Dowle Family and boat called Black Dwarf

I am directly related to the Dowles of Aylburton. My aunt who is now 85 assures me that her great grandfather Charles owned a boat called the black Dwarf but I suspect that this has been elaborated in the telling and that he perhaps just worked on it! In Aylburton churchyard there is a gravestone for Charles and also for James Dowle who is said to be the captain of the Black Dwarfe. Any information on the Dowles would be appreciate.d

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Have you seen the Sungreen photos website, they have several references to the Black Dwarf eg

http://www.sungreen.co.uk/lydney/LydneyDocks.htm

Thats said I guess there were several socalled boats thro the generations after your ancestor, heres another reference to a more recent one and presumably the same one mnetioned above ?.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/lydney/pages/page_33.html

Our local publishers are Black Dwarf Lightmoor, I'd love to know the reasoning for this name ?

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Is this your Ancestor ?
Searching the PRs of this site there's a lot of Dowles in Lydney. His father is described a "labourer" - no disrespect but suggests Charles may not have been the owner, although of course it may not have been the grandest on the River !
All rather romantically exciting tho !

Record_ID: 20162
Entry_Number: 153
Year: 1850
Month: May
Day: 4
Grooms_Surname: DOWLE
Grooms_Forenames: Charles
Grooms_Age: Of full age
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Sea man
Grooms_Residence: Ailburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: DOWLE
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: FLETCHER
Brides_Forenames: Caroline
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Ailburton
Brides_Fathers_Surname: FLETCHER
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Edmund
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: The mark of George Colwell
Witness_2: Eliza James
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/15
Page_Number: 77
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: D400
Soundex_Bride: F432

Charles' probable parents John & Jane,

Record_ID: 37105
Entry_Number: 739
Year: 1827
Month: Aug
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Charles
Fathers_Forenames: John
Mothers_Forenames: Jane
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Ailburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: H.C.H.Hawkins Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Son of
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC 209 IN 1/3
Page_Number: 93
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

No doubt coincidence, but of 17 John Dowles on the Glos Archives list below, only one is from Lydney area, "labourer age 37" and he's committed to Gaol in Dec 1827..
http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/genealogy/Results.aspx

Charles & Caroline's sons Charles AND Charles Henry, note Charles Sr is still a labourer.

Record_ID: 38872
Entry_Number: 106
Year: 1855
Month: Dec
Day: 16
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Charles
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 14
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Died so young, sadly not the last..

Record_ID: 25819
Entry_Number: 7
Year: 1856
Month: Jul
Day: 9
Surname: DOWLE
Forenames: Charles
Residence: Aylburton
Age_at_death: 9 months
Officiating_Minister: Richard Davies
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/12
Page_No: 1
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 39129
Entry_Number: 363
Year: 1858
Month: Oct
Day: 17
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Charles Henry
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Richard Davies Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 46
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Died young, NOTE spelt Dowell !

Record_ID: 27609
Entry_Number: 195
Year: 1885
Month: Sep
Day: 6
Surname: DOWELL
Forenames: Charles Henry
Residence: Aylburton
Age_at_death: 27
Officiating_Minister: G.B.Sharpe
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: [margin note] By Coroners Warrant
Notes: G..B. Sharpe underlined twice
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/13
Page_No: 25
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Note "by Coroner's Warrant".

In the Inquests section of this site find this entry:
"173 DOWELL Charles Henry 1885 Aylburton: Lydney"

Sorry I can't copy the text here, but if you click "View Transcript" there's the full sad tale of the Inquest of Charles ("labourer") dying due to "gangrene following amputation of leg.... due to fall of quantity of steel bars being raised from hold of a vessel"

So yes also in the marine trade, perhaps working with his father.

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As I said there's a lot of Dowles listed under Lydney (Aylburton's not listed as a Parish), and without dates such as may be visible on the tombstones I'm guessing. However is this the James you refer to ?. Note his father Charles is a Dock Labourer...

