Good afternoon,
I am hoping sombody will be able to find some of my distant relations, I am new to this so excuse me for being unsure what to do, My late father Percy Eric DOWNES was born in the town of Nesscliffe on the 24/06/1914, he lived at number 10 Plealy Road, he was brought up by his mother Mrs Minnie DOWNES, unfortunately don't know who the father was? he worked as a farm labourer for MR J BRADBURY, Bridge Farm, Stapleton, Salop. I know he had brothers but cannot find out who they are or were. I have photo's that may help.
I know this is a stab in the dark, but hope somebody out there will be able to help.
Regards,
MR COLIN DOWNES.
Email: colin3044@btinternet.com
Good morning Mike,
Thank you for replying to my email, it's all so confusing isn't it, I have found my fathers Birth Certificate and in (Col 4) and (Col 6) both are blank? in (Col 5) it says Minnie DOWNES (DomesticServant) in (Col 7) it says Minnie DOWNES, Mother, Hopton, Great Ness?.
I have also seen on my Father and Mothers marriage certificate in (Col 7) that his fathers name was Edward DOWNES (Col 8) Agriculteral Labourer, that's whats confusing, when my father passed away my mother told me that my father was ashamed and didn't want us children to know as it was in those days, so I really don't know if Edward DOWNES was his real fathers name.
I can remember (Just) about going to Plealy Road in the 50's, don't know if the house is still there.
Colin
Colin,
It looks as though 10 Plealy Road is still there - have a look on Google Street View.
In the 1911 census there is a Minnie Downes (aged 15) living at Trap Cottage, Lea Cross with her father Edward Downes (aged 38), her mother Mary (age 42) and 8 siblings (out of 12 born to the marriage).
Her father Edward and her brother Edward (aged 19) are both recorded as Farm Labourer (which occupation was otherwise often recorded as Agricultural Labourer).
Did Minnie marry later and, if she did, who to?
Peter
Hello Colin
As well as the 1911 census mentioned by Peter I see that Minnie (spelt Minney) and her family appear on the 1901 census (RG.13/2551 Folio 57 page 3) living at Worlds End Cottages, Baschurch with another DOWNES family living next door.
Referring back to your desire to find your father's brothers mentioned in your original message, I note that your grandmother appears to have had a second son called Albert DOWNES born in Apr-May-Jun (Q2) quarter of 1915, also in the Ellesmere Reg.Dist. Ref: 6a 1160.
I wondered if Minnie DOWNES had married after giving birth to her two sons and I have found a POSSIBLE marriage in the Apr-May-Jun (Q2) quarter of 1919 in the Atcham (Shrewsbury) Reg. Dist. Ref: 6a 1814. Looking this up on the Shropshire BMD web site it can be seen that the marriage took place in the Atcham Register Office or Registrar Attended and was to Samuel H LEWIS.
IF (and that's a big IF) the above marriage is correct then there are three POSSIBLE sons to that marriage as follows:-
Samuel E LEWIS born 1920 Atcham Reg. Dist.
Frederick W LEWIS born 1923 Bridgnorth Reg. Dist.
Bernard D LEWIS born 1938 Bridgnorth Reg. Dist.
(That's a big gap between these last two).
At least this gives you some names to check with your family documents.
Mike
Hi Peter,
Not sure if its of interest but i lived at the Trap with our family in the 50s. The river Rea was a stones throw from our front door. If you would like more information about the Cottage at Lea Cross I would be happy to help.
Geoff Davies
Hi,
I have just come back from Shropshire and found out a lot about where my late father lived and worked, one place I visited was Lea Cross in the parish of Pontesbury looking for my fathers mothers (Minnie Downes) home which was a "Trap Cottage" her father was Edward Downes and her mother was Mary Downes, that was from the 1911 census, but had no luck in finding that property, it's possible that it has now been demolished? so was hoping someone has some information about this building, photo's etc.
Colin Downes
Hello Colin
You are in luck - Trap Cottage is actually named on the 6 inch Ordnance Survey map of 1901-3.
