Thomas Dowley
1749 - 1791 (41 years)-
Name Thomas Dowley [1, 2, 3, 4] Born 18 Sep 1749 Shadwell, Middlesex, England 
[5] Gender Male Died 1791 Rotherhithe, Surrey, England [4] Buried 26 Jun 1791 St Mary, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England [4] Notes - Thomas Dowley was born on 18 Sep 1749 at St Pauls, Shadwell, Stepney, ("Company of Thames Watermen and Lightermen"), London and was a waterman on the River Thames, ferrying boats North and South before the bridges were built. Thomas was apprenticed on 12th July 1764 aged 14 years and 10 months, to Master Constantine at Rotherhithe. Apprentices were taken on between 14 and 20 years of age and usually for 7 years. It was a very closely knit community and you were usually from a wateman family for several generations. Apprentices could not marry until they had served their time. Thomas gained freedom on 7th Feb 1772.
The tidal Thames was a very dangerous river. Over the years, ferrying passengers (watermen) became less important than moving goods and unloading ships (lightermen). This was because the number of bridges across the Thames increased over the years (reducing the need for ferrying) but the vloume of trade at the docks expanded greatly.
On 20th Nov 1774, Thomas Dowley married Elizabeth Gardner in Stepney. Elizabeth was the daughter of Constantine Gardner, probably the daughter of his master.
Person ID I4592 Bosdet Genealogy Last Modified 16 May 2013
Father Thomas Dowly Relationship Natural Mother Mary Relationship Natural Family ID F2469 Group Sheet
Family 1 Ann Wilson Married 28 Mar 1785 Rotherhithe, Surrey, England [2] - Widower.
Children 1. Thomas Tickner Dowley, b. 16 Feb 1786, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England 2. Sophia Dowley, b. 15 Jan 1790, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England Family ID F1314 Group Sheet
Family 2 Elizabeth Gardiner, b. 05 Apr 1757, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England , d. 1784, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England (Age 26 years) Married 20 Nov 1774 Tower Hamlets, Middlesex [6] Children 1. Constantine Dowley, b. 03 Sep 1780, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England , d. Oct 1861, Steyning, Sussex, England (Age 81 years)2. Elizabeth Dowley, b. 12 Aug 1778, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England 3. Thomas Dowley, b. 12 Aug 1775, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England Family ID F1315 Group Sheet
- Thomas Dowley was born on 18 Sep 1749 at St Pauls, Shadwell, Stepney, ("Company of Thames Watermen and Lightermen"), London and was a waterman on the River Thames, ferrying boats North and South before the bridges were built. Thomas was apprenticed on 12th July 1764 aged 14 years and 10 months, to Master Constantine at Rotherhithe. Apprentices were taken on between 14 and 20 years of age and usually for 7 years. It was a very closely knit community and you were usually from a wateman family for several generations. Apprentices could not marry until they had served their time. Thomas gained freedom on 7th Feb 1772.
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Sources - [S103] London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..
Record for Thomas Dowley - [S13] London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..
Record for Thomas Dowley - [S391] London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1597-1921, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011;), Database online..
Record for Thomas Dowley - [S319] London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..
Record for Thomas Dowley - [S319] London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..
Record for Thomas Dowly - [S13] London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..
Record for Elizabeth Gardiner
- [S103] London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Database online..