Gowlett Family of Hillingdon Parish, Middlesex, England 
Richard Gowlate
[1741- post 1792]
Of Uxbridge, Middlesex, England
Spouse 1: Mary [nee unknown] [c. 1745-1781]
Spouse 2: Mary Gravenor.
1741 Richard Gowlett was baptised the 23rd September 1741 at St. John's Uxbridge, the son of
William Gowlett by his wife Mary nee East
Image: London Metropolitan Archives
Richard had three siblings before his father's considered premature death in 1747.
A brother William who died in infancy [1740-1740]; a sister Elizabeth [1744-1729] who died at the age
of twelve when Richard was aged eleven, and a younger brother William [1746-Post 1801]
1747 Richard was aged six at the considered time of his father's death. His mother did not remarry and it
is assumed that his grandfather supported the family during their early childhood and that upon coming
of age in 1762 that Richard, being also contributed to the support of his mother and younger brother.
Twenty-one years later;
1768 Richard was aged twenty seven at the considered burial date of his aging paternal grandfather on the
15th March 1768.
At this time his mother Mary was still living and his only surviving sibling William, was by now aged
twenty-two, yet unmarried.
1768 At some recent point to the previous event Richard married Mary [nee unknown].
The couple began to record issue at both Hillingdon & Uxbridge the following year;
Issue;
1769 Richard Gowlett [the younger] baptised on the 16th April 1769 son of Richard & Mary,
at St. John's Hillingdon.
1771 Elizabeth Gowlett baptised on the 23rd Oct 1771 son of Richard & Mary,
at St. Margarets Uxbridge
[Elizabeth was very likely the namesake of Richard's sister who died at the age of twelve].
1772 The following year Richard's mother, Mary [nee East] was buried at St. John’s Hillingdon on the
15th November 1772 at the estimated age of fifty-seven.
Mary was survived by her two sons Richard & William and her two grandchildren by her son; Richard [the younger]
aged three and Elizabeth aged around 13 months.
Issue continued;
1774 Isaac Gowlett baptised two years later on the at St.Margaret's Uxbridge.
[Isaac is considered to be the namesake of Richard's brother]
1776 Sarah Gowlett baptised Christmas day a further two years later at St.Margaret's at Uxbridge
25th December 1776.
[Sarah is considered to be the possible namesake of her paternal grandmother[
1778 Sarah was buried at the Church of her Baptism on the 11th April, 1778 at the estimated age
of 16 months.
At this time her siblings were aged; Richard ten, Elizabeth eight and Isaac four years.
1779 Mary Ann Gowlett baptized on the 24th February 1779.
1780 Meanwhile Richard's brother William married Elizabeth Lovejoy three months later 17th December 1780.
They lived at Hillingdon, and had two children, William in 1781 and Dinah in 1782 of whom both died in
infancy. William was widowed only four years after his marriage, his wife Elizabeth [nee Lovejoy] buried
26th January 1785.
Richard now thirty-nine & his wife Mary continued to have issue;
1781 Fanny Gowlett baptised on the 17th October 1781 'age 0' at St.John’s at Hillingdon.
1781 A burial was recorded for Mary Gowlett at St. Margarets Uxbridge on the 6th November 1781.
considered to be Richard's wife.
1781 His youngest child barely two months old, seven weeks later Richard Gowlett married Mary Gravenor at
Hillingdon on the 13th December 1781. The bride was noted 'of Rickmansworth' *.
[* Rickmansworth Hertfordshire is 6 miles N of Uxbridge, Middlesex]
Richard and his 2nd wife Mary recorded only one known child;
1785 Sarah Gowlett [2], baptized in 3rd April 1785 at St. John's Hillingdon.
At this time her siblings were aged; Richard aged sixteen, Elizabeth aged fourteen, Isaac aged eleven,
Mary Ann age six and Fanny aged four.
