Thomas E Cowley - 1861-1940

On Saturday, March 01, 2008, at 08:42AM, anne.metcalf@tesco.net wrote:
Hi
I'm writing back to both of you to as I'm not sure who produced the Family tree of John Cowley 1700 - or the Ainscough/ Cowley family of Mawdesley - I've noticed 1 error re Thomas E Cowley shown as 1861-1940
According to my records (gleaned from family etc)
TE Cowley was born 15/7/1861 and died on 10/4/1940 aged 79
In 1892 he married his 1st wife Margaret Wilson (1/5/1859 to 1927) on 17/8/1892 at All Saints Wardour Castle (I have their family bible) she was a governess from Yorkshire working for the Finch family from Lane End Farm.
After their marriage they lived at The Willows Farm (built in 1770 as the Jolly Farmer pub - I have a copy of the original plans) & not sure when they left the Willows - I think that they moved to Walmsley Fold (shown on Gerard Swarbricks map). Somewhere there's a picture of Thomas Cowley standing outside the Willows in about 1900.
When Margaret (wife1) died in 1927 (according to my cousin - who got the info from our Great Aunt Theresa 'Tessie' of the Ormskirk Swarbrick Family - ie mother of Gerard Swarbrick -maps) Thomas Edward went to visit a cousin in Canada and met Eleanor Robinson (wife2) on the boat, brought her home & married her (my cousin doesn't know her background & whether she was English or Canadian). These 2 are in a joint grave - Wife 1 Margaret Wilson is in a seperate grave, hence why you may have assumed Eleanor was his only wife.
They lived at Walmsley Fold in Mawdesley (sometimes called White barn door farm).
After her death on 20.6.1937 he married a 3rd time (his housekeeper?? Rosa (Dorrington?). TEC died in 1940.

Re John Cowley 1700 - have you confirmed the tree before Richard Cowley & Alice Swift?
If I remember rightly Richard (1798-1881) & Alice are buried at St P&P RC Church with their son, daughter, son in law & grandaughter - the grave near the church porch (The photo is on your blog).
Early Cowley tree:
John Cowley 1700
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John (1725) married Mary Berry in 1759
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Richard (1759) married Martha Higham (b1783)
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Richard (1798-1881) married Alice Swift
I
Thomas Cowley (1828-1912 married 1st wife Margaret Ainscough1 (1825-1872). 2nd wife (m.1874 ) her cousin Margaret Ainscough2 (1836-1918).
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Thomas E Cowley (1861-1940) married (1892) 1st wife Margaret Wilson (1859-1927). 2nd wife Eleanor Robinson m 1927. 3rd wife Rosa (Dorrington?) m 1937.

My dad was always told that his ancestors - (1 male Cowley & 2 sisters) came over from the Isle of Man - Balaf/ Balacary near Kirk Michael to Liverpool & walked to Eccleston (Nr Mawdesley) & worked at Bannister farm (or a farm on Bannister Lane?). The male Cowley married the farmers daughter - I don't know where you got the info (& I'm very impressed with it) but does dad's memories link in with any info that you have?
Have a good weekend
Anne