Harriet Waddington Towle
Born: 1835
Died: 1st March 1892
Author: Tony McGarry
HARRIET WADDINGTON TOWLE: HER LIFE
This research was difficult, as the name Towle is quite common in Nottinghamshire. The 1891 Census for Nottinghamshire had the highest concentration of Towle families in the UK.
Harriet’s Early Life
Harriet’s parents were Thomas and Mary. On 31st December 1831 Thomas Towle married Mary Waddington in St. Peter’s Church, Nottingham.
Harriet was born in 1835 and baptised on 10th June 1835 in St. Peter’s Church. Her sister Elizabeth Hannah was born in 1836, and she was baptised on 13th November in Nottingham.
At this time Thomas and Mary lived in Lister Gate. Thomas was described as a “Compounder of Medicine” (a chemist).
Unfortunately, Harriet’s mother Mary died two years later in 1838. Her death was registered in the June quarter in the Nottingham District.
Harriet’s father married Elizabeth Francis, a dressmaker, in St. Peter’s Church on 2nd June 1840. Thomas was described as a “Dispenser of Medicine”, and “Towle” was incorrectly transcribed as “Lowle”.
Nine months later, on 31st March 1841, the couple’s first child Thomas Francis was baptised in St. Peter’s Church. His parents were listed as living on Carrington Street, Nottingham.
The 1841 Census was taken on Sunday 6th June. Harriet’s family was recorded living in Harley Place, Nottingham.
Is this address an error on the part of the Census taker or on the part of the person completing the register in St. Peter’s Church? When Thomas Francis Towle was baptised on 31st March 1841 – three months before the 1841 Census was taken – his family was recorded as living on Carrington Street.
When he was buried on 1st April 1842, ten months after the 1841 Census, Thomas’s family was still listed as living on Carrington Street. But in between these dates, the 1841 Census (taken on 6th June) records the family living on Harley Place.
Present in the Census were:
- Thomas, aged 30, Druggist
- Elizabeth, aged 25, Dressmaker
- Harriet, aged 6
- Elizabeth, aged 4
- Thomas Junior, aged 3 months.
All were born in Nottinghamshire.
Unfortunately, Thomas Junior died in 1842. He was buried on 1st April in St. Peter’s Churchyard.
Thomas and Elizabeth’s second child, Edward Thomas, was baptised in St. Peter’s church on 8th March 1843.
In Glovers History and Directory of Nottingham (1844 Edition), Harriet’s father Thomas was listed as a “Medical Assistant” on Carrington Street.
Thomas and Elizabeth’s third child, Francis Seamark, was baptised in St. Peter’s Church on 9th November 1845. Thomas was described as a “Medical Assistant” living on Carrington Street.
The 1851 Census was taken on Sunday 30th March. Harriet’s family was still living on Carrington Street (No. 4). Harriet was not present, but the rest of the family was. This included:
- Thomas, aged 39, Druggist
- Elizabeth, aged 35, Dressmaker
- Elizabeth, aged 14
- Edward, aged 8
- Francis, aged 5
- Emma, aged 5 months
- Ann Welborn, aged 16, a servant
At this time, Harriet was sixteen, working as a servant for John Birkhead at his house on 85 Middle Pavement in Nottingham. John was a Lace Manufacturer employing 300-400 women.
Sadly, baby Emma died shortly after the Census was taken. She was buried on 4th May 1851 in St. Peter’s Churchyard.
In the following Census of 1861, the family was still living on Carrington Street and Harriet was there. Present were:
- Thomas, aged 50, Druggist
- Elizabeth, aged 46 (born 1815) no occupation
- Harriet, aged 25, no occupation
- Edward, aged 18, Surgeon Apprentice
- Francis, aged 15, Druggist Assistant
- Ann Francis (mother in law), aged 70, no occupation
- Charles Sheppard, aged 23, Boarder, Druggist Assistant.
Harriet’s Later Life
The 1871 Census for 44 Market Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire records:
- Thomas Rogers, aged 48, General Dealer (born in Lincolnshire)
- Ann, his Wife, aged 57, (born in Lincolnshire)
- Harriet Towle, Cousin, aged 36, Shop Assistant.
“Towle” was incorrectly transcribed as “Fowle”.
The 1881 Census for Fernbank Cottage, Felpham, Bognor Regis, West Sussex records:
- Thomas Rogers, aged 58, Retired Tradesman
- Ann, his Wife, aged 61
- Harriet Towle, aged 46, Cousin, no occupation
Fernbank Cottage still exists. It was built in the 1750s and was last sold for £431,000.
Thomas Rogers died on 24th November 1884 and was buried on 28th November in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Felpham. He left £820, equivalent to £132,000 today.
The 1891 Census was taken on Sunday 5th April. It lists the following people at 3 Ithaca Terrace, Felpham:
- Ann Rogers, aged 72, Widow
- Harriet W. Towle, aged 55, Niece, Domestic Servant
Ithaca Terrace still exists.
Sussex Asylum
Harriet was admitted to the Sussex to Asylum three months later, on 17th July 1891.
She died there on 26th January 1892, aged 57, and was buried on 29th January. Harriet left her estate of £44 to her nephew William Francis Towle. His parents were Edward Thomas and Louisa Towle.
HARRIET’S FAMILY
Parents
I found a possible death registered for Harriet’s mother Elizabeth. This was in the December quarter of 1863 in the Nottingham Registration District.
Harriet’s father Thomas died a widower on 30th March 1867.
Elizabeth
It has not been possible to trace Harriet’s sister Elizabeth after the 1851 Census.
Edward Thomas
On 27th July 1867, Harriet’s brother Edward married Louisa Vickers in the Parish of St. Peter’s, Nottingham.
Edward Thomas Towle, a chemist, appeared in the 1871 Census, aged 28. He was living in Nottingham with his wife Louisa and their son William Francis, aged one.
The 1881 Census records the following people at 27 Lister Gate, Nottingham:
- Edward T. Towle, aged 38, Chemist
- Louisa, Wife, aged 32
Their children:
- William F., aged 11, at school
- Albert, aged 9, at school
- May, aged 5, at school
- Edward T, aged 2
There was also a housemaid named Mary Ann Lawrence, aged 21.
Edward Towle died on 4th October 1890 aged about 47, and was buried on 7th October. He left an estate of £763, equivalent to £127,000 today.
Francis Seamark
In 1864, Francis Seamark Towle married Annie Maria Johncock. The marriage was registered in the June quarter in the Ashby de la Zouch District. This covered Leicestershire, which is south of Nottinghamshire.
On 26th July 1867 – the day before Edward Towle married Louisa Vickers – the Nottinghamshire Guardian published an article titled “Public & Legal Notices”. According to this article, Edward and Francis Towle ran a Chemists and Druggists business together from two buildings on Carrington Street in Nottingham (No. 65 and No.7). When this business dissolved, by mutual consent, Edward continued running his own business from No. 65, whilst Francis did the same No. 7.
I could find no other record for Francis Seamark.
AUTHOR’S THOUGHTS
There are several mysteries in this story. We do not know why Harriet moved from Nottingham to live with Thomas and Ann Rogers in Wellingborough, moving around 50 miles to the southeast. Or why she then moved again, presumably at the same time as Thomas and Ann, to Felpham in Bognor Regis. This is another 150 miles southwards. Why didn’t she stay in Nottinghamshire with her siblings: Elizabeth, Edward, and Francis?
In the 1871 Census, Harriet was described as the cousin of Thomas Rogers. In the 1891 Census she was described as the niece of Ann Rogers. I could not find a link between Harriet and Thomas or Ann.
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