Robert and Alice Cowling - Cornwall and Devon

[brentor boy]

Robert Cowling was baptised at St Agnes, Cornwall, on 20 May 1771. His first known child, also Robert, was baptised in Brentor, Devon, on 14 April, 1805. Alice was named as the child's mother.

FMP has a marriage between Robert Cowling and Alice Borlase in Mary Tavy (adjacent parish to Brentor) on 6 Dec 1801. Robert's brother, Thomas, is known to have migrated from St Agnes to Mary Tavy detween 1795-1800.

BUT there is also record of a marriage between Robert Cowling and Alice Borlase in Kenwyn, Cornwall on 21 Aug 1802! I have a copy of the register entry. Unfortunately the names of the witnesses provide no useful information. The FMP entry is only a transcription.

SO - is this an amazing coincidence concerning two identically named couples? Did the Mary Tavy event not take place, or does the entry refer only to banns? There is no record of the Mary Tavy marriage on Family Search.

Little is known of Alice. In 1841 she is recorded as a servant, aged 60, birth place unknown. Others have identified her as baptised Illogan,Cornwall, on 14 Feb. 1773. This would imply she was 28/29 when she married and that she had her last child when she was 49. She died in 1845.

I would welcome any thoughts that might help me make sense of all this.

[clematised]

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N54H-YC9 Robert and Alice have a son Henry baptised at Mary Tavy 1817 but died 1822

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N54H-RYZ Thomas and Joanna have a child Mary in 1800 at Marytavy

https://familysearch.org/search/reco...ber%3AC05139-1 here are the baptisms for Cowling at Marytavy

I did find the birth you gave for Robert in 1771 if you want that putting up

Edna

[clematised]

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5HD-V4N 1771 birth of Robert

Not having any luck finding a baptism for Robert son of Robert and Alice

Edna
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N575-Q61 alice borlace baptism

[brentor boy]

Thanks, Edna.

I have the details of the the families of both Robert and Thomas. What I am looking for is confirmation of the marriage of Robert and Alice and, if possible, any further clue was to the identity of Alice.

[clematised]

Yes I have now re read the post and realised that you have all I posted and have the marriage for Kenwyn and not for MaryTavy though I do think the MaryTavy one could be banns, sorry I could not be of further help

Edna

[brentor boy]

I have just discovered on Family Search record of the baptism of Henry, son of Alice Borlase, at Mary Tavy on 14 Mar 1802. Pure speculation, but if this is the same Alice, perhaps the proposed marriage in 1801 was prompted by her pregnancy then, for some reason, not carried through. Perhaps family objection that persuaded them to "elope" to Kenwyn to marry later. I can find no other explanation why they ended up there.

I am not convinced that Alice was Alice Borlace of Illogan, born 1773.

[Anne in Carlisle]

I have seen this type of thing before and it did turn out that one of the transcriptions was for banns only, although why they were so long before the actual marriage I'm not sure. Maybe illness or cold feet!!

Anne