Birth: 1823 Wroxham, Norfolk, UK
Father: James Cowles (Cowell, Cowls) 1764-1852
Mother: Susan (Susanna) Scott 1778-1855
Christening: 31 August 1823 St Faith, Wroxham, Norfolk, UK
Marriage: 27 July 1846 Newton Flotman, Norfolk, UK
Wife: Emily Adams 1826-1905
Death: 1881-1891
Anna (Annie) Elizabeth (Eliza) Cowles 1852-1863
Clara Elizabeth Cowles [Heavers] 1860-1930
Emily Jane Cowles [Davis] 1863-1942
Frederick Cowles 1866-b1871
James George Cowles 1867-1867
Edward Thomas Cowles 1868-1935
Entry in the Norfolk Transcription Archive for the christening of James Cowles in 1823 in the St Faiths District of Wroxham, parents James (a blacksmith) and Susan.
Christening of James Cowles in the IGI on 31 August 1823 in Wroxham, Norfolk, parents James and Susan Cowles. The same information is in Ancestry England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 and in Ancestry Norfolk, England, Bishop's Transcripts, 1579-1935.
Entry in Ancestry Norfolk, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915 for James Cowles baptised 31 August 1823 in Wroxham, Norfolk, parents Jamesand Susan Cowles. "Page 14 Baptisms folemnized in the Parifh of Wroxham in the County of Norfolk in the Year 1823 [...] August 31st No. 108 James son of James, a blacksmith, and Susan Cowles of Wroxham".
Entry in Ancestry Norfolk, England, Transcripts of Church of England Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1600-1935 for James Cowles baptised 31 August 1823 parents James and Susan Cowles. "Wroxham 1823 Page 14th Baptisms solemnized in the Parish of Wroxham in the County of Norfolk in the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty 23 [...] August 31st No. 108 James son of James, a blacksmith, and Susan Cowles of Wroxham".
I cannot find him in the 1841 census, but he was not with his parents. However there is an entry in Ancestry England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for James Cowles aged 18 and convicted of laceny and sentenced to three months imprisonment at the Norfolk Sessions 20th October in Norwich, Norfolk.
Marriage of James Cowles and Emily Adams in FreeBMD in July-September 1846 in Henstead (13 279).
Marriage of James Cowles, father James Cowles, and Emily Adams, father Joseph Adams, in the IGI on 27 July 1846 in Newton-Flotman, Norfolk. The same information is in Ancestry England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973.
In the Ancestry Norfolk, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940 for James Cowles of full age, father James Cowles, and Emily Adams on 27 July 1846 in Newton Flotman. "Page 11 1846 Marriage solemnized in the Parish Church in the Parish of Newton Flotman in the County of Norfolk No. 21 July 27th James Cowles of full age, a Bachelor and Labourer of Shotesham, father James Cowles, a Labourer, and Emily Adams aged 20, a Spinster and Drefsmaker of Newton Flotman, father Joseph Adams, a Labourer. Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England [...] in the Presence of by Jeremiah Martins and Eliza Adams (I assume her sister and who made her mark)."
In the 1851 census as James Cowell (sic) aged 27, born in Wroxham, Norfolk, employed as an agricultual labourer, and living with his wife (Emily) at The Street, Shotesham All Saints, Norfolk.
His daughter was baptised in Shottesham in 1852
His name is given as James Cowles, a game keeper, on Clara's birth certificate registered on 3 September 1860 in the Lutterworth District at Stretton under Fosse.
In the 1861 census as James Cowles aged 36, born in Wroxham, Norfolk, employed as a gamekeeper, and living with his wife (Emily), and two daughters (Annie and Clara) at Keepers Lodge, Monks Kirby, Stretton under Fosse, Warwickshire.
His daughter was baptised in Monks Kirby in 1863 when he was a keeper, and his son was baptised in Greenwich in 1866 when he was a carman living at 7 Reform Place.
In the 1871 census as James Cowles aged 42, born in Shottisham, Norfolk, employed as a carman, and living with his wife (Emily), two daughters (Clara and Jane), son (Edward) and a boarder (Anna Grant aged 1 and born in Greenwich) at No 2 Ennetts Cottages, Old Woolwich, Road, Greenwich, Kent.
In 1881 census as James Cowles aged 54, born in Norfolk, employed as a carman (carter), and living at 83 Old Woolwich Road, Greenwich, Kent with his wife (Emily), son (Edward), three male lodgers (Arthur Davis - his future son-in-law, Thomas Heavers - his future son-in-law, and William Seuisbury aged 21, born in Deptford, unmarried and employed as a boiler maker), and three visitors (Elizabeth Blunt aged 22, born in Cambridge, unmarried and employed as a nurse, Harry Horbley aged 50, born in Deptford, unmarried, and unemployed), Edward Horbley aged 60 born in Greenwich, unmarried, and unemployed). Edward Horbley is probably the sister of Harry Horbley. The name Horbley is extremely rare (only two entries in the IGI) and I suspect should be Horbey - interestingly the name Horbey seems to be concentrated in the Rugby area of Warwickshire.
His wife is a widow in the 1891 census. However I cannot find an entry for his death between 1881 and 1891.
Maureen Kristjanson has an entry in Ancestry Public Member Trees for James Cowles born in 1823 in Wroxham or Shottisham, Norfolk parents James and Susan Cowles, his christening in 1823 at St. Faith, Wroxham, his marriage to Emily Adams in Netwon Flotman on 27 July 1847 and six children. There are six other entries with variations on the above.
Wroxham is 4 miles NE of Norwich. Shottisham is now spelt Shotesham and is 4 miles south of Norwich. The first child was born in Shotesham, Norfolk, the second two children were born in Monks Kirby, Warwick, (10 miles NE of Coventry and the same NW of Rugby) but Frederick was born in Greenwich so the family must have lived in Shotesham till between 1853 and 1860, Monks Kirby from before 1860 to between 1863 and 1866, and then Greenwich.
James Cowles was my great grandfather.
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