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Hi - Have William Gower c 1760 on my tree, married Mary Ridley. Children brought up Crowhurst Surrey, and buried there 1823.
Have found marriage to Mary Ridley 21.9.1783 Edenbridge. Trying to find his birth, thinking Brenchley Kent 1762 parents Edward Gower & Anne Smith? Can anyone help please?
Cheers Maureen

Someone lese has this info which may or may not be correct but worth investigating......

William Gower married Sarah Ridley in Crowhurst, Surrey, on 5 October 1783 when he was 23 years old..

His daughter Mary was born in 1787 in Crowhurst, Surrey

William Gower died in 1823 in Crowhurst, Surrey, when he was 63 years old.

Burial: 23 Jan 1823 • Crowhurst, Surrey, England

Slightly different information from yesterdays post. It's best to keep to one thread so helpers aren't doubling information and to keep what you know the same. For instance - I read this thread as though the children died in 1823 whereas the other thread says William died in 1823 aged 63.

Have you now found who he definitely married, before you had Mary or Sarah and children born to William and Mary. you also wondered if he was born Sussex or Kent.

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1367975

The marriage to Mary Ridley was for William GowarD


Name:
William Goward

Marriage Date:
21 Sep 1783

Marriage Place:
Edenbridge, Kent, England

Spouse:
Mary Ridley

William Gower
England Births and Christenings
Name
William Gower
Residence Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Gender
Male
Christening Date
19 Sep 1762
Christening Date (Original)
19 Sep 1762
Christening Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

Mary Gower
England Births and Christenings
Name
Mary Gower
Gender
Female
Christening Date
1761
Christening Date (Original)
1761
Christening Place
BRENCHLEY, KENT, ENGLAND
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

Anne Gower
England Births and Christenings
Name
Anne Gower
Gender
Female
Christening Date
13 Nov 1763
Christening Date (Original)
13 NOV 1763
Christening Place
BRENCHLEY, KENT, ENGLAND
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

Thomas Gower
England Births and Christenings
Name
Thomas Gower
Residence Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Gender
Male
Christening Date
19 Mar 1769
Christening Date (Original)
19 Mar 1769
Christening Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

Edward Gower
rEngland Births and Christenings
Name
Edward Gower
Residence Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Gender
Male
Christening Date
26 Dec 1759
Christening Date (Original)
26 Dec 1759
Christening Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

John Gower
England Births and Christenings
Name
John Gower
Residence Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Gender
Male
Christening Date
01 Feb 1767
Christening Date (Original)
01 Feb 1767
Christening Place
Brenchley, Kent, England
Father's Name
Edward Gower
Mother's Name
Anne Smith

Just wondering why you think the Brenchley baptism could be right? At the time of the marriage William was living in Crowhurst.

Surrey Marriages Transcription FMP (listed as Sarah here)

First name(s) William
Last name Gower
Spouse's first name(s) Sarah
Spouse's last name Ridley
Marriage year 1783
Marriage date 21 Sep 1783
Marriage place Crowhurst
By licence or banns Banns only
Groom's first name(s) William
Groom's last name Gower
Groom's place / parish Of this parish<<<<<<<<<<<<
Bride's first name(s) Sarah
Bride's last name Ridley
Bride's place / parish Kent - Edenbridge
County Surrey
---------------------------

Listed as Sarah here (different marriage date)

Select Marriages, 1538–1973 Ancestry
Name: Sarah Ridley
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1783
Marriage Place: Crowhurst,Surrey,England
Spouse: William Gower
FHL Film Number: 307784, 97135

Listed as Mary here:

Select Marriages, 1538–1973 Ancestry
Name: Mary Ridley
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 21 Sep 1783
Marriage Place: Edenbridge, Kent, England
Spouse: William Goward
FHL Film Number: 1866645
Reference ID: 42
-----------------------------------------------------

There is also this baptism:

First name(s) William
Last name Gower
Gender Male
Birth year -
Birth place -
Baptism year 1759
Baptism date 11 Nov 1759
Residence Kent, England
Place Benenden
County Kent
Country England
Father's first name(s) Robert
Father's last name Gower
Mother's first name(s) Sarah
Mother's last name Gower

Hi - have on tree William Gower m Mary Ridley. She was the daughter of Henry Ridley and Alice from Lingfield. Marriage in Crowhurst Surrey was to Sarah Ridley, but text only, and thought may be spelling mistake, as there is no Sarah sibling. The 10 children of William and Mary were brought up in Crowhurst Surrey, and William died there in 1823 aged 63. We have links which definitely tie up to these children. However we have no record of William's birth, which led us to believe he may have been born in another county. I have now found a marriage of William Goward (Gower) to Mary Ridley in Edenbridge Kent. On researching I wondered if William was the son of Edward Gower and Anne Smith of Brenchley Kent. I did not know of the baptism of William Gower in 1759 in Benenden Kent, to Robert and Sarah Gower.

Is this the burial for William's wife? Not seeing a likely death under Mary- are you sure you're following the correct family?:

First name(s) Sarah
Last name Gower
Age 74
Birth year 1761
Death year 1835
Burial year 1835
Burial date 12 Dec 1835
Church St George
Denomination Anglican
Place Crowhurst
County Surrey
Country England

sorry my mistake not William gower will delete

Our William Gower definitely married Mary Ridley! They had 10 children, all in Crowhurst Surrey. Don't know about the Sarah Gower buried at Crowhurst Surrey 1835. On the 1841 Census our Mary Gower (Goward) , widow, was living with her brother Elvy Ridley and sister Alice Tally, in Lewisham Kent. Elvy Dean Ridley died Aug 1843 and was interred with his late wife at Beckenham. His will made bequests to, among others, his sisters Alice Tally who he stated resided with Mary Gower of Crowhurst and the 10 children of William and Mary Gower. That establishes the relationship between Mary Ridley and Mary Gower, both being the same person.

Have you considered this:

Christening Index, 1530-1980 (Ancestry- no image)
Name: William Goward
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 12 Jan 1760
Christening Place: Edenbridge, Kent, England
Father: John Goward

Thank you AustinQ! This would definitely fit - with marriage at Edenbridge, and the fact that he was buried at Crowhurst Surrey 1823, aged 63 = 1760 !!!