The Descendants of Thomas Coward

Old man THOMAS COWARD was born 1820 in Norfolk, and died 1862 in March, Cambridgshire. I have yet to discover more about his parents, but I know that he married MARY ANN CHANDLER Abt. 1838.

She was born 1820 in Wisbech, Cambridgshire, and died 1849. He then married MARY OTTWAY FULLER Abt. 1850, daughter of FIRMAN FULLER and ELIZA REEVES. She was born 1832 in March, Cambridgshire.

On the 1871 Census Thomas is listed as a widower living with son Harry in Wisbech Road, March. Kitty is miles away, staying with her aunt in Essex. One might conclude that their mother Mary died giving birth to Kitty - the death of a Mary Ann Coward is recorded in September 1863 in Wisbeach. Kitty herself appears to have passed away at an early age - in 1879, age 16.


MARY OTTWAY FULLER:
1881 British Census

Mary O. FOULDJER Head W Female 48 March, Cambridge, Grocer & China Dealer
Elizabeth E. FOULDJER Daur Female 12 March, Cambridge, Scholar
Fanny FOULDJER Daur Female 9 March, Cambridge, Scholar
James T. MUXTAGH Boarder M Male 25 Ireland Inland Revenue Officer (C S)
Harry FULLER Nephew Male 12 Maldon, Essex, England Scholar
Elizabeth JERVIS Visitor W Female 45 Doddington, Cambridge, England Housekeeper
Jessie SHIELL Boarder U Female 17 Scotland Pupil Teacher
Isabel SHIELL Boarder U Female 14 Scotland Candidate for Pupil Teacher

High St, March, Cambridge, England
RG11 1691 / 28, Page Number 7



Children of THOMAS COWARD and MARY CHANDLER are:
i. ROBERT2 COWARD, b. 1840, March, Cambridgeshire.

Notes for ROBERT COWARD:
Robert was a shoemaker age 21 at the 1861 Census.


2. ii. EDWARD TAYLOR COWARD, b. 1842, March, Cambridgshire; d. 1905, March, Cambridgeshire.

Children of THOMAS COWARD and MARY FULLER are:
iii. THOMAS GREY2 COWARD, b. 1851.

Notes for THOMAS GREY COWARD:
Tom Grey Coward moved to Lancashire and after dabbling with baking powder manufacture opened a coffee bar. He then moved back to March, living next door to brother Edward.


iv. JOHN COWARD, b. 1852; m. ELIZABETH BRIGGS.

Notes for JOHN COWARD:
John Fuller Coward married Elizabeth Biggs in 1884 and had three daughters and two sons. He was a bricklayer and publican in Lincolnshire.


v. HARRY COWARD, b. 1857.

Notes for HARRY COWARD:
Harry joined the Royal Navy in 1874 on board HMS Euryalus and was killed at the battle of Tamia (Sudan) in 1884, age 27.


vi. KITTY COWARD, b. 1863.

Notes for KITTY COWARD:
not sure what happened to Kitty Coward - On the 1871 Census Thomas is listed as a widower living with son Harry in Wisbech Road, March. Kitty is miles away, staying with her aunt in Essex. One might conclude that their mother Mary died giving birth to Ki tty - the death of a Mary Ann Coward is recorded in September 1863 in Wisbeach. Kitty herself appears to have passed away at an early age - in 1879, age 16.
.


Generation No. 2

2. EDWARD TAYLOR2 COWARD (THOMAS1) was born 1842 in March, Cambridgshire, and died 1905 in March, Cambridgeshire. He married SARAH ELIZABETH BUTT. She was born 1845 in Guyhirn, Cambridgshire, and died 1930.

Notes for EDWARD TAYLOR COWARD:
Edward Taylor Coward. He married Sarah Elizabeth Butt (1845-1930) and they had five children:
1. Fanny Coward (1864)
2. Fred Gray Coward (1866)
3. Alfred Coward (1869)
4. Harry Fuller Coward (1872-1919).
5. Mary Fuller Coward (1875)


Children of EDWARD COWARD and SARAH BUTT are:
i. FANNY3 COWARD, b. 1864, March, Cambridgeshire; m. GEORGE FOX, December 1, 1890, March, Cambridgshire.
ii. FREDERICK GREY COWARD, b. 1866, March, Cambridgeshire; m. MARY EDGLEY, December 1, 1890, March, Cambridgshire.
iii. ALFRED COWARD, b. 1869, March, Cambridgeshire; m. MARY STAFFORD, September 1, 1887, March, Cambridgshire.

Notes for ALFRED COWARD:
1871 Census Alfred is age 2 at the family residence in Wisbech Road, March with a brother and sister: Fred and Fanny. By the 1881 Census he is already working as an agricultural labourer (at the age of 12!). By this time two new siblings have arrived on the scene: Harry and Mary.

Alfred married Mary Ann Stafford in September 1887. Their son Albert Edward Coward was born the previous year in September 1886. At the 1891 census Alfred is listed as a joiner, boarding at the Hammer & Anvil in Dartford Road, March with his wife. Their son Albert Edward Coward is staying with the grandparents Edward and Sarah in Rookswood Lane, March.

By the 1901 census Alfred is nowhere to be seen, presumably gone to the States. Mary Ann is boarding with an Ann Dent in Barrow-in-Furness. Their son Albert Edward Coward, age 15, is staying with his uncle Herbert Wild in Liverpool, working as errand boy .


As already mentioned, Alfred and his wife Mary had migrated to the States, alongside brother Harry. They were in Florida for several years, living in Riverview, near Jacksonville, Florida . Alfred was a building contractor. When brother Harry Fuller Cowa rd was killed in a train accident (see above) they looked after two of his boys - on the 1920 US Census Alfred and Mary are caring for Harry, age 14 and Edward, age 13. Following Harry's death Alfred and Mary moved back to England although the children a re believed to have stayed in the States.


iv. HARRY FULLER COWARD, b. 1872, March, Cambridgeshire; d. 1919, Jacksonville, Florida; m. (1) MARY MURPHY, June 1, 1896, March, Cambridgshire; m. (2) MARY ROUSE, January 1, 1912, Wisbech, Cambridgshire.

Notes for HARRY FULLER COWARD:
Harry Fuller Coward and Harry's wife died in 1919. Harry and his wife were killed when their vehicle was struck by a train.


v. MARY FULLER COWARD, b. 1875, March, Cambridgeshire; m. HERBERT WILD, 1895, Stamford, Linconshire; b. 1873.