Find Ancestors

nudge nudge

Right, now have birth certificate of Jane Cosway born 1847, Taunton Saint James, Somerset. There's no mention of Mary on her certificate so I'm still wondering if I've got the right Mary! Mother is Ann, I think formerly Brice (very bad copy of cert) and father is Thomas, a Smith (which I suppose fits in with whitesmith). I'd imagine Ann was illiterate as the signature is 'the mark of'. Can't read address but it may be Canon Street She was registered Twenty ??? October. How soon after birth can you change your name (ie. add Mary to it) and wouldn't it be on the cert if it had been changed?

Portland Have birth cert for William Reynolds, born 1850. Not sure why you've posted up about a William Reynolds born 1879 as he would have been very young when he married Mary Jane or Jane Cosway as they married in 1870s!

PS: I've found the listing for William Reynolds born 1850 (in Totnes), but I can't read the Vol/Page No. properly. It's Vol - IX (I think), page 5?4. I can't tell whether the middle number is a 1 or a 7. I'm thinking a 1 judging by the top end of other number 5s on the page

PS: The William Reynolds who was married to Mary Jane Cosway would have been born around 1850/1851. They married in 1878. The William Reynolds you are talking about is probably their son

Portland_Rose Thanks for digging out William Reynolds one for me! What I actually want is to be able to find out Mary Jane's birth records. Keep up the good work!

Maria, What aren't you sure about? They look like your relatives to me. There aren't too many William Reynolds married to a Mary Jane in Devon. If you're in any doubt you should buy this cert: Births Mar 1879 Reynolds William Henry Exeter 5b 108 Rose

Portland Rose Not sure who she is either! Having a look at this Genealogist website but still no luck with Mary Jane Cosway. Time to go to bed I think

Mary Jane died in 1893: Deaths Sep 1893 Reynolds Mary Jane 42 Exeter 5b 51 Rose

Not sure who they are. I'm getting confused. They did however have a daughter called Sarah Jane Reynolds (born 1881). There's a separate post about her. I've never looked at a parish register so I'm about to do that now. Not sure which one to look at but the Geneaologist says it has a big register I'm supposed to be going to bed, I have work in the morning but this is annoying me!

In 1901 Charlotte and Walter Reynolds are in the work house. Name: Charlotte Reynolds Age: 13 Estimated birth year: abt 1888 Relation: Inmate Gender: Female Where born: Exeter, Devon, England Civil parish: Exeter Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew County/Island: Devon Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Exeter Sub-registration district: Exeter ED, institution, or vessel: Exeter Union Workhouse Charlotte Reynolds abt 1888 Exeter, Devon, England Inmate Exeter Devon Walter Reynolds abt 1890 Exeter, Devon, England Inmate Exeter Devon

Hi Maria, I can say for sure if Jane is Mary Jane but with father Thomas being a whitesmith, Taunton and then finding her a bit closer to the age on her marriage certificate and in the Exeter registration district in 1871 I think that family are well worth more investigation. Maybe a look at the parish records for Taunton. Fiona.

Were you allowed to change your name like that? and if she were registered as Jane, why would they add the Mary in IN FRONT of her name rather than as a middle name?

Well the civil parish ties in with where she married. Bit of a lying little toerag re: her age eh? Maybe women really did lie about their age back then but then if there were people that were illiterate, stands to reason some of them got a bit confused with dates as well! Still can't find a birth cert though

Maria, It might be that her name is Jane and the Mary bit was added later?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Dec 1847 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COSWAY Jane Taunton 10 397

Zena in Brum has just looked and could find no births for Mary Jane Cosway between 1845-1855 She may well have been lying about her age big time!

Oh look where Jane is in 1871, Exeter registration district and she seems to have got a little younger. 1871. Name: Jane Cosway Age: 21 Estimated birth year: abt 1850 Relation: Lodger Gender: Female Where born: Taunton, Somerset, England Civil parish: St Mary Major Ecclesiastical parish: Exeter County/Island: Devon Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View image Registration district: Exeter Sub-registration district: St Sidwell ED, institution, or vessel: 14 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 51 Household Members: Name Age Ann Bable 29 .........>Jane Cosway 21 Mary Driscol 60 Hiram Newcombe 57 John Newcombe 28 William Newcombe 10 Henry Philips 46 Mary A Philips 34 Kate Reed 46 Eugine Sullivan 33 William Wood 16

This looks like daughter Ann with another two children in 1851, looks like they stayed with another family for a bit after the death of their mother. Note there is a daughter Jane?? 1851. Name: Jane Cosway Age: 4 Estimated birth year: abt 1847 Relation: Lodger Gender: Female Where born: Taunton, Somerset, England Civil parish: Taunton St James Town: Taunton County/Island: Somerset Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View image Registration district: Taunton Sub-registration district: Taunton St James ED, institution, or vessel: 1b Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 120 Household Members: Name Age .....>Ann Cosway 13 ........>Jane Cosway 4 .....>Louisa Cosway 8 Chas Sydnaham 10 Elizabeth Sydnaham 29 John Sydnaham 62 Mary Sydnaham 60 William Sydnaham 31 Ann Cosway abt 1838 Taunton, Somerset, England Lodger Taunton St James Somerset Jane Cosway abt 1847 Taunton, Somerset, England Lodger Taunton St James Somerset Louisa Cosway abt 1843 Taunton, Somerset, England Lodger Taunton St James Somerset

Seems like they told a few white lies all those years ago! Didn't know you needed consent at under 21 though

No problem Fiona. You're doing a grand job. I'm new to this so it wouldn't have occurred to me to look at Corway. I had looked at Casways though and hit a brick wall again! Your help is much appreciated.