George Richard Courtney/Pountney, Brass Dresser Staffordshire 1881

In the 1881 England Census taken at Staffordshire, we find a George COURTNEY listed living with his family, occupation described as a brass dresser, similar to our missing George.  He states he was born in Middlesex, could this be him?


1881 census


I had a lot of difficulty finding this family anywhere else including any marriage in the right timeframe to Sarah.  After some years I finally discovered the family in the 1871 census listed as George POUNTNEY!  

From further research I discovered his parents were Richard Pountney and Sophia Barron, grandparents John and Ann probably from Warwickshire.  Given he is alive and well living in Staffordshire in the 1871 census makes him seem unlikely to be my George.

Family Tree of George 1843 on WikiTree (@WikiTreeOfficial)


However, one AncestryDNA match (@ 26cMs) has an ancestor listed as Olive Phoebe Courtney of Staffordshire.  I believe her name is actually Phoebe Ann Courtney, her grandparents William Courtney and Ann Barran also of Staffordshire.  

Family Tree of Phoebe on WikiTree (@Wikitree Official)

Some trees at Ancestry suggest this William Courtneys father was named Samuel.  

Remarkably one Ancestry researcher has suggested the 1841 census record for this Samuel should be corrected to read 'Pountney'!!


  Clue or red herring?


NOTE:  Our DNA match also has Olive's grandparents listed as William Courtney and Elizabeth Scales  who married in Middlesex in 1840 - this couple and known descendants can be found on Wikitree.  The couple does have Elizabeth Phoebe who married a William Thompson, but I believe this to be a different person.  This Elizabeth Phoebe has a brother named George Joseph Courtney, b1857 in Essex.



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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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