52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Changing Names – Thomas Webb/Love

The aim of this challenge which is set by genealogist, Amy Johnson Crow, is to write about one ancestor every week in 2024, according to a given prompt. I will be writing about my direct ancestors, and also about other family members.

“Our ancestors’ names were more fluid that we often think. Whether it’s using a middle name as a first name, using a nickname, or Americanizing a name to “fit in,” our ancestors usually went by more than one name during their lifetime. (And let’s not forget the women who changed their surname each time they got married!) This week, write about an ancestor with a changing name”. – Amy Johnson Crow

Thomas Webb and Sarah Francis Bush PEARCE

Thomas WEBB and Sarah Francis Bush PEARCE were my 3x great grandparents. Thomas was born in 1822 at Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, England. His parents were named on his birth record as Charles WEBB and Amelia GIBSON.

Name Change

Many years ago, it quickly became obvious, when researching the Webb family line, that there had been a name change from WEBB to LOVE. It seems that the name change occurred with the fresh start in Australia, for some reason.

Two mysteries surround the life of Thomas Webb

Another family researcher and myself have tried many times over the years to solve the name change mystery, along with the disappearance. Following is the information that Graham Sleeth, researcher has been able to find, published with his permission.

1851
In the Census of 1851 Thomas [29] was living in Bradford with wife Sarah [30] and children Martha [6], Charles [3] and Catherine [1]. In 1851  Thomas was then known as Thomas WEBB.

1854
Thomas was still using the surname WEBB in 1854 when Thomas Albert was baptised on 6 November. The family at that time was living in Middle Rank, Bradford.

Disappearance

1. Census Data:

In the Census of 1861, Thomas wasn’t present with the family. Sarah and the children were living with, and supporting, Sarah’s widowed mother in Bradford. In the house next door was the Usher family. Hannah Usher was the daughter of John and Mary Cox, who were the parents of Richard Cox who was to become one of my great, great grandparents.

It is reasonable to assume from this that the Cox and Webb/Love family was known to each other before they came to Australia and then settled in the Heathcote region,

• Hannah Cox [often known as Anna] was one of Richard Cox’s sisters.
• In 1840 Hannah married George Usher in Steeple Ashton. George was born in West Ashton in 1821 and he was the son of James and Mary Usher.
• The Census of 1861 has the Usher family living in Middle Rank, Bradford where they are living next door to the home occupied by Sarah Webb and family. Sarah was the wife of Thomas Webb [Love] and they were the parents of Thomas Albert Webb who was later to marry the daughter of Richard Cox.
• Sarah Webb was living with and supporting her widowed mother Rachael Pearse.
• Sarah’s husband, Thomas Webb [Love] does not appear in the Census.

Attempts to trace Thomas Webb [Love] through Census data for England in 1861 has so far been unsuccessful.

1. Arrival in Australia

Sarah Webb brought the family to Australia in 1862 aboard the ship James Booth. Again, Thomas was not with the family and the reason for that remains a mystery. Those travelling on the James Booth were:

• Sarah [aged 38]
• Martha [12]
• Charles [10]
• Rachel [8]
• Albert [5] – actually Thomas Albert.

1. Conclusion:

A reason for Thomas not being with the family at the time of the Census in 1861 and his not having travelled to Australia with the family has not been found. Travel arrangements to Australia have not been found either. It’s possible that he made his way to Australia before 1860, but I haven’t as yet, found him in the passenger records.

The family name changed from WEBB to LOVE on arrival in Australia. Why that happened is a mystery. They became known as LOVE, but Thomas and Sarah’s son Thomas Albert was later married as Thomas Albert WEBB.

Will of Thomas Webb/Love

In the will of Thomas WEBB/LOVE, Thomas is referred to as “Thomas Webb Love (commonly called Thomas Love)”

The following statement referrring to the confusion with Thomas’ name, was on the first page of the administration papers:

“That the said Thomas WEBB LOVE was erroneously called Thomas LOVE, in the Letters of Administration referred to in the third paragraph of the aforesaid affadavit.
That the right and proper name of the said deceased was Thomas WEBB LOVE, but he was designated Thomas Love in the aforesaid Letters of Administration, that being the name by which he was generally known and commonly called.

Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Victoria; Victorian Wills, Probate and Administration Records 1841-1925; Series: VPRS 7591
Public Records Office, Victoria, Unassisted Passenger Lists, VPRS 947/P0000, May-Aug 1862
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Wiltshire Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: 883/9. Ancestry.com. Wiltshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1922 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

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