas's daughter was called Mary Cripwell McDowell and the marriage seems to match what the relative said about Benjmain's parents from my tree. Just not sure what she would have been doing there!

Can't see a marriage between an Eliza Henderson and a Thomas McDowell (various spellings) in Scotland, England, or Wales, pre-1841

Is that the Nilsson tree?

It only has Eliza (mother) living in Ontario about 1849 - no proof given.
And a daughter Sarah, born 1848 in Kingston, Ontario. Proof re Sarah is only per US censuses from 1880 onwards, in her married name of Knox, first in Michigan, then later in Cleveland, Ohio.

The tree doesn't mention Thomas or the other children as being in Canada.
The only info about Thomas and the children is from the 1841 census - and even then the tree owner has entered Loughborough as Longborough.

No proof of Sarah's birth is given, nor anything to say she's Eliza's daughter.
No proof of Sarah's marriage to Thomas Knox, apparently in 1865, but no place given.

I don't see any certain travel record - there seem to have been lots of Eliza McDowells (various spellings), born about 1816, and emigrating to various places!

Not sure if they're right but someone on Ancestry has the Thomas & Elizabeth family emigrating to Canada.. I don't have Worldwide so I can't check.. However the names are all the same except they have the Elizabeth as Maiden name Henderson. Can anyone have a look?

Thanks for your help.. I keep making a teeny tiny bit of progress every so often! I'll keep going!

Yes I couldn't decide which death it might have been until I realised the 1845 one was buried in Kegworth... So more likely to be that one (Although not certain, I know).. Although Elizabeth had another son in 1848, William.. Not sure who the dad would have been.. One of my family members visited the cemetery in Kegworth many years ago and found McDowalls buried next to Baradells / Barrowdales but when they went back a few years later the stones had been moved and buried.

Mary Mcdowell
England Deaths and Burials
Name: Mary Mcdowell
Gender: Female
Burial Date: 06 Apr 1838
Burial Place: Kegworth, Leicester, England

Would account for John being on his own in 1841 - if he's the same John.

I suppose the 70-yr-old John, neighbour of Thomas in 1841, could perhaps be Benjamin's father?? If so, he would have been approx. 42 when Benjamin was born.


Can't see a likely Leicestershire marriage of a John and Mary, though.
IF that's the right John, perhaps they married in Ireland before moving to England.


There's this death - or no, I suppose this is your John, Elizabeth's husband - ie - Benjamin?

John Mcdowell
England Deaths and Burials
Name: John Mcdowell
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 07 Sep 1845
Burial Place: Kegworth,Leicester,England


An alternative is this one:

Deaths Jun 1843 (>99%)
McDOWALL John Loughbro' 15 101

Not that I know.. Could be.. I'll have to keep digging.. Can you see anything for John and Mary Mcdowall who christened Benjamin John Mcdowall in kegworth in 1812?

Is this family any relation of yours? I don't see them in 1841


Mary Elizth. Mc Dowall
England Births and Christenings
Name: Mary Elizth. Mc Dowall
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 05 Jun 1836
Christening Place: ALL SAINTS,LOUGHBOROUGH,LEICESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name: Willm. Alfred Mc Dowall
Mother's Name: Elizth.