Ann Allaway Cowmeadow b:26th June 1839 (General)

by probinson , S. Oxon, Saturday, April 21, 2018, 11:00 (2408 days ago)

Ann was the illegitimate daughter of Mary Ann Cowmeadow. Her father was, I believe, Stephen Allaway. Stephen was one of the Allaway family known in the area for their ownership of tin plate works and ore mines. Stephen was at one time a partner in Cinderford Iron works until being bought out in 1862 by Henry Crawshay. In 1839, when Ann was born, Stephen was working at the Cinderford Iron works, as evidenced by a newspaper article dated 1839 which mentions him as representative for the works. Around the same time he was living at The Grange near Littledean and, as such, I imagine, probably made use of the Victoria Hotel which was located at the bottom of, what was to become, Victoria Street and just a few hundred yards from the iron works. Mary Ann was living at the hotel with her parents who ran it. So Stephen and Mary Ann would probably have come into contact that way.

Ann's birth record shows she was born in Cinderford, her given name as Ann Allaway and her mother as Mary Ann Cowmeadow of Cinderford. No father is shown. On a baptism record of 18th August for Abenhall, there is a Mary Ann Cowmeadow with Mary Ann as her mother and her father as Stephen a stock-taker. I can find no records of a Stephen Cowmeadow or any other records of a Mary Ann Cowmeadow born around this time so I believe this to be Ann's baptism.

In 1841 Ann is living with her mother and grand parents at the hotel. By 1851 she is living in Stroud with a family two doors away from a girls school. The head of the house is a piano tuner and his daughter a piano teacher. There is also a Housekeeper and a House Servant listed. The area seems populated mainly with skilled/qualified people so probably a 'better off' area. Ann is listed as Annie Allaway. My interpetation of this is Ann has been sent away to school, probably paid for by her father who, by now, was married with a family and probably wanted Ann out of the way.

The only other record I can find of Ann is in her grandmother's will of 1864 where she is described as "Annie a daughter of the said Mary Ann Tyler (born before marriage)". Mary Ann Tyler is Mary Ann Cowmeadow after she married Henry Tyler.

I assume Ann became married sometime between 1851 and 1861 as I can't find her in the 1861 census or in any other records.

I can find possible marriage records searching for Ann Allaway and Ann Cowmeadow but, without getting certificates for all of them I'm struggling to find which might be her, if any.

Any suggestions or help welcome.