The Coward Family

THE COWARD FAMILY

Bertie Ford, of Corner Ground, Warminster, has made the following enquiry regards his family tree, with us:

"Danny,

Can you help me with finding out something about my father’s family, the Cowards?

There are only a few things I remember about my grandfather Henry Charles Coward of West Chase Farm near Sixpenny Handley. The farm is in Wiltshire, just over the boundary, and my grandfather is buried in Ebbesbourne Wake churchyard. He died about the mid-thirties I think. He married Mary Jane Kerly about the 1850s-1860s I think. He farmed at Thickthorne near Chettle, on the main Blandford to Salisbury Turnpike until moving to West Chase Farm about 1920.

They had four children: Maud, Mabel, Gladys, and a son, Jessie. When the old man retired he went to live at a cottage at Shermall Gate, just inside the Wiltshire Boundary. The son Jess took over the farm, and when he passed away his sons took over, but they have also retired and the farm was sold.

There are some farmers around Mere by the name of Coward but I have no idea if there’s any connection.

This is just about all I can remember and it is not a lot to go on.

Thanks Danny,

Bertie Ford."

Fortunately, we have been able to glean some info for Bertie and have replied:

Dear Bert,

Regards your request for genealogical information concerning your grandfather Charles Henry Coward, I hope you will find these notes interesting and that they might lead you on to other things:

Henry Charles Coward was buried in the churchyard of St. John The Baptist Church, Ebbesbourne Wake, on 10 April 1939. He was aged 83 years (so he was born circa 1856). His address was given as Bowerchalke. The funeral was conducted by W.A. Bright, Vicar.

Mary Jane Coward predeceased Henry Charles by two months. She was buried in the churchyard of St. John The Baptist Church, Ebbesbourne Wake, on 11 February 1939. She was aged 82 (so she was born circa 1857). Her address was given as Lower Chase, Bowerchalke. W.A. Bright, Vicar, conducted the service.

The Salisbury Journal and the Salisbury Times, two newspapers which covered Ebbesbourne Wake news, do not appear to include a death notice, obituary or funeral report for Charles Coward (nor for Mary Jane).

Charles Coward, son of James Coward, married Mary Jane Kerley, daughter of Stephen Kerley, at St. Paul and St. Clement Church, Fisherton Anger (Salisbury), Wiltshire, on 25 May 1892.

Charles was then aged 36 and Mary Jane was aged 35. Charles was a bachelor and gave his occupation as a dealer. His address was given as Handley, Dorset. His father, named on the marriage register, is James Coward, a dealer. Mary Jane was a spinster and no occupation was recorded for her. Her address was recorded as Fisherton Anger. She is recorded as the daughter of Stephen Kerley, a gardener.

Charles and Mary Ann both signed the register (so they could write!)

The witnesses were Stephen Kerley (Mary Jane’s father) and Eleanor Leah Kerley (Mary Jane’s sister).

Charles and Mary were married by licence by the Curate, Arthur E. Hughes.

The 1891 Census for Fisherton Anger (that’s the year previous to Mary Jane Kerley marrying Charles Coward), records the Kerley household:

7 Chapel Place. (Chapel Place was between 82 and 86 Fisherton Street, Salisbury).
Stephen Kerley, head of the household, married, aged 62, a gardener’s labourer, employed (as opposed to self-employed), born at Handley, Dorset.
Elizabeth Kerley, wife, married, aged 59, a laundress, born at Alvediston, Wilts.
Eleanor Kerley, daughter, aged 13, no occupation given, born at Salisbury.
Stephen Kerley, son, aged 11, no occupation given, born at Salisbury.
Julia Kerley, granddaughter, aged 11, no occupation given, born at Salisbury.

Julia is obviously the daughter of a son of Stephen Kerley and the niece of Mary Jane.

10 years later, the 1901 Census shows no Kerleys living at Fisherton Anger. They have moved somewhere else.

The 1881 Census, however sheds more light on Fisherton Anger, showing two branches of the family living there.

The 1881 Census, shows:

4 Chapel Place (three doors away from where the Kerleys were living in 1891).
John Kerley, head of the household, married, aged 37, a bricklayer, born at Ebbesbourne Wake. The Census enumerator noted that John Kerley is DEAF.
Elizabeth Kerley, wife, married, aged 37, no occupation listed, born at Gillingham, Dorset.
John G. Kerley, son, aged 7, scholar, born at Gillingham, Dorset.
Albert E. Kerley, son, aged 5, scholar, born at Salisbury.
Edith M. Kerley, daughter, aged 1, born at Salisbury.
Anna Alsford, lodger, unmarried, aged 53, no occupation given but the census enumerator wrote and then crossed out “formerly charwoman, assisted by Parish Relief”, born at Salisbury.

Also on the 1881 Census, at Fisherton Anger, at:

10 Griffins Court (between 58 and 64 Fisherton Street):
Steven Kerley, head of the household, married, aged 52, agricultural labourer, born at Handley, Dorset.
Elizabeth Kerley, wife, married, aged 49, laundress, born at Alvediston, Wiltshire.
Sarah Kerley, daughter, unmarried, aged 21, laundress, born at Handley, Dorset.
George Kerley, son, aged 12, scholar, born at Handley, Dorset.
Eleanor Kerley, daughter, aged 3, scholar, born at Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Julia Kerley, daughter, aged 1, born at Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Steven Kerley, son, aged 10 months, born at Salisbury, Wiltshire.
George Kerley, boarder, the word ‘son’ is crossed out, unmarried, aged 30, agricultural labourer, born at Handley, Dorset.

Mary Jane Kerley is not resident here at this time. She would have been about 26 years of age and was obviously working, away somewhere. No doubt some of her other brothers and sisters were doing the same.

