Notes:

According to her descendant, Graham Tithecott, Mary Ann was born out of wedlock, and was raised by her father's parents, William and Mary Ackland in Parkham Parish, Devon. She was listed as their granddaughter in the 1861 census, and as a "visitor" in their home in the 1871 census. Mary Ann's marriage certificate to John Cole confirmed James Ackland as her father.

Mary married John COLE on 2 Aug 1876 in Abbotsham, Devon, England. John died in UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Henrietta DOWNING was born on 11 May 1874 in Bideford, Devon, England; died on 19 Feb 1960.

James married Eliza DOWNING. Eliza (daughter of James Fortescue DOWNING and Elizabeth ASHTON) was born on 29 Sep 1839 in Parkham, Devon, England; died on 7 Apr 1895 in Paddington, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Most of the information about Eliza and her descendants comes from Graham Tithecott.

Eliza was born on Goldworthy Farm In Parkham Parish, Devon. She was baptized in St. James Church, Parkham on 27 Oct 1839. She was listed in the 1861 census in London, in service with a Dalgety family in Paddington. Her descendant Graham Tithecott believes that Mr. Dalgety was a friend of the Downing family.

The head of the Dalgety household was Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety. His wife was Blanche E.T. Dalgety. Their marriage was registered in 1855 in Kingsbridge, Devon. Quebec baptismal records show that Frederick had been born in Montreal, Lower Canada in December, 1817, the son of Alexander Dalgety, a lieutenant in H.M 89th Regiment, and Eliza Doidge. Witnesses to his baptism included a Frederick Gonnerman.

Australian electoral and land transfer records show that Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety was a prosperous merchant in Port Philip (now Melbourne) and in Sydney in the 1840s and 1850s.

The 1861 Dalgety household in London, included aunts, cousins and a brother, as well as 11 servants, including Eliza Downing. Frederick's 1894 will showed that he left a huge estate.

Eliza Downing, while still a servant to the Dalgetys, married William Shelton, a grocer's assistant, in 1865 in Kensington, Middlesex County, England. The 1871 census showed them living, with two young daughters, in Paddington, London. Also in the household were Eliza's mother, Elizabeth Downing, and a servant, Mary Thompson. The 1891 census showed William and Eliza living in the Kensington District in London.

Eliza died of liver cancer and exhaustion on 7 April 1895. Her address at the time was 14 Craven Terrace, Lancaster Gate, London.

Notes:

In the baptismal records of the Parish of Parkham, James was listed as a yeoman, living with his wife Elizabeth, in Goldsworthy. The Parkham Parish baptismal registers show the children being born in Goldsworthy.

In 1841 census, James and his family were living at West Goldsworthy Farm in Parkham, Devon. The 1842 tithe map of Parkham shows James leasing Goldworthy Barton, Bartons Goldworthy and Hunger Road farms from Rev. John Thomas Pine Coffin. James and his family lived and farmed on part of Goldworthy Barton, and sub-leased the rest of it and the other properties to tenant farmers. In the 1851 census his acreage was 150. In the 1861 census he was living at Thortridge in Buckland Brewer, Devonshire. His wife was on the neighbouring property with their son and a very large family. [Colleen Evans [[email protected]], Downing family tree.]

James married Elizabeth ASHTON about 1822 in Parkham, Devonshire, England. Elizabeth (daughter of John ASHTON and Sarah CLEMENTS) was born about 1802 in Parkham, Devonshire, England; died in UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to Graham Tithecott, Elizabeth was baptized at St. James Church, Parkham, on 18 Nov., 1802. Her first name was shown as Betty.

The 1871 census showed Elizabeth living with her daughter Eliza and son-in-law William Shelton in London.

Notes:

Thomas Downing has hitherto been assumed to be born to William Downing and Elizabeth Floyde in Buckland Brewer in 1748 [there was indeed such a birth of a Thomas Downing to William and Elizabeth]. However, Thomas's burial record, in 15 March, 1837, states his age as 84. This means that he was born in 1752 or 1753. There was a Thomas Downing baptized to James Downing and Elizabeth Braund in East Putford (a chapel connected to the Buckland Brewer church) in 1752. James Downing and Elizabeth Braund had been married in Buckland Brewer in 1748.

The 1780 and 1800 Parkham Land Tax records [at http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Parkham/ParkhamLandTax1780.html and at http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Parkham/ParkhamLandTax1800.html], show Mr. Thomas Downing as the proprietor and occupier of West Goldworthy.

Thomas Downing's will, written in 1823, and in the Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter, shows the executors as Thomas's nephews, William Cleverdon and James Vanstone. Thomas's sister, Joanna Cleverdon was to inherit 5 pounds, Ten pounds was a donation to the poor of Parkham Parish. The executors were to hold the leased (from Richard Pine Coffin) dwelling and fields in Parkham in trust for Thomas's wife and sons as follows:
1/4 to son Henry Downing
1/4 to son Charles Downing
1/4 to son James Downing
1/4 to wife Joanna
The rents, interest, dividends and annual produce was bequeathed to Thomas's daughter Maria Passmore.

Thomas married Joanna FORTESCUE on 19 Oct 1780 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. Joanna (daughter of George FORTESCUE and Elizabeth NORTHCOTT) was born on 25 Aug 1757 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England; died on 23 Sep 1813 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joanna's burial record states that she was living in Alwington.

John married Sarah CLEMENTS. Sarah died in UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]