I think there is something amiss with this family.......
I had also found them on the 1861 census with the Cowlishaws living next door.
Francis aged 25 a fork grinder born Shiregreen.
Elizabeth 22 wife born Grimesthorpe
William son aged 2 born Shiregreen
James aged 5 mths born Grimesthorpe.
I dont think they registered the children.
They also seem to shy away from the census taker.
The Cowlishaws also on the 1861 census
Henry 45 Steel maker born Sheffield
Lucy wife 41 born Grimesthorpe.
Children... Frederick 17,Henry 14,Hannah 11, LodgerJohn Biggin 72 Isabell Leapton aged 3 born Picton Lancs.
Will keep looking.
Elaine.
Note. Have a look at "our" 1841 census index the Cowlishaws are there in Grimesthorpe with Elizabeth mentioned.
Found this Baptisms at St Mary Ecclesfield.
17 Jul 1836 BROWN Francis William Eliza Fork Grinder Shiregreen
Elaine.
*** Look at John Philips on the 1851 census. Mother of the Brown clan was I believe Eunice not Eliza.......She had re married by 1851 to a younger John Philips. A Fork Grinder.
It looks like James died in 1861 shortly after the census:
BROWN, JAMES 0
GRO Reference: 1861 S Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 211
And William could have been perhaps a few months later:
BROWN, WILLIAM HENRY 3
GRO Reference: 1861 D Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 233
or just possibly possibly a year later:
BROWN, WILLIAM 5
GRO Reference: 1862 S Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 207
Francis definitely died in 1868:
BROWN, FRANCIS 32
GRO Reference: 1868 J Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 274
Elizabeth survived because she married in 1879:
BROWN, Elizabeth (Widow, age 40, ~, residing at Brightside).
Married Charles WHELTON, on June 22, 1879, by Arthur J R Shaw (Banns) at
Holy Trinity, Wicker. Father's name is Henry Cowlishaw,deceased (~).
Married in the presence of Henry Hollows,Sarah Holland (mark).
Notes: Bride signed with a mark.
Dave
On 1881 Census Elizabeth Whelton, formerly Brown, nee Cowlishaw is with her husband Charles Whelton and they are living next door to her son Francis Brown and her mother Lucy Cowlishaw.
I have been looking at some of the weekly and quarterly reports on Births and Deaths which appeared in the Sheffield newspapers in 1866 and 1867. It seems that Sheffield largely escaped the 1866 epidemic. London, Liverpool and some Welsh towns were the worst affected.