The below received from Phil Russell on 7/6/2020
Possible Goslings…?
Most of these records are transcriptions from either FamilySearch or Findmypast so there may be
transcription errors!
There is a marriage for Robert Goslin & Mary Stiles 15/10/1678 Reading and Warboro MM. (MM
= Monthly Meeting; Robert was a Quaker). Mary’s father is David Stiles.
This looked promising when I found all their children, including a Robert born 25/07/1681 in
Newbury, in the register of Quaker births. Unfortunately, Robert was buried 15/05/1685 in
Newbury, so we don’t seem to be descended from Quakers.
*****
G eneration 1
So that left just one other Robert; Robert Goslin, baptised 23/12/1683 Reading, Berkshire, father
Robert but unfortunately no mother’s name.
Marriage: Robert Gosling = Elizabeth Knight 21 May 1707 St Mary (The Minster), Reading,
Berkshire; by Banns.
Baptism: Elizabeth Knight 03 Oct 1686 Reading, Berkshire. Parents: William Knight & Mary.
Burial: Plausible: Elizabeth Goslin 11 Dec 1738 St Andrew’s Church, Shrivenham, Berkshire
Children with parents named as Robert & Elizabeth: ((R) = Reading; (S) = Shrivenham; (?) = not
known; spellings as transcribed)
Baptisms Burials
Hester 12/07/1707 (S)
Robart 16/03/1708 (?) 10/02/1709 (R)
Joseph 23/01/1709 (?) 28/01/1709 (R)
John 02/02/1709 (?) 05/02/1739 (S)
Elizabeth 23/02/1710 (R) 08/03/1712 (R)
Robart 13/08/1712 (R) 21/05/1723 (R)
Jane 21/12/1712 (?) 07/12/1726 (S)
**Robert 02/10/1715 (S) 03/11/1792 (S)
Mary 28/09/1718 (S)
Susanna 10/09/1721 (S)
William 11/06/1725 (S)
N.B. The burials only seem to relate to that particular individual..
Some of the baptisms/burials being in two different places could mean that there are two different
Robert & Elizabeth Gosling families, but it could also mean that Robert was either a drover, a
carter, or had some other occupation where he travelled between the two places until he decided to
settle in Shrivenham. (Tracing the route from a 1700s map as closely as possible, the distance
between Shrivenham and Reading is approximately 40 miles)
Generation 2
**Baptism: Robert Goslin 02 Oct 1715 Shrivenham, Berkshire. Parents Robert Goslin &
Elizabeth.
Burial: Robert Goslin 03/11/1792 Shrivenham aged 77. Cause of death, ‘paralytic’. (I presume that
means paralysed!)
Marriage: Robert Goseling = Jane Shilton 24 Dec 1738 Highworth. (Highworth is approximately 3
miles NW of Shrivenham)
Baptism: Jane Shilton 06 Nov 1715 Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire. Father Robert. (Shrivenham is
approximately 12.5 miles ESE of Ashton Keynes)
Burial: Probable: Jane Gosling 30/09/1783 Shrivenham aged 67. Cause of death, consumption.
Baptisms & Burials: As before, the burials only seem to relate to that particular individual.
Baptisms to parents Robert & Jane: Burials:
Jane Goslin 30 Jan 1739 03/02/1739
Sarah Goslin 11 May 1740
William Goslin 08 Jul 1744
Susannah Goslin 17 Jan 1746 18/01/1746
Diana Goslin 18 Oct 1749
Robert Gosling 26 Dec 1750 06/12/1822 aged 70
Thomas Goslin 14 July 1753 13/06/1802 aged 50
**Richard Gosling 12 Jun 1755
Possible marriage for Thomas: Thomas Gosling = Elizabeth Bailor 11 Jul 1774 Shrivenham.
No baptism found for Elizabeth. Possibly her surname is a transcription error.
Burial: Elizabeth Gosling 17/04/1729 aged 76 Shrivenham. (Thomas’s widow?)
*****
Generation 3
**Baptism: Richard Gosling 12 Jun 1755 Shrivenham; parents Robert Gosling & Jane.
Burial: Plausible: Richard Gosling 16 May 1784 Shrivenham, Berkshire aged 27. Relation: Robt &
Jane. Cause of death, dropsy.
Baptism: Mary Lynn 27 Aug 1749 Faringdon, Berkshire. Parents Richard Lynn & Mary.
(Faringdon is approximately 5 miles NE of Shrivenham)
Burial: Possible: Mary Gosling 06 Dec 1827 Shrivenham, Berkshire aged 80. (Wife of Richard?)
Marriage: Richard Goslin = Mary Linn 20 Nov 1775 Shrivenham, Berkshire.
Baptisms:
William Gosling 09 Mar 1777 Shrivenham, Berkshire. Parents: Richard Gosling Mary.
Richard Goslin 03 Aug 1778 Shrivenham, Berkshire. Parents: Richard Goslin Mary.
Sarah Goslin 18 Mar 1781 Shrivenham, Berkshire. Parents: Richard Goslin Mary.