Record_ID: 34019
Entry_Number: 303
Year: 1895
Month: Dec
Day: 31
Grooms_Surname: DOWLE
Grooms_Forenames: James Edward
Grooms_Age: 20
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Tin Plate Worker
Grooms_Residence: Aylburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Dowle
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Dock Labourer
Brides_Surname: COLLIER
Brides_Forenames: Ellen Louisa
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Woolaston
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Collier
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: John
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Packer on the G[reat] W[estern] R[ailway]
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: James Collier
Witness_2: Harriet Pritchard
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: William Somerset Rector
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P376 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 152
Parish_Chapel: Woolaston
Soundex_Groom: D400
Soundex_Bride: C460

Looks like a possible Edward/Edmund name error somewhere.

Record_ID: 40663
Entry_Number: 1897
Year: 1875
Month: Jul
Day: 25
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: James Edmund
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Edward Evans
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 238
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 102521
Entry_Number: 22
Year: 1906
Month: Jul
Day: 21
Grooms_Surname: DOWLE
Grooms_Forenames: James Edward
Grooms_Age: 31
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Tinplate worker
Grooms_Residence: Aylburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Dowle
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Dock labourer
Brides_Surname: JONES
Brides_Forenames: Hannah
Brides_Age: 27
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Lydney
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Jones
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: William
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Tinplate worker
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: both sign
Witness_1: Mary Grail
Witness_2: George Field
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: John C E Besant Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/17
Page_Number: 11
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: D400
Soundex_Bride: J520

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You need to tick the "soundex" when searching as noted above there are also Dowells who may be part of your tree,
eg (note George senior is a "waterman")

Record_ID: 118881
Entry_Number: 569
Year: 1892
Month: Dec
Day: 20
Parents_Surname: DOWELL
Child_Forenames: George Charles
Fathers_Forenames: George
Mothers_Forenames: Elizabeth Jane
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Waterman
Officiating_Minister: R.T.Deakins
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: 851113
Page_Number: 72
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Sadly another young death in the family,

Record_ID: 28257
Entry_Number: 333
Year: 1897
Month: Apr
Day: 6
Surname: DOWLE
Forenames: George Charles
Residence: Aylburton
Age_at_death: 4
Officiating_Minister: E.L.Daniels
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: Lydney P209 IN 1/14
Page_No: 42
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

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More offspring of Charles & Caroline.
Take care when researching fully, Jo, there are several George/James Dowle/Dowells in that era from the Lydney/Alvington area, with some dying as infants, so it's a complex tree to follow.

Record_ID: 38743
Entry_Number: 778
Year: 1854
Month: Feb
Day: 5
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Sarah Ann
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/4
Page_Number: 98
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 25743
Entry_Number: 1531
Year: 1855
Month: Mar
Day: 31
Surname: DOWLE
Forenames: Sarah Ann
Residence: Aylburton
Age_at_death: 14 Months
Officiating_Minister: Charles Taylor
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/11
Page_No: 192
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 38975
Entry_Number: 209
Year: 1857
Month: Jan
Day: 11
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: John
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Richard Davies Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 27
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 39284
Entry_Number: 518
Year: 1860
Month: Aug
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: DOWELL
Child_Forenames: Ann
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: B.Philpot Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 65
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 39434
Entry_Number: 668
Year: 1862
Month: Jul
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: DOWELL
Child_Forenames: Sarah Jane
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: R.R.Holberton Off[iciatin]g Min[ister]
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 84
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 39541
Entry_Number: 775
Year: 1863
Month: Sep
Day: 27
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: George
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: S.Swinford Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 97
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 39692
Entry_Number: 926
Year: 1865
Month: May
Day: 14
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Charlotte
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer

