The Shore family, also known as Windows, c.1890s (General)

by shepway , Wednesday, December 02, 2020, 20:18 (1444 days ago) @ Paul Evans

The Census Returns are quite helpful in this case as they indicate some of the children were born outside marriage. This is the 1851 Census for the Shore family:
1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Downend Lower Drawley Hill, Horsley, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England
Members that resided in the household at the time of the census.
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
William Shore Head Married Male 26 1825 Chair Maker Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Mary Shore Wife Married Female 25 1826 - Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Window Daughter Daughter Female 3 1848 - Stroud, Gloucestershire, England
Thomas Window Son Son Male 1 1850 - Stroud, Gloucestershire, England

You will note that Elizabeth and Thomas are listed with the surname WINDOW but in 1861 they are listed with the Surname SHORE and that their mother is Widowed:
1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Little Dean Hill, Lea Bailey, Ross, Gloucestershire, England
Members that resided in the household at the time of the census.
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Mary Shore - Widow Female 34 1827 Charwoman Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Shore Daughter - Female 13 1848 - Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Thomas Shore Son - Male 11 1850 Scholar Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Richard Shore Son - Male 9 1852 Scholar Horsley, Gloucestershire, England
Ellen Shore Daughter - Female 5 1856 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Harriet Shore Daughter - Female 3 1858 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Henry Shore Son - Male 1 1860 - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
John Hill Lodger Married Male 43 1818 General Dealer Middlesex, England
Ann Hill Lodger Married Female 47 1814 - Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales
Mary Hill Lodger - Female 9 1852 Scholar Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

The records tell us that Elizabeth and Thomas were born before William Shore married Mary Window in 1860. Here are the entries from BMD Index:

Births:
Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
WINDOW, ELIZABETH -
GRO Reference: 1847 D Quarter in STROUD Volume 11 Page 397
WINDOW, THOMAS -
GRO Reference: 1849 D Quarter in STROUD Volume 11 Page 421

Marriages Jun 1850
Shore William Stroud 11 533
Window Mary Stroud 11 533

As mentioned Mary was widowed at the time of the 1861 Census and we find William's burial took place in 1858:
Year: 1857
Month: Jun
Day: 14
Surname: SHORE
Forenames: William
Residence: Cinderford
Age_at_death: 38 Yrs
Officiating_Minister: J.G.Smythies
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 in 1/12
Page_No: 32
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John

And this is before the birth of Henry in 1860:
SHORE, HENRY WINDOW
GRO Reference: 1860 J Quarter in ROSS Volume 06A Page 408

It is clear that William Shore could not have been the father and it maybe this is the reason for the change of name to WINDOW.

Mike