John Gosling 09 May 1784 Shrivenham, Berkshire. Parents: Richard Gosling Mary Linn.
(Richard’s early death could explain why there don’t seem to be any other births for a Richard &
Mary Gosling)
*****
And out of interest, there is a marriage on Findmypast between Robart Gosslyn & Alyce Baudwyn
01 Oct 1547 in Newbury, but researching that one will be for another day…
John Gosling c.1792? or earlier.
In the 1841 census there are 2 John Goslings living in Kempsford and born in the county:
(i) aged 48, a possible candidate
We find John Gosling, 48, ag.labourer, in Kempsford, likely to be this John Gosling born ~1793.. In which case his wife Mary ~ 1790 has died. And John could die 1847 Faringdon/ 1841 Swindon
(ii) aged 60, with a wife 'Pheby' also aged 60. Discounted because we want a John whose wife's name is known to be Mary, and because 'John & Pheby' appear in 1851C, he born Faringdon - some 12+ miles from Kempsford
OR, our John Gosling has died prior to 1841
Between 1841 and 1851, in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire* (the counties where he can reasonably be expected), there are three John Gosling deaths noted in FreeBMD;
1841 Q2 Swindon &c 8 236 . .includes Highworth, quite near Kempsford. This the death of an infant, aged 0, his birth registered in Q2
1843 Q2 Farringdon 6 121 .includes Great Coxwell & Shrivenham. This death of an 18mth old from measles, son of Henry &, likely, Jane- Philip has d.c 2014
1847 Q1 Farringdon 6 166
although none of these districts contain Kempsford. BUT, if I were a true Gosling, I would purchase these certificates, one by one!
However, it's possible John was missed by the 1851 census and died either:
1854 Q4 Farringdon 2c 170
1855 Q3 Cirencester 6a 151
1857 Q1 Cirencester 6a 224.
1858 Q1 Northleach 6a 277
1860 Q2 Abingdon 2c 187
Cirencester District contains Kempsford.
Philip will try to get to the bottom of this the next time back in the UK for longer than a few days.
There is a marriage noted in the IGI between Mary Lowder & John ‘Goslen’ 12 Oct 1808, Great Coxwell, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). Great Coxwell is about 8 miles from Kempsford. Baptisms exist in Shrivenham, Berkshire, of Elizabeth Goslin 19 Feb 1809, and Richard Goslin 25 Dec 1810. The parents of both children noted as John Goslin & Mary. Shrivenham is five miles from Great Coxwell and nine miles from Kempsford. A possibility is that these were our parents and they moved to Kempsford by 1813 for the 6 known children baptised there, 1813-1825.
A Richard Goslin b. Kempsford ~ 1806 appears in 1841C & 1851C: he could be the Richard baptised 1810 with birthplace confused!
Several years ago Philip went to the Gloucester Records Office and tried to find a marriage for any John Goslings in or near Kempsford, but no joy.
Mary ??
She is possibly the Mary ‘Goslin’ noted as being buried 13 Aug 1831 Age 47 in the Kempsford Bishop’s Transcripts: this would give a birth~.1784 and if she were the 1808 marriage, then an age there of 24.
A Mary Ann Gosling also dies Faringdon 1840 - unlikely to be her as Mary Ann.
* The county boundaries have moved around – in some cases quite a bit, in the Kempsford area since 1841.
Children of John Gosling and Mary.
Other children were: Sarah Gosling 1813-1814, Anna Maria Gosling 1814-1894 ??, only if she had married!!, William Gosling 1817, John Gosling c.1820 - 1905, Mary Ann Gosling 1822, & Jonathan Gosling 1825-1827, all baptised in Kempsford -IGI. Not on Findmypast.
. William Gosling 1817 probably in Kempsford in 1841C - age illegible. William Gosling 1817 married Caroline Lydiard & was living Slimbridge in 1851C. Son William H Gosling a servant in Chipping Sodbury by 1861C.
Facts on an email received from Phil on 1/11/2020
William Gosling c.1817:
in the 1841 census, it’s probably him in the household of John & Sarah Lydeard and their daughter Caroline, in Slimbridge. His occupation is M.S., but states he wasn’t born in the county. Although he gives his place of birth as Kempsford in later censuses, possibly he was born just outside Kempsford in Wiltshire, the county boundary being quite close to the village.
I’ve got to grips with three of William’s five children so far. His children are:
* GOSLING, WILLIAM [LYDIARD] GRO Reference: 1844 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 11 Page 307. (GRO)
Marriage: William H Gosling = Ellen Woolford 1866 Q1 Dursley 6A 283. (Fmp) (see (1) below)
† William Henry Gosling 1924 Q1 Gloucester 6A 475 aged 79. (Fmp)
John Gosling (see (2) below)
* c.1847 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. (Census)
† - -?- -
* GOSLING, HENRY [LYDIARD] GRO Reference: 1850 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 11 Page 328. (GRO)
† GOSLING, HENRY Age 0 GRO Reference: 1850 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 11 Page 227. (GRO)
Elizabeth Gosling (see (3) below)
* c.1857 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. (Census)
† 03 Dec 1926 • GOSTLIN, ELIZABETH 70 GRO Reference: 1926 D Quarter in BATH Volume 05C Page 615. (PS • GRO)
Charles Gosling
* Charles Gosling 1859 Q2 Dursley 6A 188 [Lidiard]. (FreeBMB)
† - - - -
Neither Elizabeth's or John's births seem to have been registered. Not yet traced in either FreeBMD or the GRO online index.