Meanwhile, the 1881 Census reveals the Coward family near Sixpenny Handley:

Living at Deanlands, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, is James Coward, born 1816 at Mere. James is 65 and is married and gives his occupation as General Dealer.

James is the head of the household. Among the people living with him is Charles Coward, his son, born at Handley, Dorset. Charles is 24, unmarried, and gave his occupation as dealer.

Kelly’s Directory For Wiltshire, 1915, shows someone called H. Foyle at Chase Farm, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Kelly’s Directory For Wiltshire, 1920, lists Charles Coward, farmer, at Chase Farm, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Kelly’s Directory For Wiltshire, 1923, shows Charles Coward, farmer, at Chase Farm, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Charles Coward obviously took over Chase Farm between 1915 and 1920.

There are Cowards at Mere, but are these relations of Charles Coward, son of James Coward?:

Pigot’s Directory For Wiltshire, 1842, lists at Mere:
James Coward, carpenter and shopkeeper.
John Coward, carpenter, wheelwright and shopkeeper.

Slater’s Directory For Wiltshire, 1852, lists at Mere:
Charles Coward, marine store dealer.
Elizabeth Coward, milliner and dressmaker.
James Coward, shopkeeper and joiner.
John Coward, shopkeeper and wheelwright.

Post Office Directory For Wiltshire, 1867, lists at Mere:
Charles Coward, builder and contractor.
Charles Coward, shopkeeper.
James Coward, carpenter and builder.
James Coward, shopkeeper and carrier.
Thomas Coward, wheelwright, land surveyor and agent.

The Parish Registers for Ebbesbourne Wake feature the name Kerley quite a bit:

Marriages:

8 June 1857
John Wright, 21, bachelor, shoemaker, of Swallowcliffe, son of Henry Wright, shoemaker, married to Mary Ann Kerley, aged 24, spinster, servant, of Ebbesbourne Wake, daughter of John Kerley, mason.

29 November 1854
Eli Trowbridge, 26, bachelor, painter, of Shaftesbury, son of William Trowbridge, labourer, married to Mary Kerley, 28, spinster, of Ebbesbourne Wake, no occupation given, daughter of George Kerley, labourer.

23 July 1847
James Critchell, full age, single, groom, of Ebbesbourne Wake, son of John Critchell, thatcher, married to Prudence Kerley, full age, single, of Ebbesbourne Wake, daughter of George Kerley, labourer. Witnesses were William Critchell and Mary Kerley. Prudence couldn’t write her name, so made her cross.

29 April 1837
Joseph Young, of Ebbesbourne Wake, bachelor, to Dinah? Kerley, of Ebbesbourne Wake, spinster. Witnesses were William Young and Sarah Kerley. Dinah? couldn’t write.

22 July 1845
George Kerley, of age, bachelor, of Ebbesbourne Wake, labourer, son of George Kerley, labourer, married to Lydia Shergold, of age, spinster, of Ebbesbourne Wake, daughter of William Shergold, labourer. Witnesses were Stephen Kerley and Mary Kerley. Lydia couldn’t write and Mary couldn’t write.

23 January 1836
John Kerly, widower, of Ebbesbourne Wake, to Martha Rebecca Hallet, of Ebbesbourne Wake, spinster. Witnesses were James Kerly and someone else with the name Kerly. Martha couldn’t write.

21? October 1835
Henry Parham, of Ebbesbourne Wake, to Elizabeth Kerley, of Ebbesbourne Wake. Witneses were James Kerley and Alice Jenkins.

30? July 1864
Lot? Kerley, 21, bachelor, labourer, of Ebbesbourne Wake, son of John Kerley, labourer, married to Eliza Hardiman, 20, spinster, no occupation given, daughter of Ebbor Hardiman, labourer. Witnesses were George Kerley (couldn’t write) and Prudence Kerley.

17 May 1869
Samuel King, 29, labourer, groom, of Fifield Bavant, son of William King, labourer, married to Martha Kerley, 20, spinster, no occupation given, of Ebbesbourne Wake, daughter of George Kerley, labourer. Witnesses Eli Jenkins and Emma King.

28 October 1893
Ralph Kerley, 27, labourer, carter, of Handley, son of Henry Kerley, contractor, married to Elizabeth Emily Kate Moxham, 21, spinster, of Ebbesbourne Wake, daughter of Alfred Moxham, labourer. Witness Frances Kerley.

1 October 1882
Henry King, 38, labourer, groom, of Ebbesbourne Wake, son of James King, labourer, married to Sarah Kerley, 22, spinster, no occupation given, daughter of George Kerley, contractor. Witnesses Robert King and Mary Young.

Burials at Ebbesbourne Wake:

20 April 1865
Mary Kerly of Ebbesbourne Wake. Aged 19.

31 December 1865
Martha Kerly of Ebbesbourne Wake. Aged 85.

8 March 1855
James Kerley, aged 7 months. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

11 October 1843
Josiah Kerly, aged 4 months. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

28 October 1843
Martha Rebecca Kerly, aged 35. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

15 October 1853
George Kerley, aged 75. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

12 May 1839
Jane Kerley, aged 84, of Ebbesbourne Wake.

9 January 1874
Prudence Kerly, aged 72, of Ebbesbourne Wake.

14 August 1875
John Kerly, aged 70. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

15 January 1883
James Kerley, aged 76. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

20 October 1886
Lydia Kerly, aged 67. Of Ebbesbourne Wake.

and

11 October 1933
Harold Jesse Coward, aged 5 years. Of West Chase, Ebbesbourne Wake.

I hope this information will help you piece together something about your grandfather and your family background.

Yours sincerely, Danny Howell.