The Goldsworthy Family Of Devon and LondonEmma GOLDSWORTHY (1839-1924)Emma was born 18 September 1839 to John and Mary GOLDSWORTHY and baptised at Christ Church Marylebone London on 3 November 1839.
Her family tree is:
Emma was recorded with the family in the 1841 and 1851 censuses and with her brother Thomas at his bakery in Winchmore Hill in 1861.
Emma married George Dimbleby BOWCHER on 20 June 1865 at Christ Church, Marylebone. George was born 1 October 1835 and was the younger brother of Henrietta BOWCHER who had married Emma's older brother Frederick in 1851. The witnesses at the marriage were Emma's brother Thomas and sister Jessica. Her address at the time was 10 New St.
Emma and George had six children.
George gave his occupation through most of his life as "Australian Merchant". We do not know whether he ever visited Australia. He was referred to as the London agent for the Sydney form of Moore, Henderson and Bowcher. In 1875 he was named in a petition to the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the firm being a merchant of Pitt St.
In 1871 George and family were living at 4 St James Tce, Kensington, just off St James Square. George was an "Australian Merchant". In 1881 and 1891 they were at 112 Elgin Cres, Kensington. In 1901 George, George, Amy and Stanley were at home, Emma and daughter Edith were at the seaside at Bournemouth and Fank had departed for Australia. By 1911 George and family had moved out of London to what appears to be a more modest semi-detached at 1 Astley Ave, Cricklewood. George's occupation was "out of business", presumably retired. He was aged 75 and Emma was 70, but they still had the four children, all still unmarried, with them aged 41, 40, 37, and 36.
Locations recorded in the censuses:
George Dimbleby BOWCHER died at 9 Sandford Tce, Stoke Newington on 8 November 1916 although his usual address was 1 Astley Ave, Cricklewood. Probate was granted to his wife Emma. Emma BOWCHER (née GOLDSWORTHY) died at Willesden on 19 April 1924. The house at 1 Astley Ave remained in the family, with Amy and Maud still living there in 1930. The children of George and Emma:George (Dimbleby) BOWCHERGeorge was born 1866 in Kensington. George is in the 1871 census with his parents at St James Tce, London but after that disappears for a while. He is in the 1901 census with his father at 112 Elgin St, London when he was a soft goods agent. George (senior) was an Australia Merchant. At some date he emigrated to Australia. There is a newspaper report of a George Bowcher arriving in Sydney onboard the RMS Ormuz on the 21 April 1893. This may have been George (senior). The shipping records do not help his travels, but George (junior) ended up first in Sydney (by 1912). His brother Frank was living in Brisbane and the newspaper recorded his visit to Brisbane in 1912. George married Lilian Grace MERRIX on 26 November 1918 in Brisbane. Lilian had been born in Queensland on 23 December 1886 and was the youngest daughter of George MERRIX and Mary Edith FAIRCLOUGH, originally from Brisbane. There are many newspaper reports of Lilian as a young pianist and soprano. She moved from Brisbane to Sydney in about 1913 to attend Madame Christian's School of Music. She was offered an engagement on a world tour but the war intervened. Instead she married George. George and Lilian are in the 1919 and 1921 electoral rolls living at Clarence Rd, Indooroopilly, Brisbane. Later they moved to Melbourne. In the 1931 electoral roll they were living at 32 Queens Rd, Melbourne and in 1936 at 485 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. In 1942 they lived at 40 Holmes Rd but the directory also has an entry for "Bowcher & Merrix" at 485 St Kilda Rd. George and Lilian do not appear to have had any children. George died in Melbourne on 11 June 1944 and is buried at Burwood Cemetery.
Lilian Grace was 20 years younger than George. After he died Lilian remained in Melbourne, being at 492 St Kilda Rd in the 1954 to 1968 electoral rolls when her occupation was "organizer". Lilian died 9 August 1970 at Kangaroo Point, Queensland, aged 83. Probate was granted in Victoria so we can presume she was still resident in Melbourne at the time. Frank BOWCHERFrank was born late 1867 and baptised 15 December 1857 at St James Norlands, in Kensington. He was recorded with the family in the 1871 census but is not in other censuses. We can presume he attended school elsewhere, but it is a 1926 newpaper report that tells us he was schooled in France. On his return he emigrated to Australia, presumably Sydney as he married there on 23 April 1893. He married Henrietta BROWN at the Arthur St St David Church, Surry Hills.
