George Courtenay of Waterford c1847

Before I created this blog, I was publishing my research theories on George's profile at Wikitree.  In 2016 a fellow Wikitreer asked me 'Have you considered John Courtenay's (1775, Ireland-1851, London) grandsons?'  She went on to suggest that one of them was named George who was baptised in 1848.

This was an extremely attractive suggestion as these Courtenay's were from Waterford, an area suggested by my grandmother as an ancestral place I have yet to find.  However, was this George too young to be my ancestor?  Could his birth date in the 1871 census have been overstated by 13 years?  His twin daughters were born in 1871, so if he was their father he would have been around 24 which still seems plausible.

George Courtenay was born in Middlesex in about 1847 and baptised on 8 Jan 1848, his parents James Courtenay and Louisa Ward.  The grandson of John Courtenay 1775 who married Mary Hogg.  The line traces back to Ensign Edward Courtenay of Lish, Armagh who married Frances Moore in 1681.

He can be found in the 1861 census boarding at school with his brother James.  Neither George, nor James can be located in the 1871 census.  James was born in Waterford, so perhaps they had both returned to Ireland at that time?  Or, could he be my Arthur George Courtenay who is residing in Woolwich Kent?

It would appear George married Edith Elizabeth Whittle in 1874, St Martin, Scarborough, Yorkshire (East Riding). George gave his place of residence as Lowton.  Is it the Lowton in Lancashire near Manchester or is there another place of the same name?

In 1878 George was listed in the probate record for his father as living at 19 Westbourne Terrace, Middlesex.  By the time of the 1881 census, he and Edith are living at 26 Ethelbert Crescent, Margate with two children, George 6 and Mary 1.

George has disappeared again in 1891, but is back living in Bournemouth in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses.  He still says he is married but his wife is not with him in either census.

Edith died in Switzerland in 1923, however it is not clear when George died, no obvious death record can be found.

If you help with any of this research, please use the contact form on this blog or send me a private message via Wikitree, Ancestry or Facebook.


Lismore, Waterford 2017

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This blog is dedicated to finding my second great grandfather Arthur 'George' Courtney c1841.   To see a summary of my research click here.  

If you help with any of questions raised in this post, please contact me using the contact form on this blog or send me a private message via Wikitree, Ancestry or Facebook. 

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