Notes of Life

Following on from my research on Henry Purslow and his family, I now can confirm that he and Jane did have a daughter called Elizabeth. She was born in 1841 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. This still leaves a 10 year gap between Elizabeth and Henry junior… Something to work on.

On another side of my family… Yesterday I received the death certificate of my Great Great Great Grandfather John Middleton. In 1899 he accidently fell from his cart while driving and subsiquently died. Sadly, the death certificate doesn’t give any details as to any injuries sustained in the fall or the exact cause of death. I guess only the coroner’s report at the inquest can give me those details and that’s only if it still exists. A trip to the Shropshire Archives may be in order!

I’m still alive and kicking, but no results from the hospital yet. Not that I expect to hear anything for another couple of weeks yet and I full expect the results to come back negative… They always do with me! It’s good in a way, but also anoying because it means there’s still no proper answer. We shall see.

After doing a little more research in the England and Wales census records last night I think I discovered a 3rd child for Henry Purslow.

I still can’t find anything in the 1851 census records, however later census records brought some light to the situation. In 1871 Henry’s widow Jane and son Henry are noted as living with John & Elizabeth Pryce, although “Purslow” has been wrongly transcribed as “Purdon”. Jane Purslow is listed as Mother-in-Law to John Pryce, so that would make Elizabeth her daughter.

I then used Free BMD to find an Elizabeth Purslow born c1842 in Shrewsbury. Bingo! There was a birth registered in 1841, so I have ordered the birth certificate to confirm (or not) if Henry & Jane Purslow were indeed her parents (assuming I have the right certificate). So now it’s just a matter or waiting.

This still leaves a 10 year age gap between Elizabeth (born 1841 - assuming she is Henry & Jane’s daughter) and Henry (junior - born 1851), so maybe there were other children too.

Henry Purslow is my Great Great Great Grandfather. I don’t know much about Henry (and even less about his wife, my Great Great Great Grandmother), but below is what I do know.

Henry was born circa 1801 in Shropshire, England (most likely in the town of Shrewsbury).

The earliest record I have of Henry is in the Shropshire County Quarter Sessions. On 13th day of August 1835 Henry appeared before the Justices of the Peace for the county and gave a statement. One Timothy Jones and another youth had stolen a quantity of iron and tried to sell it to Gittins & Cartwright Foundry (Henry’s place of work). As well as a copy of the statement, I have a copy of a document which states that Henry must appear at the next sessions in the county to give evidence against Timothy Jones, if he doesn’t he will owe £30 (a great deal of money in those days!). The evidence resulted in Timothy Jones being sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and hard labour for his crime. (Thanks to Shropshire Archives for the copies of those documents).

Ten months later, on 20th June 1836 Henry married Jane Younger (or “Young”) at St. Julian’s in Shrewsbury. Their daughter Sarah (my Great Great Grandmother) was born on 21st April 1837 and baptised at Saint Alkmund, Shrewsbury on 14th May of that year.

We next see Henry and his family in the 1841 England Census living in Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury. He was working as a moulder.

I have been unable to find Henry and the family in either the 1851 England census or the Wales census, but they may have moved to Montgomeryshire, Wales (which borders with Shropshire, England) by then. Later that year, a son is born to Henry & Jane in Puzzle Square, Welshpool and is named after his father.

Henry Purslow died on 20th March 1857 at Puzzle Square, Welshpool aged 56 years of asthma (not certified). He was an ironmoulder (journeyman) at the time.

Henry’s daughter Sarah married Thomas Williams in May 1861 and died in December 1871.

His wife Jane and son Henry can be found in the 1881 Wales census living together in Welshpool. Henry (junior) is listed as working as a nailor. I believe Jane died in 1885, but I’m awaiting the death certificate.