I cannot find any children for Frank and Henrietta in Sydney or Brisbane. By 1903 they were living in Brisbane where they remained. Frank became a strong advocate for war loans and there are many newspaper reports of his expliots in rasing funds for the war effort.
Frank BOWCHER died in Redcliffe, Brisbane on 27 Sep 1940. He is buried at Recdliffe Cemetery, plot 003/J/0006. Henrietta returned to Sydney where she died at Cabramatta Rd, Mosman on 1 May 1951.
Amy BOWCHERAmy was born 2 April 1869 and baptised 9 May 1869 at St James Norlands, in Kensington. She lived with her parents all of their lives. After her mother died in April 1924, Amy and her sister Maud remained living at the family home of 1 Astley Ave, Willesden. Amy and Maud were recorded at that address in the 1929 Electoral Roll. By 1939 Amy and Maud had moved from Willesden and now lived with their brother Stanley and his wife at 7 Broadlands Ave, Bournemouth. Stanley had retired as manager of a down quilt factory.
Amy died at Bournemouth in 1954. Stanley BOWCHERStanley was born 9 October 1870 and baptised 4 December 1870 at St James Norlands, in Kensington. He lived with his parents through to at least 1911 (when he was aged 40), including at the family home of 1 Astley Ave, Willesden. Stanley eventually married Isabel THOMSON at Holy Trinity Church, Paddington on 3 June 1919.
Who was Isabel THOMSON? There is some misleading information in the records, and in Ancestry family trees, over the real Isabel THOMSON. Her marriage shows her father was David Sloane THOMSON, a director, flour mills. Yet the records, censuses and trees point to a David Sloane Thomson who was a currier. This is the wrong family. There are two vital clues. In the 1939 register Isabel (BOWCHER) was a "trade artist". Second, the witnesses to Isabel's marriage included John PERRY, Fellow of the Royal Society, an Irishman who became Professor of Mathematics and who invented many electrical devices Why was such an eminent person a witness? A thorough search finds Isabel in the 1911 census living with her widowed mother, also Isabel. Isabel junior was an Art Designer and Illustrator, which ties her to the 1939 register entry. Both Isabels had been born in Ireland. The birth record tells us Isabel's maiden name was PERRY and she was John PERRY's sister as both had a father named Samuel. Isabel was born 8 May 1884 at Jordanstown, Antrim, Ireland. She was the daughter of David Sloane THOMSON and Isabel PERRY, who had married at Ballysillan, Antrim on 1 May 1876.
Stanley and Isabel did not have any children. After retiring to Bournemouth, Stanley died at 7 Broadlands Ave on 23 September 1944. Isabel later moved to the Westmeria Nursing Home, Kent, where she died 13 March 1965. She was cremated and her ashes buried at Eltham Crematorium, Greenwich.
Maud BOWCHERMaud was born 2 July 1873 and baptised 30 July 1873 at Notting Hill St Mark, London. Se lived with his parents through to at least 1911 (when he was aged 38), including at the family home of 1 Astley Ave, Willesden. After her parents died, Maud and her sister Amy remaied at 1 Astley Ave until at least 1927. Later Maud and Amy moved to Bournemouth to live with their brother Stanley. Maud died in Bournemouth in 1954. Edith BOWCHEREdith was born 11 January 1875 and baptised 11 February 1875 at Notting Hill St Mark, London. She lived with his parents through to at least 1911 (when he was aged 36), including at the family home of 1 Astley Ave, Willesden. Edith married Sydney Arthur CRABB at Christ Church, Albany St, Camden on 14 June 1914. The Banns recorded her as of St Gabriel's Cricklewood, which is a short distance away from 1 Astley Ave. Sydney was a law clerk, his father was a baker and confectioner in St Pancras.
The marriage did not last very long. Edith died on 16 November 1915 at 120 Hanover Rd, Brondesbury Park. It is not clear what happened to Sydney CRABB. There is a death for a Sydney Arthur in 1976, but this Sydney was born in 1906. Return to John Goldsworthy page Last updated: 9 May 2021 |