1791 An Event was staged at Uxbridge on the 22nd June 1791 at Fenner's Cricket Ground, Uxbridge,
where a Boxing Match was held between a fairly well known pugilist of the time 'Symonds'
and a local by the name of 'Gowlett'. The purse was 10 guineas.
The Match was well published and after several rounds Symonds threw a punch and then fell to the
turf without cause. Gowlett being annoyed kicked him when he was down. The Match was immediately
decided in Symonds' favour until the amateurs decided it to be a drawn battle, in that Symonds had fallen
without Gowlett throwing a punch. All bets were refunded.
The identity of this Gowlett local to Uxbridge is unknown.
There was much written in Pugilist Circles relating to the Event and they can be accessed at
Newspaper Articles & Trivial relating to the Gowlett Family of Uxbridge
Six years later Richard's children by his 1st wife Mary , begin to marry;
1791 At the age of twenty Elizabeth Gowlett married James Briant at St. John's Hillingdon 16th October 1791.
The couple remained at Uxbridge where they recorded issue. [See Epilogue]
1792 At the age of twenty-three Richard Gowlett [the younger] married 18 year old Phoebe Fletcher on the
9th December 1792 at St.John’s Hillingdon, the marriage was witnessed by his brother-in-law,
James Briant, the spouse of his sister Elizabeth.
Phoebe Fletcher was the base born daughter of Susan Fletcher, baptised at St. Margaret's
Uxbridge a week prior Richard's brother Isaac was baptised.
Richard and Phoebe remained in Uxbridge where Richard worked as a sawyer.
1792
Although Richard's burial has not been found it is believed his widow may have remarried at Uxbridge in 1803.
This marriage could also apply to his brother's spouse.
Richard is considered to have been living to see the following events unfold.
1795 Richard's youngest son Isaac was the next to marry;
Issac now twenty-one stood 5.8” tall, he was of 'fair' complexion and hazel eyes. [NSW State Records - Indents].
Isaac Gowlett married nineteen-year-old Mary Osborne St. John’s Church at Hillingdon
on the 30th August 1795.
1795 Four months later in November 1795, Isaac was walking with his brother-in-law James Bryant by the old
milestone on Hillingdon Hill where they met a man selling a sheep. It is not known if the meeting was
pre-arranged. Witnessed by James, Issac bought the ewe for three ½ Crowns and upon returning home
he turned it out at Uxbridge Moor. About ten weeks later the sheep was found heavy with lamb and Isaac
set out to sell it to the local butcher William Read, whose shop lay just left of Hillingdon Village.
Isaac was coming from Uxbridge Moor and the two had arranged to meet a half-way point at Cawley Hill.
Leading the sheep over the Moor, he then placed the heavily pregnant ewe upon his shoulders and continued
the journey when he was seen from a distance of about 40 or 50 feet by Stephen Ody, the bailiff for Squire
Higginson, the Squire owning a farm near Iver about 2.4 miles from Uxbridge.
Isaac diverted via a short-cut, through a shallow lake and over a bridge, cutting through the fields.
After meeting William Read at Cawley’s Hill, the two negotiated for some time and eventually settled on a
price of 16s. 6d for the ewe. Isaac then carried the sheep to William’s shop, William being an old man.
Several hours later it was discovered that Stephen Ody had raised an alarm and swore that he had seen on
the shoulder of the sheep that Isaac was carrying, markings familiar to that of a farmer who lived at nearby
Iver by the name of Henry Weatherby who was known to be missing ‘two’ sheep.
Subsequently both William Read and Isaac were arrested.
Isaac and William Read were tried at the Old Bailey London and although Isaac's brother-in-law James Bryant
spoke in Isaac's defence, because the man who Isaac purchased the ewe could not be identified, the transaction
could not be proven. Both the Isaac and William Read were found 'Guilty'.
William Read received a sentence of 14 years Transportation and Isaac was sentenced to Death.
