* COXHEAD GENEALOGY *

The Coxhead Family at the I.O.W. Eng. THOMAS COXHEAD was born 1772 baptised in St Lawrence Church Parish of Hungerford. His father Thomas Coxhead died a few months before he was born. He was the only child. His mother Catherine Upton Coxhead remarried in 1776 in Newbury. Her spouse was Joseph Brown a 'weaver'. Young Thomas, described in the Hungerford Apprentices records as 'A very poor child' was apprenticed by Joseph Brown.

Thomas was called up in the Militia and he joined the North Hampshire Militia. About 1790 he was posted to the Isle of Wight. He was the first Coxhead person to be found in the records of that period. He married Mary Ann Cox in Carisbrooke Newport in 1794.

The family and decendants of Thomas lived in Carisbrooke, Newport, Ventnor, Freshwater and New Village. Two grandsons of Thomas, being Edward James Coxhead and Christopher Moyce Coxhead moved to Ventnor, a seaside place, about 1775 and this is where most of the Coxhead family lived up to 1920. Thomas Coxhead of Hungerford died at New Village Isle of Wight in 1851. He was a 'painter'.

At left: The City of Newport Isle of Wight. An aerial view taken 2003 ~ at right: The seaside Town of Ventnor, where Christopher Moyce Coxhead lived period 1882 - 1920 with his large family. He was a coachman. Today Ventnor is a very popular tourist attraction and a top holiday place for visitors from the mainland.

Above center is A painting of Carisbrooke Castle c1820. Carisbrooke Castle, where Charles 1st was imprisoned before being executed at the Tower of London. Set on a ridge, Carisbrooke Castle's royal connections date from early 13th century. The Wellhouse, dating from 1291, is quite unique since, from the eighteenth century, donkeys were used to tread and turn the huge wheel to retrieve water from the 161 foot well, a task which the famous Carisbrooke donkeys can still be seen performing to this day. As a royal prisoner, King Charles 1 was held captive at Carisbrooke in 1648 before being taken to London for trial and execution. You can see the window through which he tried unsuccessfully to escape and the green where he played bowls to pass the time. You can step back in time by enjoying the selection of displays, re-enactments, music and drama as knights challenged one another. The Isle of Wight County Council Offices can be found at County Hall at the eastern end of the High Street. In St. James Square are monuments to Queen Victoria and the last Governor, Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The present parish church dates from 1857.

At left: Nicholas Mursell b 1797 at Newport Isle of Wight. Photo taken c1855. He married Ann Atwell 1819 and they had eleven children. The Mursells were in large number on the Island. ~ Centre : Emma Sarah Coxhead born 1863 at Newport Isle of Wight. She married Anthony Bell in August 1882 in Newport IOW. They moved to Plumstead in London and had two sons. Her uncles Hezekiel and William also moved to London and so did her sister Emily Charlotte Coxhead born 1861. Emily Charlotte married Lewis Loader in 1897. Some of her nephews also moved to London and married there. I have more photos of my ancestors who were born at the Isle of Wight. Shall post them here soon.

More Isle of Wight Photos
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