William DOWNEY

Bef 1826 - 1887  (~ 60 years)

• Name	William DOWNEY
  Birth	Bef 16 Apr 1826	Long Melford, Suffolk
  Christening	16 Apr 1826	Long Melford, Suffolk   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	67FCAC8BFB7646A3B08D18CB15A35E96C069
  Death	Mar 1887	Sudbury RD   [2]
  Notes	1841 census: not found - every page of the Long Melford census examined and William not there. I found what was probably his family and also his wife-to-be and have added these details. I found William's baptism at www.dustydocs.com - it is listed there as William DOWNY but is almost certainly the right one. 1851 census: in Southgate Street, Melford, Suffolk, William (25, ag lab), Matilda (24, straw plaiter), Susan (4) and Henry John* (1). The following taken from www.foxearth.org.uk may refer: 28 January 1858. William Downey of Long Melford was charged with stealing 14 lbs of coal from Mr John Oliver Brand of Cornard, Mr Brand recommended him to mercy. 7 days imprisonment. 19 October 1861. William Downey of Melford was charged with stealing a !4 of a peck of potatoes valued at 3d the property of Mrs Woolard of Melford. Lorking Woolard her son said while going down Cock and Bell lane to the river to water his pony he saw prisoner and another man coming across Town field which leads to a field occupied by Mrs Woolard in which is a barn containing potatoes, the prisoner threw a bag which he threw away in a ditch, he went to the place where the bag was thrown and found it full of potatoes. 14 days hard labour. 2 November 1861. Three boys were charged with stealing bread and meat from Thomas Coe, labourer of Melford. Maurice Whittle aged 16 years was charged and two other boys admitted being confederates. Thomas Coe said he was ploughing near the turnpike road at Melford, he missed his bread and meat from his "nose bag" which he had laid on a bank adjoining the road, the prisoner and two others boys named Downey were close at hand but denied taking it, the Downey brothers were questioned by the Bench and they admitted. All three boys were admonished by the Bench and dismissed. 1861 census: in White Hart Yard, Melford, Suffolk, William (34, ag lab), Martha (sic) (33, horse hair weaver), William (16, ag lab), Susan (13, horse hair weaver), Henry* (11, ag lab), John (9, ag lab), Eliza (5) and Richard (1). * I think this must be the same as the son known (and registered) as Harry. There is no sign of the registration of a Henry John Downey. 1871 census: in White Hart Yard, Melford, Suffolk, William (44, bricklayers labourer), Matilda (40, bricklayers labourer's wife), Eliza (13, horsehair server), Richard (11, scholar), James (8, scholar), Fred (5, scholar) and Rose Florence (3). 1881 census: in Hall Street East, Melford, Suffolk, William (54, labourer in malting), Matilda (53), James (19, flax dresser), Fred (16, flax dresser), Rose (13, horse hair server), Ellen (9, scholar) and granddaughte Susannah HEARD (9, scholar). Next door lived William's niece Ellen with her husband Henry BIRD. 1891 census: in St Mary's Street, Melford, Suffolk, Matilda (63, head, widow), Frederick (26, bricklayer's labourer, born Long Melford), Rose (23, horse hair weaver), Ellen (19, horse hair weaver), granddaughter Florence DOWNEY (5, scholar, born Long Melford), grandson Archie DOWNEY (2, born Long Melford) and grandson George HEARD (5, scholar, born Sudbury).
  Person ID	I1321	Great Horkesley, Essex
  Last Modified	13 Aug 2020

  
  

  Father	William DOWNEY,   b. Abt 1789, Foxearth, Essex d. Sep 1857, Sudbury RD (Age ~ 68 years)
  Mother	Mary KEMP,   b. Abt 1796   d. Sep 1844, Sudbury RD (Age ~ 48 years)
  Family ID	F658	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Matilda EVERETT,   b. Abt 1828, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Dec 1892, Sudbury RD (Age ~ 64 years)
  Marriage	16 May 1847	Long Melford, Suffolk   [3]
  Children	1. William DOWNEY,   b. Abt 1845, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Yes, date unknown   2. Susan DOWNEY,   b. Dec 1847, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Sep 1907, Sudbury, Suffolk (Age ~ 59 years)   3. Harry DOWNEY,   b. Dec 1849, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Jun 1928, Sudbury, Suffolk (Age ~ 78 years)   4. John DOWNEY,   b. Jun 1852, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Yes, date unknown   5. Eliza DOWNEY,   b. Sep 1856, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Yes, date unknown   6. Richard Jonathan DOWNEY,   b. Jun 1859, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Yes, date unknown   7. James DOWNEY,   b. Sep 1861, Long Melford, Suffolk d. 26 Jul 1903, Haverhill, Suffolk (Age ~ 41 years)   8. Charles Frederick DOWNEY,   b. Mar 1865, Long Melford, Suffolk d. 11 Feb 1933, Haverhill, Suffolk (Age ~ 67 years)   9. Rose Florence DOWNEY,   b. Abt 1868, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Jun 1961, Sudbury RD (Age ~ 93 years)   10. Ellen Matilda DOWNEY,   b. Jun 1871, Long Melford, Suffolk d. Dec 1930, Sudbury RD (Age ~ 59 years)
  Family ID	F472	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Aug 2020

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - Bef 16 Apr 1826 - Long Melford, Suffolk Christening - 16 Apr 1826 - Long Melford, Suffolk Marriage - 16 May 1847 - Long Melford, Suffolk  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S325] www.dustydocs.com, March 2014, as DOWNY. (Reliability: 3). [S178] BMD index. [S178] BMD index, Q2 1847 Sudbury 12/674, date & place from Colin Stewart. (Reliability: 3).