I have a Thomas SHEWARD in the 1851 census who states his birth as 1804 born in Bowe, Shropshire. I have searched for this place and even enquired at the Shrewsbury Archives but nothing has been found, Can anyone help?.
Tony
Mike ,Thanks for taking an interest.Thomas died 1856 in W-ton but I have never ordered his death certificate.I was aware of his brother living next door? and his same birth place. I know the birth place can be read as Bowl but that was still unknown to Shrop.Archives.The name SHEWARD is consistent through Betsey's history although there there are mispellings .SHERRARD and even SHUARRA. Her wedding certificate clearly states SHEWARD .Tony
Hello Tony
It is unfortunate Thomas died before the 1861 census so you are now going to have to use lots of lateral thinking.
The obvious first choice is his younger brother John (born c.1807) in the same place. I had hoped to locate him in the 1861 census but can't see him at the moment so this might suggest the surname spelling in the indexes is a problem if he hadn't also died.
Next, just search for the surname SHEWARD in Shropshire in 1851 and 1861 to see where the name is located and then study the map of that/those areas to try to find a place a bit like Bowe / Bower / Bowl remembering that this will have been a (very) phonetic spelling.
Mike
Hello Tony
According to the Family Search web site both Thomas and John SHEWARD were baptised at Sidbury, Shropshire where there is a place called The Batch. Could this be the place you are looking for?
Mike
Mike I agree with the Sidbury findings which I had previously found but the stumbling block is the Bowe etcThe Batch finding is interesting and I agree with the Phonetics.We are Wolverhampton born where the Shewards and offshoots can be found and the recording of Sheward as Sherrard and Shuarra made me look for these alternative spellings of this surname. We have had the pleasure of a caravan near Welshpool for 16 years and I know the local arccent well and have even tried locals to say various words so I might get an insight or clue.The possibility of a trip to Shrop.Archives looks likely. Tony
Hello Tony
Borle Brook runs north to south through several parishes including Glazeley and Billingsley, both adjacent to Sidbury, and joins the Severn south of Highley. Borle Brook is about 2 miles east of the village of Sidbury. There may have been farmworkers' cottages situated nearby at some time. Given that pronunciation can often cause difficulties for enumerators, this area might be worth looking at.
Heather
Heather,I feel it in my water that you may have the answer and I shall dip my toes in this water(literally) Tony
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Hello Tony
Have you established the date and place of his death?
Is there any chance he shows up on the 1861 census?
Looking at the 1851 census image the place of birth may be Bowl in addition the original census image appears to show his younger brother John in the very next entry. He is born in the same place.
Are you sure the surname has been read correctly and if so what evidence do you have for this?
Mike