Charles Sr still a labourer in 1887

Record_ID: 34572
Entry_Number: 208
Year: 1887
Month: Jul
Day: 31
Grooms_Surname: EDWARDS
Grooms_Forenames: Walter
Grooms_Age: 25
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Labourer
Grooms_Residence: Aylburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: EDWARDS
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: DOWLE
Brides_Forenames: Charlotte
Brides_Age: 22
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Aylburton
Brides_Fathers_Surname: DOWLE
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: John Dowle
Witness_2: Jane Minnie Dowle
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: John J Trollope
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/16
Page_Number: 104
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: E363
Soundex_Bride: D400

Record_ID: 39833
Entry_Number: 1067
Year: 1866
Month: Dec
Day: 24
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: William
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: A.R.Bennett Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 134
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 40152
Entry_Number: 1386
Year: 1870
Month: Dec
Day: 25
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Samuel
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: A.R.Bennett Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Copied [in margin]
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 174
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex: D400

Record_ID: 40269
Entry_Number: 1503
Year: 1871
Month: Dec
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: DOWLE
Child_Forenames: Jane Minnie
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Aylburton
Occupation: Labourer
Still a labourer..

Record_ID: 19581
Entry_Number: 195
Year: 1901
Month: Apl
Day: 30
Grooms_Surname: HIROM
Grooms_Forenames: William George
Grooms_Age: 26
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Baker
Grooms_Residence: Newham
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Hirom
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Baker
Brides_Surname: DOWLE
Brides_Forenames: Jane Minnie
Brides_Age: 29
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Westbury on Severn
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Dowle
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both Sign
Witness_1: Kate Rowland
Witness_2: James Edward Dowles
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Leonard Wilkinson B.A.Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference:
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Westbury on Severn
Soundex_Groom: H650
Soundex_Bride: D400

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Another James Dowell, whose Will is dated Mar 23 1840, is described as a "mariner" which implies higher status than ordinary seaman ?. I wonder if it's his Aylburton grave wrt the Black Dwarf ?
His entry is listed as "Place, Berkeley", is this referring to his place of residence, or maybe just where the Will was officially dealt with ?

http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/genealogy/Results.aspx

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Jeff

Thanks for that information Charles Dowle Born 1827 and Caroline Fletcher c1833 are indeed my decendants. Two of their daughters Charlotte and Caroline were BOTH my great grandmothers (Carolines son Richmond Walter Taylor (my grandad) married Charlottes daughter Elizabeth Edwards (my grandmother). Their daughter (my aunt) Olive is still alive and has always told me that her mother and her aunts went on little trips on the Black Dwarf because their Grandfather (Charles) was the owner. Im guessing these trips must have been around the 1900s. Having done a little bit research on the census Ive do not believe he was the owner but could somehow arrange trips.

It is confusing doing research I know for a number of reasons. The Census took the names but sometimes the family gave the childs nickname instead of its real name and children die and new ones born often take the same name. Ive only just scratched the surface but I am fascinated by this family.

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If you want to see more pictures of the Black Dwarf, they are in the 2001 booklet "A glance back at Lydney Docks" by Neil Parkhouse, ISBN 1 903599 00 8, issued indeed by Black Dwarf Publications of Lydney who have now gone in with Lightmoor publications. Still available for £7.50 - see www.lightmoor.co.uk, where it says the vessel was named after Sir Walter Scott's novel, which doesn't seem surprising as she was previously registered at Scottish ports. In her Lydney days, the boat was also the subject of paintings, one of which I saw in Buckinghamshire. From the available literature it appears that William Jones of Lydney bought Black Dwarf in 1890, re-registering her at Bristol, and she seems to have remained in his company's hands until decommissioned in 1942.

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Interesting info Jeff - reading through it this morning I notice that in 1906 James Dowle who was already a widower married Hannah Jones whose father was William Jones of Lydney although he is down as a tinplate worker - wasnt it a William Jones who bought the Black Dwarf? A big leap of faith here but could it be Uncle Jim (who I did hear mention of) was the one who took them on the boat trips because his father in law owned it?

