Gowlett Family of Hillingdon Parish, Middlesex, England 
William Gowlett
[1746-post 1801]
Of Uxbridge , Middlesex, England
Spouse 2: Elizabeth Lovejoy [c.1746-1785]
Spouse: Mary Penbrook
1746 William Gowlett was baptised at St. John's Hillingdon on the 4th June 1746 the youngest child of
William Gowlet and his wife Mary [nee East].
William had three siblings; a brother William who died in infancy [1740-1740]; a sister Elizabeth [1744-1756]
who died at the age of twelve when William was aged ten and his only surviving sibling, his elder brother
Richard [1741-post 1786]
1747 Baptisms for siblings ceased abruptly just following his baptism and it is considered that his father was the same
William Gowlett buried 21st March 1747, estimated aged twenty-nine.
William's paternal grandfather William Gowlett [Snr] is assumed to have subsequently supported his son's
widow and her three young children.
1768 William was aged twenty-two when his paternal grandfather is considered buried 15th March 1768.
It was around this time that his brother Richard by now twenty-eight married Mary nee unknown and
began recording issue at Hillingdon & Uxbridge from the following year.
His mother was still living at this time.
1770 Who appears to be another William Gowlate was recorded in banns, read at St. Margaret's Uxbridge 28th Oct &
4th Nov & 11th Nov 1770 relating marriage to Anne Parker 'of Uxbridge'. There was no issue from this union recorded
at Hillingdon or Uxbridge. Ann Gowlett was buried at Hillingdon 17th January 1781 'wife of William'.
1772 William's mother, Mary Gowlett [nee East] was buried at St.John’s at Hillingdon on the 15th November 1772.
Mary is estimated to have been aged around fifty-seven.
She was survived by her sons Richard [aged 32] and William [aged 26] and two grandchildren by her son
Richard; i.e. Richard [the younger] aged three and Elizabeth aged around 13 months.
1780 At the age of thirty-four William Gowlett married Elizabeth Lovejoy at St. John’s at Hillingdon on the
17th December 1780. They lived at Hillingdon where they had the following issue;
Issue;
1781 William Gowlate baptised 27th May 1781.
William was buried 10th August 1781 at the est. age of 3 months.
1882/3 Dinah Gowlate born 1782/3.
Dinah was buried 14th March 1783 'daughter of William & Elizabeth'.
1781 Meanwhile his brother Richard was widowed in 1781. He had remarried within a few weeks
and continued to have issue at Hillingdon/Uxbridge.
1785 Elizabeth Gowlett [nee Lovejoy] died three years later, buried 26th January 1785 recorded
'Elizabeth Gowlett, wife of William'.
Four years later;
1789: At the age of forty-three William Gowlett married Mary Pembroke on the 29th May 1787 at
St. Marys Marylebone, London.
They returned to Hillingdon where they recorded the following issue;
Issue - 2nd Marriage;
1787 Sarah Gowlett baptised 2nd December 1787 at Uxbridge.
1789 Mary Gowlett baptised 4th October 1789 at St. John's, Hillingdon.
1791 Matilda Gowlett baptised 4th May 1791 at Hillingdon.
1794 Harriot Gowlett baptised 8th Jan. 1794 at Hillingdon.
1795: William Gowlett baptised 9th Aug. 1795 at Hillingdon.
William was buried at Hillingdon 26th Sept. 1795 est. aged 6 weeks.
A series of events occurred during this time and immediately following;
In 1791 a Boxing match was fought at Uxbridge between well known pugilist 'Symonds' and a
local 'Gowlett'. Details of the match are published in several early Pugilist Publications in England.
The identity of the local challenger has not been established.
There were also several much later Newspaper Articles published in various Newspapers relating
to the Gowlett Family at Uxbridge.
ACCESS: News Articles & Trivia for Gowlett at Uxbridge
1796: William's twenty-one year old, newly married nephew, Isaac Gowlett son of William's brother Richard
was Tried & Sentenced to Death at the Old Bailey, London April 1796 for allegedly stealing a Sheep.
James Briant, the husband of William's niece Elizabeth, gave evidence for the Defence. Isaac was
subsequently granted a reprieve 'Transportation for Life' and left England for Sydney Cove in the South Seas
by Christmas that year. Also see the Biography of his brother Richard.
Isaac's Trial http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/oldbailey/html_units/1790s/t17960406-34.html
Issue Continued;
1797 Anne Gowlett baptised 29th Jan. 1797 at Hillingdon.
1799 John Baker Gowlate baptised 10th January 1799 at Hillingdon.
1801 James Gowlet baptised 20th Sept. 1801 at Hillingdon.
William Gowlett [the elder] was aged fifty-five at the birth of his youngest child.
His wife Mary [nee Penbrook] is estimated aged around thirty-six at that time.
There were no other baptisms recorded.
Death: William Gowlett died between 1801-1841. His widow may have remarried.
