This blog is designed to record the findings of our family history, mainly for the benefit of the family, and to document the dead ends, the breakthroughs and the journey.
I’ll post the family stories as I’ve written them to now, and I’ll be grateful to anyone who can add further information or pictures, or point out errors.
Particular thanks to my sister Julia and my cousin Mandy who between them have done much more of the work than I have.

Thursday 23 February 2012

Some Perrys

This from my sister Julia, who is researching our Perry ancestors, of whom more later. She has received some interesting stuff from local historian Nigel Perry, who has been consistently helpful to us.
This is message l received from Nigel when l was stuck on Elizabeth Brown. l had looked at the two Elizabeth Browns and decided ours had a father called Edmund. l had also asked him about the Irish community.
 Hi Julia
The Irish were certainly a force in Stourbridge in the mid-1800s. Many lived in an infamous place called Angel Street (Coventry Street), which was demolished when our [new] ring road was built. I suppose they came over after the potato famine in the 1840s and to help build the new railway line in the 1850s.
With a bit of luck, I have probably located your Edmund Brown. Although the surname Brown is numerous, Edmund is not so common as a first name. Edmund does not seem to have stayed in one place for very long!
In the 1851 census, an Edmund Brown was living at Bentley Heath, Darlaston - the address looks like 'Bensley Office' off Stone Row - I can't be sure of the writing. He was an iron furnace labourer, aged 54, and born in 'Cavarthar' Wales. He was living with his wife Ann, aged 52 who was born in Chaddesley. Living with them was a son Edmund, born in Erdington Shrops. an ironroller aged 26 and unmarried. Also a daughter Helen aged 19 born in Stourbridge! Also a young baby son aged 2 months born in Rowley. But of far greater interest there was a visitor in the house named Ann Partridge aged 6, who was born in Stourbridge! Why would an six year old be with them -probably because she must have been related, perhaps Ann was her mother's sister?
I then checked the 1861 census, and found Edmund and Ann living in Miner??
Street, Wolverhampton. He was a blacksmith, born in 'Cabaitha' Glamorgan.
Somehow this Welsh name rang a bell in my distant memory. I found out that it was Cyfarthfa, a hamlet to the north west of Merthyr Tydfil, where significantly there was a large ironworks and blast furnace founded in the 1760s, which was in operation right upto the 20th century. A Stourbridge ironmaster Francis Homfray was briefly connected with the Cyfarthfa Ironworks (as well as co-founding the nearby Blaenavon Works). Then I discover that GKN through Dowlais took over The Cyfarthfa Ironworks in 1902
I then tried to find Edmund Brown in the 1841 census, but without success.
But I did find Ann Brown, aged 40, living at Round Court in the Town of Stourbridge. She had children William and Edmund, aged 15, daughters Elizabeth and Ellen [Helen?] aged 10 and Sarah aged 5 living with her, but no husband! So Edmund senior managed to escape being counted, wherever he was. I think Round Court was at the Stourbridge end of Enville Street, originally home to the weaving population of the town.
I do hope this helps you to delve further into your Brown ancestors - let me know

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