Genealogy Chat

Hi Merry, Nudgeing this up, as you have me intrested in this puzzle of yours. And have been looking sicene yesterday, and its got me entreged. Helen

Hi Merry, Not forgotten here either, am still interested in your search Amanda

nudging coz I like being on page 1 !! M x

Your right there are not many Henry's!! Not quite sure what you mean about Brentford/Staines?? Mine (John Leslie Gosden) says he was born in Hounslow which is in Brentford district and his birth was reg there in 1857....his dad was John. The ''other'' bloke, John (Alfred) Gosden says he was born in Hanworth which is in Staines district and there's the birth reg in 1855. Says his dad was Henry. Until I saw the Staines birth reg I thought they were one and the same person (because apparently only one bloke on each census) and that when John married Alice he changed some of his details because it was a bigamous marriage. I will have to buy the 1855 birth reg to see if it gives any clues as to where John Alfred might be on the early census. I still feel ''bothered''!!!! Merry

Hi Merry, How many Henry's are there in 1851, can't be that many. I would think Brentford is much more likely than Staines but it's only my thoughts. Amanda

Hi Amanda, That birth reg is a bad bit of indexing!! That is the birth reg of my John Leslie Gosden! So we have two birth reg's but only one person on each census return, two marriages (both bachelors) and one death!! I really don't think they are the same person (obviously the two birth regs are not the same person) , but until I can find two men on one census I keep coming back to it................ Thanks for all the input so far!!!!!! Merry

Hi Merry, Can we rule out the John Lester Gosden b Jun 1857 Brentford? Amanda

Pauline....that's a thought! maybe he used a different surname until he left home?? Amanda....I don't know how they met really. John Leslie Gosden worked in his parents printing establishment. His wife to be was living with her mum in Twickenham a week before the wedding. I would say he was better placed socially than she was (if you know what I mean!!). They both gave a false address and married in Battersea. I fancied that was because his Scottish family (granddad from Orkney!) didn't approve of his choice....... But my great-grandmother seems to have gone to live with the inlaws as her daughter was born at the printworks nine months after the wedding! Another family rumour was that John Leslie G abandoned his family and went to Australia!! Where's the corkscrew? Merry

Merry I would suggest you get the birth cert. for John Alfred and check mothers maiden name. He could be living with her parents and surname mistranscribed. Just a thought. I did see Scotland mentioned somewhere for one of the wives. Pauline

Hi Merry, All in the right area so far. Just wanted to add this, how did they meet? We all know about Windsor, but there were army barracks here in Hounslow back then, actually they are still here. Hounslow/ Heston/ Hanworth are so close together. Will help if I can. Amanda

Every time I go back to this I nearly hit the bottle, so the ''up for grabs'' one will need to be claimed soon!! M x

Oh Zoe, and Lyla et al, (Sorry was putting children to bed!) You are in for the WHOLE story now!!!!!! Lyla, the census record you found: John S Gosden abt 1858 Hounslow, Middlesex, England Grandchild Isleworth Middlesex Alice Leslie abt 1813 London, England Wife Isleworth Middlesex Robart Leslie abt 1811 Orkney, Scotland Head Isleworth Middlesex is the first husband of my Great-grandmother. He is John Leslie Gosden and is with his grandparents in 1861 and, as you said, in 1871 (and 1881) he is with his mum and dad, John and Mary. My problem is this...........One week after the 1881 census, John Leslie Gosden married my g-grandmother, Jane Wells. They had one daughter born in 1882. No further children. By 1891 my great-grandmother stated she was married and had her dau with her, but no husband, and she is living as housekeeper to the man who will later become my great-grandfather. In April 1892 my great-grandparents marry. My great-grandmother says she is a widow. Meanwhile, between the 1891 census and my great-grandparents marriage this ''other'' John Gosden (who has been married to Alice Beer for five years) goes and dies. I cannot find ''my'' John Leslie Gosden in 1891, when his wife is ''married'' but I can find the other John. On every census there is ONE: 1861 mine 1871 mine 1881 mine 1891 the other one 1901 none!! Aaaggggghhhhhhhhhh!! it's important because if this John who married Alice in 1886 is my John and he has tweeked his details because he was marrying bigamously, then from my point of view because he died in the hospital in 1891 my g-grandmother was truely a widow when she remarried. If he is a different guy then where has John Leslie Gosden gone???? I would be happy that this was my John marrying Alice if there wasn't the Staines birth reg for John Alfred in 1855. Maybe this is an early case if stolen identity!!!! I have a photo of John Leslie Gosden aged 12....I keep looking at it and asking, ''what happened to you'' but he won't answer.......... Merry

So does that mean he can't be you man then Merry? Zoe

I soooo wanted that, but: Births Sep 1853 Gosden George Staines 3a 2 Merry

Here's Henry in 1881 new wife Henry GOSDEN Head M Male 54 Hanworth, Middlesex, England Farm Labourer Jane GOSDEN Wife M Female 39 New Hampton, Middlesex, England Laundress -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source Information: Dwelling Windmill Rd Census Place London, Middlesex, England Family History Library Film 1341199 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 0841 / 43 Page Number 33 Zoe

1861 Could this be Henry, he's widowed, and George is really your John??? Hanworth Middlesex Maria Gosden abt 1800 Wandsworth, Surrey, Head >>>Henry Gosden abt 1826 Twickenham, Middlesex, Son Alice Gosden abt 1858 Hanworth, Granddaughter Emma Gosden abt 1860 Moutsey, Surrey, granddaughter George Gosden abt 1854 Hanworth, Middlesex,Grandson William New abt 1846 Harston, Middlesex, Grandson Henry is a drillman ag lab. nell

Yes, I got pleased when I saw them.....surely they MUST BE the ones?? But where is John in '61, '71 and '81? M x

Possibly his parents in 1851 Henry Gosden abt 1827 Hanworth, Middlesex, England Head Hanworth Middlesex ag lab Ann Gosden abt 1831 Windsor, Berkshire, England Wife Hanworth Middlesex nell

Can anyone help....??????????????? I've been fiddling about with this for seven or eight years!!! I have this man on the 1891 census: GOSDEN, John, abt 1855, Handsworth, Middlesex, England Patient Kensington London He is a bricklayers labourer, married and in hospital. He dies within a few weeks - Q2 1891, aged 36. I have John's marriage cert. This is dated April 1886 and he is recorded as aged 30. His bride is Louisa Beer and she is 23 (I'm not worried about her!!) His occ is labourer on the marriage cert. He is a bachelor and father is Henry Gosden, labourer. I would have thought this was his birth reg: John Alfred Gosden Q4 1855 Staines district - 3a 1. (Staines includes Hanworth, which is probably where he was born from the 1891 census record.) Can anyone actually find John (Alfred) Gosden on any census before 1891???? Merry (fingers so crossed I cannot type!)

Hello all.....see below in a mo.........Drinkies for anyone who can solve this minor mystery................