Isaac's sentence was later commuted to Transportation for Life in the new Colony in the South Pacific
at Sydney Town, New South Wales. [See Epilogue]
There has been no burial found for Richard, he may have been buried at his 2nd wife's native Rickmansworth.
Epilogue
Richard Gowlett [the younger]: eldest child of Richard Gowlett and his first wife Mary;
Richard and and his wife Phoebe continued to life at Uxbridge and recorded ten children.
They were both recorded on the 1841 Census.
Phoebe died in 1843 aged sixty-nine and Richard died in 1845 aged seventy-four.
See the Biography of Richard Gowlett [the younger] and his wife Phoebe [nee Fletcher]
Elizabeth Gowlett: eldest daughter of Richard Gowlett [the elder] and his first wife Mary;
[Information kindly supplied by LW]
Elizabeth and James Briant remained at Uxbridge and recorded five children.
Issue;
Child 1: James Bryant did not survive infancy.
Child 2: Samuel Bryant did not survive infancy.
Child 3: Samuel Bryant [2] was born in 1796
Child 4: William Bryant in 1798
Child 5: Mary Bryant in 1800 - Mary died in 1801
Elizabeth Bryant [nee Gowlett] died at Hillingdon in 1801 at the age of thirty.
She was survived by her husband James of ten years marriage and her two surviving children;
Samuel aged four and William aged two years. James appears to have remarried.
Their remaining two sons survived to marry and have issue;
Samuel Bryant [2] became a bricklayer in Hillingdon and married Elizabeth Saunders
1st December 1816.
Issue;
Ann Briant 1825 - No further information
Samuel Briant 1827 - Married Emma Bates by whom he had issue;
Emily Rhoda Briant born 1855 - Married Rev. John Anderson.
William Watson Briant born 1856 - No further information.
Arthur Briant born 1857 - Married Sarah Oakman.
Emma Louisa Briant born 1859 - No further information.
Samuel Herbert Briant born 1861 - Married Sarah Anne Ukn;
Issue;
Beatrice May Briant born 1893 - No further information.
Avery Mercer Briant born 1897 - No further information.
Margaret Annie Briant born 1898 - Married George Ashby
Dora Kathleen Briant born 1902 - No further information.
Samuel died in 1917 at the age of fifty-five.
Florence Ada Briant born 1863 - Married Rev. John Eames in 1890.
Annie Elizabeth Briant born 1864 - No further information.
Wallace Watson Briant born 1866 - Wallace became a Dentist.
Grace Adela Briant born 1869 - No further information.
Samuel Briant died in 1904 at the age of seventy-seven.
Harriet Briant 1829 - No further information.
John Briant 1831 - Occupation Carpenter - Married Sarah nee unknown.
Issue;
William Henry Briant born 1860 - Married Emily Mabel Ukn, 1886.
Ada Emma Briant born 1866 - Married Henry Edwin Cocks;
Issue;
Henry Francis Lovell Cocks born 1894 - Married Lottie Bollen.
Doris Briant Fuller Cocks born 1897 - Married Janes Weege.
Ada died in 1935 at the age of sixty-nine.
James Briant 1833 - Died 1834 at aged one year.
Mark Briant 1835 - No further information.
Henry Briant 1837 - Died pre 1841
.
William Briant married Elizabeth Doney in 1822 - No further information.
Isaac Gowlett: son of Richard Gowlett [the elder] and his first wife Mary;
Transported to Sydney Cove per Ganges, around December 1796.
Isaac never remarried but he did form two relationships with Convict women by whom he had issue.
His young wife Mary [nee Osborne] did not fare well subsequent to Isaac leaving England
found in a document dated 1801 regarding her placement in the Uxbridge Poorhouse.
See further below in Epilogue.
