Someone might be able to help if you provide some names,approx dates of birth and places of birth.

I found this family is it yours?

1911 England Census
Name: John Cowling
Age in 1911: 53
Estimated birth year: abt 1858
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England ***
Civil Parish: Oldham
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 79 Eldon St Oldham Lancashire
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Railway Goods Porter

John Cowling 53 b Sheffield, Yorkshire
Elizabeth Cowling 47 b Montreal, Canada *
William Edward Cowling 27 b Oldham, Lancashire occ Railway Goods Porter
Hubert Cowling 20 b Oldham, Lancashire occ Brick Letters Labourer
Mary Ellen Smith 29 b Oldham, LancashireDaughter (widow)
Lucy Cowling 1 b Oldham, Lancashire, grandaughter

* Married 30 years, number of children born 8 still living 3

1901 England Census
Name: John Cowling
Age: 44
Estimated birth year: abt 1857
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Spouse: Elizth Cowling
Birth Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Oldham
Ecclesiastical parish: Holy Trinity
Town: Oldham
Street address: 105 Henshaw Street
Occupation: out of employment

John Cowling 44
Elizth Cowling 38
Mary E Cowling 18
William E Cowling 16



1881 England Census
Name: John Cowling
Age: 24
Estimated birth year: abt 1857
Relationship to Head: Lodger
Gender: Male
Where born: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Oldham
County/Island: Lancashire
Street address: 38 Landseer St
Occupation: Railway Carriage Shunter

John Allen Taylor 30 head of house. occ Railway Carriage Shunter b Woodhead, Yorkshire
John Cowling 24

This looks like the birth reg of John and Elizabeth's son. If you get the birth cert. it should show his mothers maiden name.

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Name: William Edward Cowling
Registration Year: 1884
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Oldham
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8d
Page: 628

Thanks for your valuable research.
This is the John Cowling that I am looking for.


John married Elizabeth Conway daughter of Martin Conway a soldier of the 47th Regiment
stationed in Montreal. Martin at that time was married to Mary Ann Downing (his 2nd wife).

Now I am trying to find Johns family.

I think his father may have been one Parkin Cowling b 1821 married to Ann b 1825 (or possibly 1828?)

Correction - Martin at that time was married to Mary Ann Dowling.

** Two spellings Parkin and Parker

1861 England Census
Name: John Cowling
Age: 4
Estimated birth year: 1857
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Parker Cowling
Mother's name: Ann Cowling
Gender: Male
Where born: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Sheffield
Ecclesiastical parish: Heeley
Town: Sheffield

Parker Cowling 41 **
Ann Cowling 33
Mary A Cowling 12
Joseph Cowling 10
William Cowling 6
John Cowling 4
Esther Cowling 3
Ann E Cowling 1


1871 England Census
Name: Parkin Cowling
Age: 51
Estimated birth year: abt 1820
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ann Cowling
Gender: Male
Where born: Swinefleet, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Ecclesall Bierlow
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary
Town: Sheffield

Parkin Cowling 51 **
Ann Cowling 43
Joseph Cowling 20
William Cowling 16
John Cowling 14
Hesther Cowling 12
Ann E Cowling 11
Frances Cowling 8
Parkin Cowling 7
Florence Cowling 4
Rebecca Hobson 80 Mother in law

England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915
Name: Parkin Cowling
Registration Year: 1846
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Sheffield
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 22 Page: 571
Spouse's Name :Ann Hobson

1841 England Census
Name: Parkin Cowling
Age: 20
Estimated birth year: abt 1821
Gender: Male
Where born: Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Sheffield
Hundred: Strafforth and Tickhill (South Division)
County/Island: Yorkshire

Joseph Cowling 50
Sarah Cowling 45
Parkin Cowling 20 **
William Cowling 15
Sarah Cowling 15
Joseph Cowling 15
John Cowling 12
Charles Cowling 7
Mary Ann Cowling 4

England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915
Name: John Cowling
Registration Year: 1881
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Ashton under Lyne
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8d Page: 749
Spouses Name : Elizabeth Conway

The above pots are based on you theory that Perkin/Parkin Cowling was John's father.
I would suggest you get the Marriage Cert for John and Elizabeth to prove Parkin is John's father.

If Parkin is correct I would then get the marriage cert for Parkin and Ann Dobson to see if Joseph was Parkin's father

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Parkin Cowling
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 27 Dec 1819
Baptism Place: Swinefleet,York,England
Father: Joseph Cowling
Mother: Sarah
FHL Film Number: 991097

To find the marriage for Joseph and Sarah try this site:

https://familysearch.org/search

Well I got the marriage certificate for John & Elizabeth Cowling and Johns father is registered as Ian King Cowling.
So this certificate was money well spent.
Thanks wizard28