(1) Ellen Woolford c.1843-1927 / 1933.
Death record: either: Eleanor Gosling 1927 Q4 Gloucester 6A 361 aged 84 or Ellen Gosling 1933 Q1 Cirencester 6A 618 aged 81. Gloucester district encompasses Hucclecote, where Ellen and family were living in 1911. I’ve had other people where Eleanor has been substituted for Ellen, so at least Eleanor is plausible. I’ll probably end up getting this record to make sure one way or t’other.
The only thing wrong with the Ellen Gosling death record is that her age should be 89-91, whereas Eleanor’s age at death is about right.
Known Children of William & Ellen:
Ellen Jane Gosling 1867-1924 (m. Sydney William Collins 1891 no children)
Albert Henry Gostlin 1869-1955 (m. Ellen Charlotte Edbrooke 1924 no children)
Walter Ernest Gosling 1872-1938 (never married)
William John Gosling 1875-1946 (m. Edith Cleveley Preece 1909 four children)
Francis Charles Gostling 1885-1957 (m. Lilian Sarah Gardner 1915 two children)
(2) Apparently taking ten years off his age, and calling himself John Henry Gosling, John joined The Manchester Regiment at the Tower of London on 17 Jul 1883, Service Number 621. He was recorded as 26 years and 8 months old, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches tall, and weighed 144 lbs. He was previously living in London and his occupation was given as 'Clerk'. Place of birth Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, next of kin named as Caroline Gosling.
He served in India from 22 Feb 1889. John seems to have been in and out of trouble over the years, being reduced in rank several times, finally being reduced to private in 1895 (he had been a sergeant in 1889). Nothing is known of any service after 1895, but he had signed on to complete 21 years service on 02 Sept 1895 which would have taken him to 1904. Not yet found in the 1901 or 1911 censuses.
(There is a John Henry Gosling birth registered in 1858 in Gloucester, but the mother’s maiden surname is Heartshorn.)
(3) In the 1861 & 1871 censuses, Elizabeth’s recorded ages give a year of birth of c.1857. In the1901 (age 40) & 1911 (age 52) censuses, her surname is recorded as ‘Gostling’, and she was working as a Ladies Maid for the wife of Sir Alfred Jodrell in Norfolk. Lady Jodrell died on 02 Nov 1920, so if Elizabeth was still working for the Jodrells, her position would likely have ended then.
The website https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk, records an Elizabeth Gostlin, 4 Park-street, Bath, spinster, who died 03 Dec 1926. She left £292 18s. 5d. to Albert Gostlin, engine driver. There is an Albert Henry Gostlin, aged 41, born in Slimbridge and an engine driver, recorded in the 1911 census. This is her nephew, the son of her brother William and his wife Ellen (nee Woolford).
Albert Henry Gostlin 1869 Q3 Dursley 6A 202 [Woolford].
Below are the death certs of John Gosling (c.1785-1855), him who I think could be the missing link, and Elizabeth Gosling/Gostlin.
December 2012 email from Philip:
Part of the problem could well be that the county boundaries have changed quite a bit since then – Berkshire went virtually as far across as Swindon, and Kempsford itself is only about 100 yards from the current county boundary with Wiltshire; Oxfordshire isn’t that far away either. It’s certainly possible that he was born in one county and baptised in another.
There is a plausible baptism for the earlier John though on FamilySearch;
John Gosling bap. 06 Jul 1797 Coleshill, Berkshire. Parents; John Gosling & Susanna.. This would rule out the 1808 Mary Lowder & John ‘Goslen’ marriage
Coleshill is less than three miles from Great Coxwell, Berkshire, where a John Gosling married Mary Lowder 12 Oct 1808.
The problem here is in two parts:
(i) there is a five year gap between their marriage and the birth of the first known child, Sarah (bap 13 Oct 1813)
(ii) from the 1841 census, his birth year is approx 1792
(iii) his age at marriage
(i) could be solved by the baptisms in Shrivenham, Berkshire, of Elizabeth Goslin 19 Feb 1809, and Richard Goslin 25 Dec 1810. The parents of both children noted as John Goslin & Mary. This shortens the gap considerably. Shrivenham is five miles from Great Coxwell (and nine miles from Kempsford).
(ii) is a bit more difficult, but it certainly wasn’t unknown for people to either not know how old they were, or give a different age on the census for some reason of their own.
There was an earlier child named John born to John & Susanna in 1792 who died soon after. And even though the later John was baptised in 1797, he could have been born several years earlier.
(iii) is the most difficult one, but I believe at the time, the age at which you could marry was 12. But whichever way you look at he was quite young when he married.