If you zoom out you will be able to see where it is in relation to the surrounding area.
Mike
Hello Colin
Having looked again at the location I notice that the property was called 'Rea Cottages' on the 1881-7 Ordnance Survey 6 inch map then by the time of the 1901-3 map the name had changed to 'Trap Cottage' and now on the modern map I see the name has changed to 'Rea Bank House'. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have been on the market since estate agents put photographs on the Internet so I can't find any images of the present property so I don't know if any of the old house remains.
Use this link to view a modern map. Zoom in once and then scroll to the left to see the house name. Then zoom out to see the location in context.
You can see the present house on Google Earth.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thank you for contacting me about Trap Cottage, what suprised me was how near we were, because I was around that area when I found one of my fathers employers which was "Shorthill Farm" just up the road, obviously I didn't look hard enough. It's a shame that there were no photo's showing the actual building, I did find a photo of a building that was a white timber framed house amongst my fathers photo's, but wether it was Trap cottage I don't know, I would have uploaded the photo but can't a way of doing it?
Thank you for the map coordinates which I have printed out, at least I now know where the house stood.
Kind regards,
Colin.
Hi Colin, It was a sunny afternoon, I fancied a short drive out , and so I found that the former Trap Cottage, is still called Rea Bank House. The present owner Robert says it would have been 3 cottages around 1911 as it was only combined, by it's previous owner, between 30 and 40 years ago, when some of it only had a sheet iron roof.
He and his wife were amazed that a family of 10 lived in one of the cottages. They have also had visits from someone from Australia whose ancestors lived in one of the cottages in the 1930's.
He is happy for you to contact him and, I think he said, has some old photos he could send you scans of, if perhaps you could send him scans of your photos.
I have emailed you Robert's contact details and a phone camera shot I took of the end of the house and surroundings, but access to photograph the length of the building is difficult because the River Rea is in the way! 
WebMaster
Hi,
Thank you so much for taking the photos and taking the time to drive to the spot, at least it was sunny! more than I can say here, it's been overcast here for the last 3 days, that's what you get living by the sea.
I have emailed Mr & Mrs Lawson by email also attached a photo of a shiplapped cottage wether it is Trap Cottage I don't know, but looking at the end elevation of the photos you took it's quite possible it is, I also attached a copy of the 1911 census, they may find it interesting.
Again many thanks for taking time to look for me, I have been trying to find when and where my grandmother died but as yet no luck.
Kind regards,
Colin.
Sorry Peter my last post should have been to Colin. I have a bit more information regarding the Trap , In about 1996 my sister and I visited our old house at the Trap we met Robert and his wife as I was over from Australia. Anyway I have in my possession a receipt for the Cottage, that my parents George and Nell Davies purchased, the address on the receipt is Oakdeane, Lea Cross ,Shrewsbury. also know as the Trap
Geoff
Hi Geoff,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I emailed the present owners about Trap cottage where my relations lived, I have the 1911 census and it stated that there were 11 occupants of the same family living there? I have a photo that I found amongst my late fathers belongings of a wooden cottage, wether it is Trap Cottage I don't know, but my fathers mother lived there a Minnie Downes.
If you have any photo's or information concerning the property mentioned I would be interested.
Regards,
Colin.
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Hello Colin
Have you seen your father's Birth Certificate? On that there is space for the name of his father (Col.4) and his father's occupation (Col.6). Are these blank?
Likewise, have you seen your father and mother's Marriage Certificate? This has spaces for the names (Col.7) and occupations (Col.8) of the parents of the groom and bride. Both of these documents should have the same name and similar occupations for your grandfather.
You say that your father was born at Nesscliffe, which is a hamlet rather than a town, and it is situated in the parish of Great Ness in the Oswestry Registration District but when I look at the index of births your father's birth is recorded in the Ellesmere Registration District so it would appear that even if the family lived at Nesscliffe he wasn't born there.
It seems the family moved again to live in Plealey Road because this is at Lea Cross, south west of Shrewsbury and about 3-4 miles from Stapleton.
Mike