Epilogue
Mary Gowlett [nee Pembroke] wife of William Gowlett;
A marriage recorded on the 3rd January 1803 at Hillingdon for William Turner to Mary Gowlate 'widow'
may imply that William had died within two years of their last birth. It would be normal for a widow with
young children to support, to seek remarriage.
At this time Mary would have been aged around thirty-six, with children; Mary aged 12yrs, Matilda aged 10yrs,
Harriot aged 7yrs, Ann aged five, John four and James two years.
Sarah Gowlett [1787-?] daughter of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 2nd December 1787 at Uxbridge.
At the age of twenty-three Sarah Gowlett married Daniel Button 22nd May 1810 - noted both 'of Uxbridge'
A Daniel Button born in 1786 at Lambeth was recorded in 1841 & 1851 Census with wife Ann and son Charles,
aged 15 [1841].
No further information.
Mary Gowlett [the younger] [1789-?] daughter of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 4th October 1789 at St. John's, Hillingdon.
There is a record of a 'Mary Gowlett' as witness at the wedding of James Gowlett at Hillingdon on the
24th July 1832, the son of Mary's first cousin Richard Gowlett and his wife Phoebe Fletcher
Mary would have been aged forty-three at this time.
There were no unmarried 'Mary Gowlett' individuals recorded on 1841 or subsequent Census.
A death registered for Mary Ann Gowlett in the September Qtr. 1839 may imply that Mary died
unmarried and without issue at the estimated age of fifty.
Matilda Gowlett [1791-?] daughter of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 4th May 1791 at Hillingdon.
At the age of sixteen Matilda Gowlett gave birth to a base born son, William Gowlate baptised at Uxbridge
22nd November 1807.
At the age of twenty Matilda Gowlett married John Street at Hanwell on the 22nd September 1811.
The rearing of her young son William Gowlett [1807-1853] is discussed in his biography.
Investigations imply Matilda Street [nee Gowlett] may have died before September 1837 [Civil Records]
Harriot Gowlett [1794-1841] daughter of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 8th Jan. 1794 at Hillingdon.
At the age of eighteen Harriot Gowlett married William Harris 17th May 1812 at Hillingdon.
There was a New Article in the Jacksons Oxford Journal: Saturday, 8th April, 1837 Issue 4380.
which may be relevant;
Samuel Gowlett* may have been the twenty-one-year-old younger son of Richard Gowlett & Phoebe nee Fletcher.
It appears that William Pearce was deemed innocent. [Harriet's spouse or son perhaps?]
Possible Burial in the Civil Index: Harriet Harris March Qtr. 1841 [Registered Uxbridge]
* For more information relating to Samuel Gowlett see at the very end of the Epilogue in the above link to the
Biography of his Father.
For more Newspaper Articles & Trivial relating to the Gowlett Family of Uxbridge
ACCESS
Anne Gowlett daughter of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 29th Jan. 1797 at Hillingdon.
Previously considered to be the 'Ann Gowlett' who married Thomas Pierce on the 23rd March 1813 at Hillingdon,
the witness to this marriage was Frances [Fanny] Gowlett who was the daughter of William's brother
Richard Gowlett [the elder].
This 'Ann Pearce' was subsequently recorded in the 1841 & 1851 census as born c.1788 & 1792 respectively,
still living with her husband Thomas in the former census and a widow in the latter.
Ann born of William [bapt. 1797] would have been sixteen to twenty in the 'Pierce' marriage [1813] which is
still possible, however the entry may relate to 'Ann Gowlett', the daughter of
Richard Gowlett and his wife Phoebe born 1792 who was previously assumed to have died!
No further information.
John Baker Gowlett [1779-1830] son of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 10th Jan. 1799 at Hillingdon.
John does not appear to have married or had issue.
John Baker Gowlate was buried at Uxbridge 10th Jan. 1830 estimated aged thirty-one.
James Gowlett [1801-?] son of William Gowlett by his 2nd Wife Mary [nee Penbrook];
Baptised 20th Sept. 1801 at Hillingdon.
James was recorded as a bricklayer.
CAUTION:
This entry is a tricky one! There was a son James Gowlett born to Richard Gowlett & his wife Phoebe in 1703
and both died before the 1841 Census.
James Gowlett! recorded five children from two marriages [Elizabeth & Mary] between 1824-1833.
His young sons were recorded with Richard & Phoebe in the 1841 Census.
Although the marriage of James Gowlett to Martha Butler [1803-1835] 24th July 1832 - Witnessed by Mary Gowlett
has sometimes been attributed to the son of William & his wife Mary nee Pembrook, this later evidence
supported by the census would indicate that the marriage fell to the former and the burial of James Gowlett
on the 5th June 1836 shortly after his wife, Mary [kindly submitted by Jan Dawes] may also apply more
fittingly to the former.
No further information.
![Biography of William Gowlett [1807-1853] base born son of Matilda Gowlett](a elegant NEXT Button.jpg)