Isaac settled at Parramatta, near Sydney where he formed two relationships with Convict women,
by whom he had four children;
A son, Isaac Gowlett in 1804 by Mary Miller
Isaac [the younger] died at the age of 11yrs [drowned]
And three daughters by Mary Ann Stevens;
Fanny Gowlett
Sarah Gowlett
Maria Gowlett
Mary Ann Stevens deserted Isaac when the children were very young. His health failing he wrote
a letter to the Orphanage at Parramatta in 1823 [original copy displayed].
Issac died seven months later, buried at the Field of Mars Cemetery on the 13th July 1827 aged 53 yrs
[original copy displayed]
The Full Details of Isaac's life in the Colony is available in his Biography
Mary Ann Gowlett: daughter of Richard Gowlett [the elder] and his first wife Mary;
No likely marriage was found recorded for her.
There is a record of a 'Mary Gowlett' witness at the wedding of James Gowlett to Mary Butler
at Hillingdon, 24th July 1832. Mary would have been aged forty-three at this time.
A Mary Ann Gowlett was recorded died in the March Qtr. 1839 [Registered Uxbridge].
If same Mary Ann would have been aged fifty at her death.
Fanny Gowlett: daughter of Richard Gowlett [the elder] and his first wife Mary;
A Francis Gowlett was recorded as witness in the marriage of Anne Gowlett to Thomas Pierce
on the 23rd March 1813.
No further information.
Sarah Gowlett [2]: daughter of Richard Gowlett [the elder] and his 2nd wife Mary [nee Gravenor];
No further information.
Mary Gowlett [nee Osborne]: Wife Richard's son Isaac Gowlett;
No issue was recorded born to Isaac and Mary.
Mary was admitted to the Poor House at Uxbridge and there are indications that she was
ill treated or unhappy there. She would have been in her early twenties at that time.
She seems to have run away and sought refuge at the Poorhouse at Leighton Buzzard
27 miles NNW of Uxbridge.
Bedfordshire: Quarter Sessions Catalogue Ref. QS.
Ref: QSR/18/1801/5: National Archives, Kew.
Removal orders: Mary wife of Isaac Gowlett – Leighton B. [Buzzard] to Uxbridge, Middlesex.
Full Transcript kindly provided by Bedfordshire Family History; Date: 9th February 1801.
'Bedfordshire (to wit).
To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the parish of Leighton Bussard in the County of
Bedford and to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the parish of Uxbridge in the
County of Middlesex.
Whereas complaint hath been made unto us, two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace acting in
and for the County of Bedford aforesaid, (one whereof being of the Quorum) by the Churchwardens
and Overseers of the Poor of the said parish of Leighton Bussard that Mary the wife of Isaac Gowlett
hath lately intruded, and came into the said parish of Leighton Bussard and hath actually become
chargeable to the same: we the justices upon examination of the Premises upon oath, and other
circumstances, do adjudge the place of the last legal settlement of the said Mary the wife of the
said Isaac Gowlett to be in the parish of Uxbridge aforesaid in the County of Middlesex.
These are therefore in his Majesty's Name, to require you, the said Churchwardens and Overseers
of the Poor of the said parish of Leighton Bussard on sight thereof, to remove and convey the
said Mary the wife of the said Isaac Gowlett from and out of your said parish of Leighton Bussard
to the said parish of Uxbridge and here deliver unto the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor
there, or to some or one of them, together with this our order, or a true copy hereof, who are hereby
required to receive and provide for her according to law. Given under our Hands and Seals this
9th Day of February in the year of our lord 1801. Signed Wm Mead and E Wodley'.
Footnotes:
Newspaper Article: Jacksons Oxford Journal: Saturday, 8th April, 1837 Issue 4380;
May apply to the son of Ann Pierce [nee Gowlett] who Fanny may have witnessed marriage.
The paternity of Ann Gowlett has not been firmly established to date.
Samuel Gowlet is very likely the son of Richard [the younger] & his wife Phoebe nee Fletcher [i.e. bapt. 1816];
