Gosling Family History

The remains of Gosling's Brewery, Bradford Street

We believe this to be a photograph of Bradford Street

From Collin Unwin who is Oliver Gosling's 4x great grandson

This is what I have gleaned from my Unwin family tree. I hope the attached records prove of some interest. There are various censuses, evidencing the Goslings as brewers and trade directories showing brewers, maltsters, inns and taverns.

Starting with the last owner of the brewery and working back:

OLIVER GOSLING JR

BIRTH 7 NOV 1835 • Bocking, Essex, England

DEATH 8 APR 1905 • Brighton, Sussex, England

Oliver sold the brewery in December 1904. Retired to live in Brighton where he passed away on the 8th of April 1905. His will evidenced a contemporary (2018) value of £1.7m

His death notice evidences that his grandfather, Oliver, established the brewery 100 years earlier, so 1805 is a reasonable assumption.

Oliver was the son of: John Gosling & Mary Morgan.

JOHN GOSLING

BIRTH 21 AUG 1803 • Bocking

DEATH 13 APR 1866 • Bocking

First evidence of occupation is 1841 census. Attested as brewer.

His will evidenced a contemporary (2018) value of £1.8m

John was the son of: OLIVER GOSLING SR & Elizabeth Goodey

Birth Abt 1775, Bocking. No date of death yet established

The first reference to Oliver’s occupation is:

• Jul 1827 • Bocking Essex. Attested as a brewer on granddaughter Anna Gosling's birth record.

His daughter Anna Gosling (b.1805) married my 3x Gt grandfather Henry Fisher Unwin.

It appears to be tradition with the Unwin family, that a son bears the mother’s or grandmother’s maiden name as a middle name.

Anna Gosling & Henry Unwin’s youngest son was named Henry Gosling Unwin. He was my 2x gt grandfather.

Henry Gosling Unwin named his son, my great grandfather, Henry Goodey Unwin , Goodey being the maiden name of Oliver Gosling Sr’s wife, Elizabeth.

Following some nine years of research I am confident of my ancestral link to the Gosling brewers and the facts herein

The Unwin family were non-conformists. This is interesting, paradoxically, because the ‘new dissenters from the early 19th century, (and also the Anglican evangelicals) stressed personal morality issues, including sexuality, temperance, family values, and Sabbath-keeping which meant that a union with the Goslings who were not non-conformists may have met with some ‘resistance’.

Whilst Anna’s brother, John continued the family brewery, Anna and Henry Unwin bought a farm in Woodham, Surrey. They became wealthy and in May 1867, Henry's will was proved.

Henry appears to have been a man of some considerable means. His estate included eighteen properties in Milton Rd, Walthamstow, a pub, a blacksmith's shop and a chapel in Byfleet.

Approx. value in 2017 terms c.£22m. Unfortunately (for me!) his son, Henry Gosling Unwin (my 2x gt grandfather) Inherited his 1/7th share of this estate and managed to be declared bankrupt some nineteen months later! (London gazette.co.uk/London/issue/23.)

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  The Braintree Trade Directory 1840

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  The death announcement for Oliver Gosling

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  The Census of 1841

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  The Census of 1851 showing John Gosling

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  The Census of 1861 showing John Gosling

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  John Gosling's Will

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  The Census of 1871 showing Oliver Gosling jr

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  The Census of 1881 showing Oliver Gosling jr

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  The Census of 1891 showing Oliver Gosling jr

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  The Census of 1901 showing Oliver Gosling jr

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  Oliver Gosling jr's Will

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  The 1839 Trade Directory