Comments

If you are certain that the Robert PRESTON who went to America in 1924 was your grandmother's brother then it might well be helpful to contact the Archivist at Canford School to see if they have any more information.  There is a web site for the school here with a link to an email address - But of course this might be another Robert PRESTON. The school had been founded in 1923.

There is a christening on Ancestry for Robert Edward PRESTON who was born 5th Oct 1906 and christened 25th Oct 1906 s/o Samuel William & Caroline PRESTON at St Saviour's Croydon.

The death of a Robert Edward PRESTON was registered in Croydon in 1990 - (birth given as 5th Oct 1906)

FreeBMD does have a marriage in Croydon in 1960 of a Robert E PRESTON with a Dorothy M MARSH.  The marriage certificate should confirm his father's name and whether he had been married before.  There is also the death of a Dorothy May PRESTON in 1974 in Croydon.

Glad you found the information useful.  It just shows how following another member of the family often pays dividends

Having had time to have another look at the 1841 census I now think  the occupation of Richard COX  is "Stone engraver" which does fit in with him being a sculptor in 1851.  It looks as if it might have been a skill which turned into an occupation because he was certainly a farmer in earlier documents.

Can you add the photograph which you mentioned in your first posting.  You will need to use the "Add a new file" facility. I'm sure someone will have some ideas about helping you to identify it.

Pat,

Thank you for all the information you gathered on Richard and Elizabeth Cox.  Their family births certainly covered a large time span from Isaac in 1807 to Joseph in 1826.  I think that Richard's occupation was as an engraver of tin as others have suggested.  What type of work would that be (for printing?) and did it require a lot skill? 

Judy

I think his occupation could be "engraver"

Re occupation in 1841 census - the 2nd word appears to be Engineer. The first word looks as if it has a dotted "i" so I'm wondering if it is "Tin".

A Richard COX married an Elizabeth SEALY on the 5^th April 1806 in the Parish Church in Burnham on Sea and Isaac COX was christened in the same church on the 10^th March 1807. 

The family must have moved to Brent Knoll (South Brent) because on the 1841 census they are to be seen there with John born in about 1821 and Joseph born in about 1826.  I can’t make out what his occupation was – can anyone else see what it is?

On the 1851 census he is quite clearly given as a sculptor – still at South Brent, born at South Brent in about 1789, with his wife Elizabeth born at Burnham about the same time.

On the 1851 census they have grandchildren with the surname TERRY living with them 

On the 1861 census – Elizabeth COX, by now a widow, is with her widowed daughter Mary Ann TERRY still in South Brent and interestingly Mary Ann TERRY gives her birth place as Wick St Lawrence.  Looking at the baptisms for Wick St Lawrence on this site you can see that Mary Ann COX d/o Richard & Elizabeth COX was baptised there 26/11/1809 followed by a sister Eliza in 1811.  In 1814 you will find the baptism of a John COX with father Richard described as a Farmer.  A John Sealy COX was christened in Wick St Lawrence in 1821 confirming the marriage found in Burnham on Sea to an Elizabeth SEALY is the correct one.  This may be the John who is with them in Brent Knoll in 1841 – In 1861 John Sealy COX is married and living in Weston-super-Mare

A Richard COX was buried at South Brent on the 16^th June 1857 aged 72 – age not quite matching that given on the 1851 census but very close!

I wonder why the change in occupation from farmer to sculptor for Richard and what happened to his first son christened John?