Who Do You Think You Are Magazine Forum

[JGerring]

I am trying to find "Mary Silverthorne" possibly from Trowbridge, Wiltshire born around 1827.
I have Mary, married to Francis Smith (a baker) with son (Francis) in St Marylebone, London in the 1851 Census, born in Trowbridge, Wilts, age 24. I have baptism records for at least 5 children, all who have the mothers maiden name as Silverthorn or Silverthorne on the GRO website. I can find Francis and the rest of the family in the 1871 and 1891 census'. I cannot find them in 1861 or 1881.
I can find nothing of Mary before 1850 and nothing after the baptism of 2 of her children in 1866.
I have tried to look for possible illegitimate children in Trowbridge and for remarriages but have had no success.
Can anyone help - I thought finding an unusual name like Silverthorne would be easier that trying to find the Smith family in London, but it looks like I was wrong! Thank you.

[avaline]

Does Mary give Trowbridge as her PoB in all the census that you've found?

Possibly unconnected but there is a marriage in January 1851 in Haggerston [Hackney] for a Jane Silverthorn aged 36 to Francis Baker, Tailor, aged 30. Witnesses are Mary Silverthorn & Thomas Silverthorn. Father named as Thomas Silverthorn deceased.

In the 1851 census Jane is shown as born Bath, Somerset.

Searching for the other witness brings up this in 1851 at 26 George Street, Greenwich
Thomas Silverthorne 28 Tailor born Trowbridge, Wilts
Caroline 22 wife born Woolwich, Kent

[JGerring]

Thank you.
The 1851 census does show her birthplace as Trowbridge - but I have found census info to be 'flexible' . I'll look into these other Silverthorne's and see what I can find before I plan a trip to Chippenham to try the 1841 census for Trowbridge.

[ksouthall]

There is a Mary Silverthorne aged 15 living in Bathampton, Bath in the 1841 Census. She is described as "born in county".

There is also a Maria Silverthorne aged 15 living in Bath.

If Jane Silverthorne was her sister and she was born in Bath, it's possible Mary was unsure of her birthplace or it was recorded incorrectly in several censuses.

[avaline]

There's also a Joseph Silverthorn(e) born c1827 Trowbridge & a tailor living in London. His wife was Elizabeth Shephard (married in Trowbridge in 1847, his father named as John, a tailor). In 1851 she is still in Trowbridge with her father & a daughter named Mary Ann, and Joseph is lodging in Wandsworth.

In 1841 Joseph is in Greenwich with an (assumed) brother, Richard. Both shown as born in county (Kent) but later census show them both as born Trowbridge. He is yet another tailor, born c1825. Married Hannah Elizabeth Selby in 1846.

As you say, it’s quite an unusual surname, so for so many of them to be of a similar age, born in Trowbridge & living in London at the same time suggests they must be somehow connected.

There seems to have been quite a few non-conformists by the name of Silverthorn(e) in & around that area, so this could explain the lack of baptisms perhaps?