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My grandfather Garnet Seymour Ridler was a Lydney tinplate worker who somehow organised trips on the "Black Dwarf" for his daughters. Garnet's parents lived near the docks and the family includes several occupations of "warfinger", which sounds like a docks job?

Roger Miles

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My Great Grandfather John William Clark of Woolaston is said to have also had something to do with the boat.

Pete

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"Wharfinger"
is an archaic term for a person who is the keeper or owner of a wharf. The wharfinger took custody of and was responsible for goods delivered to the wharf, typically had an office on the wharf or dock, and was responsible for day-to-day activities including slipways, keeping tide tables and resolving disputes. The word's etymology is probably Elizabethan-era English. An 1844 usage appears in Pigot's Directory of Dorset in which Beales and Cox were noted to be wharfingers for the Port of Weymouth.

Curiously given a recent new thread on this forum, "The Wharfinger" is also the name of the quarterly magazine produced for the Herefs' & Glos' Canal Trust.

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Hi,

Many thanks for the definition. The Lydney registrar spelt it "warfinger" for James Ridler and his son William (1819-1863). In 1864 William's occupation is "clerk to Gollop and Ridler". Also in 1860 James Gollop was a witness at another Ridler wedding.So maybe "warfingering" at Lydney was good business?

Any Gollop's around to add to this story?

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Yes, it is interesting, must have been a hectic household yet touched bby so much sadness too; and there's a lot more of the line on the Parish Records of this site !.

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John Dowle, Son of Charles & Caroline, described as a "mariner" on his 2nd? Marriage, Charles still a labourer.

Record_ID: 34827
Entry_Number: 464
Year: 1902
Month: Dec
Day: 31
Grooms_Surname: DOWLE
Grooms_Forenames: John
Grooms_Age: 46
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Mariner
Grooms_Residence: Aylburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Dowle
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: LEGGE
Brides_Forenames: Ann
Brides_Age: 47
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Aylburton
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Grail
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Worthy
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: (deceased)
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: John Grail
Witness_2: Lucy Wobridge
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: H. B. Parker M. A. Curate
Event: Marriage
Memoranda: Banns in the Parish Ch of Lydney w Aylburton
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/16
Page_Number: 232
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: D400
Soundex_Bride: L200

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This modern Wyedean Tourism leaflet describes a Walk at Lydney Docks, and states

"The last vessel to regularly use the harbour was the Black Dwarf. The Dwarf’s final voyage from here was made in 1942."

http://www.wyedeantourism.com/files/Walk5.pdf

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Thanks to Lightmoor Books for a photo of Black Dwarf;

http://www.lightmoor.co.uk/archive50.htm

Below is a transcript of the relevant part of the contents (pages 55-62) for Issue 50 (June 2006) of the quarterly Journal "Archive" from Lightmoor Books; still available it seems, I suspect a few more will sell soon @ only £6 ea ?!?

According to http://www.steamindex.com/archive/arch6.htm

"Black Dwarf was a Clyde puffer which came via John Hallinan of Cork into the hands of William Jones of Lydney who rented a wharf from the Severn & Wye Railway when working a regular service to Bristol under the name of the Lydney Carrying Co.

The detailed contents by Ian Pope are:

Black Dwarf in tidal basin at Lydney page 55
Jones' wharf 1903-05 with three-masted vessel possibly Harvest King p56
Jones' wharf p57u
Jones' wharf store room and office p57l
Pidcock's Canal with Lydney Docks mud barge and possibly Black Dwarf p58u
Black Dwarf loading tin plate at the Free Wharf with narrow gauge railway to Richard Thomas's tinplate works p58l
Black Dwarf heads up canal at Lydney in 1930s p59u
Steamship, possibly Queenstown, unloading sand in Pidcock's Canal; Cheshire Lines wagon loaded with clay pipes, many Cannop Colliery wagons p59l
Black Dwarf in Outer Basin with steam up c1930 p60
Black Dwarf steaming down Lydney Canal in 1930s 61u
Black Dwarf stated to be at Lympsham Bridge, but more probably at Uphill Wharf in 1936 p61l
Black Dwarf probably at Bristol: see letter from Roy Fenton Issue 55 page 24: Redcliffe Backs coal wharf, Bristol p62 "

