Thomas Henry Cosker - help please.

[Lal]

Thomas is my gggf who married in Bethnall Green May 1852 - he was a Mariner at his wedding. His father on his MC was William, a Lighthouse Keeper!

I have him quite well documented after his marriage - always living in Limehouse and born in Wales (Milford) about 1831. He was a Mariner in 1861 & 1871 .

I can find absolutely nothing before May 1852!! Tried Wales and England. Tried Cooker, Cacker, Cocker, Coster, Corker amongst others.

I could speculate that as a mariner he may be at sea in 1851 age 20 but where is he age 10?

I have kept looking as new records are put online but after another fruitless morning my brain hurts!!

Has anyone got time please to have a go? No parents = no siblings either.

I would appreciate any time and any help.

Thank you

[kiterunner]

Presumably he is the Thomas Cosker who married Harriet Blundell 17 May 1852 at Bethnal Green parish church? Father William Cosker, lighthouse keeper. Thomas doesn't have a middle name on the marriage certificate, so even if he is Thomas Henry on later records, it may turn out that he was just Thomas in his earlier life.

Witnesses at his marriage are George Blundell and Susanna Blundell, presumably both relatives of the bride. I know you will have this information already, but just in case anyone else wants to know and doesn't have access to the marriage cert on ancestry.

[Lal]

Hi

Yes that is he! Her family were all in Bethnall Green back to 1789.

There were two more generations of Thomas Henry's after him but I cannot remember now where I attached it to him. Harriett had a middle name of Susannah as well. Maybe the mister didn't like middle names!!

I have also looked for Coskers living near to them on the Census but cannot make any connection at all.

Thanks

[kiterunner]

Their names are just Thomas and Harriet on their children's baptisms too.

[ElizabethHerts]

Just for information:

Day: 3
Month: 11
Year: 1864
Forename: Harriet
Othernames: Susannah
Surname: Cosker
Fathers forenames: Thomas
Fathers occupation: Rigger
Mothers forenames: Harriet
Birth date: 11 October 1864
Address: Limehouse
Location of church: Limehouse
Parish: St Anne
Church address: Commercial Road
Entry No: 1355
Source Ref: X069/002

Day: 08
Month: April
Year: 1867
Forename: Thomas
Othernames: Henry
Surname: Cosker
Fathers forenames: Thomas
Fathers occupation: Rigger
Mothers forenames: Harriet
Birth date: 17/12/1854
Address: 14 London Street
Location of church: Ratcliff
Parish: St James
Church address: Butcher Row
Entry No: 1618
Source Ref: X099/078

[ElizabethHerts]

Another child!

Day: 08
Month: April
Year: 1867
Forename: Robert
Othernames:
Surname: Cosker
Fathers forenames: Thomas
Fathers occupation: Rigger
Mothers forenames: Harriet
Birth date: 25/01/1857
Address: 14 London Street
Location of church: Ratcliff
Parish: St James
Church address: Butcher Row
Entry No: 1604
Source Ref: X099/078

[kiterunner]

There are a couple of William Cosker deaths in Haverfordwest district (the district that Milford was in), one in 1858 and one in 1860, but the death index doesn't give age at death for those years. I can't see a likely William Cosker on the censuses.

[Lal]

Oooh errr!

Am at work at the mo (with just my family tree rough files to play with!) so can't say where I got that from but I have checked his sons MC on it is on that!

Thanks for your time - I appreciate any help but I feel it would be a miracle if I could get farther back than 1852!!

[kiterunner]

I've come across a few cases where a father "acquires" his son's middle name on children's marriage / death certs.

There do seem to be quite a few Coskers in the Milford area of Pembrokeshire but no Thomas with a father William who is a lighthouse keeper, that I can see.

The Welsh parish registers are supposed to be going online some time in the next few years, so it might be another one of those families who we are hoping turn up then!

[Lal]

Thank you Kiterunner.

When I saw 'lighthouse keeper' i actually thought it was going to be easy!!

I looked for lighthouses in Wales and then wondered if there was any call for such a trade around London and the adjoining coastline, meaning the whole family could have moved, instead of just Thomas.

In my dreams someone will have a Lighthouse Keeper Register!!

Lol

[kiterunner]

There is this:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Lighthouses/

but no Cosker listed.

[ElizabethHerts]

Thank you Kiterunner.

When I saw 'lighthouse keeper' i actually thought it was going to be easy!!

I looked for lighthouses in Wales and then wondered if there was any call for such a trade around London and the adjoining coastline, meaning the whole family could have moved, instead of just Thomas.

In my dreams someone will have a Lighthouse Keeper Register!!

Lol

Here you are! However, I couldn't find him on a quick perusal.

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Lighthouses/

[Lal]

Thank you both.


Off for a look.

[Merry]

On the 1881 census (RG11 piece 740 folio 118 page 42) there's:

John Cosker head m 49 ship's carpenter b Pembroke Milford
Jane Cosker wife m 53 laundress b Pembroke Milford

living at 4, York Villa, Lower Victoria Road, Charlton Next Woolwich, Kent
with some children and other relatives. Perhaps related?

[kiterunner]

John Cosker's age looks like 59 to me, Merry.

[kiterunner]

Hmmm... in 1861 that John Cosker is age 37 and he has a Thomas Cosker age 38 living next door to him, both born Deale, Pembrokeshire. That Thomas is a shipwright with a wife called Fanny so if John is a relative of the Thomas we're looking for, I would guess cousin rather than brother.

[Merry]

John Cosker's age looks like 59 to me, Merry.

I was using the FMP image which was virtually illegible!