Introduction

In March 1851, John Gosling, aged 15, was a brickmaker’s labourer at Kingswood, living in the home of his employer, John Stone. He has proven difficult to identify further.

Tentative background

According to the 1851 census, John was born at Crewkerne in about 1836. No likely candidate has been found born at that time. However, one has been found four years earlier.

John Gosling, the son of James, a labourer, and Betsey, was baptised at Crewkerne on 3 April 1832. This couple had five more children: James, born in 1834; Alfred, born in 1837 (who presumably died in childhood); William, born in 1839; Alfred, born in 1841; and Amelia, born in 1845. Betsey’s maiden name may have been Turner.[1] Unfortunately, not much more is known about the family.

References

[1] The Civil Registration Birth Index is not consistent in its records of the mother’s maiden name: for William, it is Turner, for Alfred (born in 1841) it is Furner, and for Amelia, it is Furzer. Furner and Furzer may be misreadings of Turner.