Also in this Journal is
"Fenton, Roy. William Jones' ships: a postscript to Lydney Docks. Pages 63-4.
Based on ilustration of The Forester approaching St Helier (Jersey) in June 1927. Between 1911 and 1923 The Forester was owned by the Forester Steamship Co. It had been built by Edward Finch & Co. of Chepstow for William Jones and was powered by a two-cylinder compound supplied by W. Sisson & Co. of Gloucester. It had a net tonnage of 79 tons. In 1923 it was sold to Baker & Kernick Ltd of Cardiff, and sold in February 1927 to the Plymouth Channel Island and Brittany Steamship Co. In May 1929 it was sold to Arthur B. Wade of Cardiff and was lost in Weymouth Harbour on 12 January 1930. Also notes on the Lyd built by Hawthorns of Leith in 1881 and named Annie Hope. She changed hands several times, but in 1885 was bought by John E. Crisp of Beccles and renamed Jeannie Hope. William Jones acquired her in 1914, but was sold in 1917. It ended by sinking in Perth Harbour whilst loading gravel in August 1946. Also illusration of William Jones's Queenstown shortly after being acquired from the Great Southern Railways. It is shown on the gridiron at Lydney and was still registered at Cork. It had been by McIlwaine & MacColl of Belfast for the Cork Blackrock & Passage Railway. "

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Jo,
from this website for Ships In Port 1881 Census
http://www.angelfire.com/de/BobSanders/81Intro.

I found the following possible ancestor within the Gloucestershire section. I've scanned quickly thro the other likely Ports but found no others, unfortunately the site's search engine seems unwell (I've emailed the site owner for assistance).

Ships at Henbury, Glousester 1881

Vessel: "Squirell"

Henry NELMS M 61 M Berkeley, Gloucester, England Master
Samuel DOWELL M 66 M Berkeley, Gloucester, England Mate
J. NELMS U 28 M Berkeley, Gloucester, England O Seaman

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Update re the above excellent and recommended website for all things Glamorgan, the site's creator Bob Sanders has kindly advised me to access it via
http://www.glamorganfamilyhistory.co.uk

Towards the bottom of the blue "home" page is the best search box for the whole site
http://www.glamorganfamilyhistory.co.uk/PINPOINT.html

Using this and the name Dowle, I got the following additional hits that I imagine will be of interest to you Jo.

(As you might expect there were Severn-based ships in several lists).

SHIPS IN PORT AT HIGHBRIDGE, PORTISHEAD & BRIDGWATER, SOMERSET 1881.

Vessel: "Happy Go Lucky"

John DOWELL M 24 M Aylburton, Gloucester, England Mate
Charles BULLEX U 25 M Frampton, Gloucester, England A B Seaman
George BLAKEMORE U 19 M Newent, Gloucester, England O Seaman

SHIPS IN PORT AT BRISTOL, GLOUCESTERSHIRE 1881, PART 1.

Vessel: "Lydney Packet"

James GOATMAN U 38 M Frampton on Severn, Gloucester Able Seaman
George HAMLETT U 29 M Saul Nr Stonehouse, Gloucester Able Seaman
William DOWLE 14 M Aylburton Lydney, Gloucester Boy

The surname Dowell, Dowle appears quite often in other ships from home ports in the West Country, suggesting possible links too ?

Sadly the name "Black Dwarf" doesnt appear in the lists, perhaps not surprising as 1881 was a decade or so before the Clyde Puffers became common in coastal waters.
See excellent site
http://www.themackenzies.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/puffers/index.htm

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Dowle Family and boat called Black Dwarf (General)