The Bower & Collier Family History
Research by Colin Bower
Gardner Family
Progress To Date
Great Grandparent: Charlotte Gardner
- Her Parents: Edward Gardner
- Her Grandparents:
Mini Family Tree (Direct Ancestors)
The family tree to date may be summarised:
Gardner Family
Edward Gardner b 1808/9
Married 6.6.1830
1.Martha Tunstell b 1808/9
2. Hannah (Gardner) b c 1832/3
Children:
Mary Ann Gardner b 1838
Charlotte Gardner b 1841
Eliza Gardner b 1851/2
Henry Gardner b 1854/5
Charlotte Gardner b c 1843/4
Married 3.10.1869
Henry Thomas Hayes b 11.7.1849
Charlotte Hayes b 15.08.1876
Married 6.06.1897
William Bower b 23.10.1867
Frederick Bower b 12.09.1910
d 10.9.2006
Married 11.07.1936
Doris Ivy Brecht b 15.03.1912
d 29.6.2003
Colin Malcolm Bower b 12.01.1944
Married 15.10.1966
Christine Elizabeth Collier b 26.03.1946
Link to Family Tree
Charlotte Hayes (formerly Gardner) & Descendants
Summary of Research To Date
Of the 16 Great Grandparents, we have made less progress tracing the Gardners than any other, including Jones!
The surname is very common yet has many variants making it difficult to progress.
Charlotte Gardner was married in 1869 in Islington and in the 1881 Census her age was given as 32 born Islington. Unfortunately there were a number of Edward Gardners living in Islington in 1881.
It was a boost to find the family in the 1851 and 1861 Censuses in which it turns out that Edward had 7 children by 2 wives.
Birth Marriage & Death Certificates Held
- Birth: 3 Unwanted
- Marriage: 1
- Death:
Certificates Held-Charlotte Hayes (formerly Gardner)
Census Records Obtained
- 1841
- 1851 Edward & Martha Gardner & family
- 1861 Edward & Hannah Gardner & family
- 1871
- 1881 Henry and Charlotte Hayes (formerly Gardner) & family
- 1891 Charlotte Hayes (formerly Gardner) Widow & family
- 1901
- 1911
- Parish Records-nil
- Wills
- Businesses-nil
- Correspondence: Paradoxically we have written to more people about Gardners than any other name, without success!
- Visits-nil
- Photographs
- Misc Info/Documents
Progress 2004
Somewhat elusive. I obtained the birth certificate of another of Charlotte Hayes' children Mary Hayes to prove that Charlotte's maiden name was Gardner; the one certificate we had, had suggested it was Garner.
Progress 2005
-
Progress 2006
Found the family in the 1861 Census. There was a lot of new information but we still do not know Charlotte's mother's name yet.(see 2008)
The family were living at 45 St Pauls St, Islington:
Edward (42)
Charlotte (17)
Eliza (9)
It appears that Edward must have married again and had a further child:
Hannah (28)
Henry (6)
Progress 2007
-
Progress 2008
Good progress was made with the discovery of Edward & Martha Gardner & family in the 1851 census.
There were 3 other chidren:
John (17)
Mary Ann (12)
Ellen(5)
Progress 2009
The publication of the Parish Records held by the London Metropolitan Archives on the internet, enabled me to trace a possible marriage for Edward James Gardner to Martha Tunstell on 6.6.1830 at St George, Bloomsbury. This may be possible as Martha was born in Bloomsbury (per 1851 Census).
Progress 2010
I obtained the birth certificate of Eliza Gardner to prove that Martha Tunstell married Edward James Gardner, parents of Charlotte Gardner, my 2 x Great Grandmother.
I included the Gardner family in the project: The Big One!
The Big One - Family History Research Report - Gardner Family
In writing up the research report for the Gardner/Tunstell Family I traced a baptism of a Martha Tunstill and a potential second marriage for Edward Gardner at St Giles in 1852.
Progress 2011
In January I made a visit to London to walk some of the streets that some of my ancestors walked, taking photos as I went:
During the visit, I went to High Holborn where Edward Gardner was a compositer in Drury Lane.
Progress 2012/5
-
Progress 2016
We would like to find the birth of Edward Gardner to get the names of his parents; also the birth of Henry Gardner to get the surname of Edward's second wife Hannah.
In conducting many and various searches, we found the birth of Edward's son Edward James Gardner and an entry for the latter's family in the 1861 Census
Progress 2017-2019
-
Progress 2020
We have not made the same progress with the Gardner name as other names, though name variants are a known problem, as illustrated below.
After many years of trying, I traced the Gardner Family in the 1841 Census, which shows an elder child Martha.
The family were listed by the enumerator as Gardiner and transcribed on Ancestry as Gardina!
The illusive Edward is shown as a Baker but previously and subsequently was a Printer or Compositer:
1841 Census
34 (?) Ginger Street, St Giles in the Fields, Finsbury
Edward Gardiner (32) Baker
Martha Gardiner (31)
Martha Gardiner (11)
Edward Gardiner (9)
John Gardiner (7)
Mary Gardiner (3)
I updated the list of census entries
Things we wish we knew
- Death certificate of Edward Gardner (born c1808/94)
- Birth & Death certificates of his daughter Charlotte Gardner (born c1843/4)
- circa 1852 marriage certificate giving maiden name of his second wife
- Birth of Henry 1855/6 to give second wife's maiden name
Colin Bower
21 December 2020
Links to:
Gardner Family - Main Links
Family History - Main Index
