With all this info you would think it would be possible to trace his earlier life but not having any luck. In the 1871 census Edward is missing but Ann and her children plus both her stepsons John age 14 and Henry age 12 are living with her eldest daughter and husband Henry Lucas and their family at Rockmount Street,(I believe Rockmount st was in the vicinity of a couple of quarries so he was possibly working) but what is interesting is that both the stepsons are shown as being born in the West Indies, I thought at first this was a mistake but with the rest of the family the enumerator has distinguished between West Derby and West Indies. Between the couple they both had sons named Henry with a few years between them in age.
In the 1881 census it is obvious from the wording that Edward has given the information except for his daughter Mary Ellen where he has stated she is a step daughter and all children including his son Henry are born in Manchester, no mention of Liverpool or the West Indies, his job is now a Cattle drover. After this census I have come to a halt with the family. I have looked at records for the Carribean for Edward Rowlands thinking he may have served in the military but no luck, cant find a first marriage for him either nor records for his sons John or Henry. What happened to bring him back to England was it end of military service or did his wife die in the West Indies or here, whom ever she was?
At least it looks as though his boys were well looked after by Ann, any light you can throw on the subject would be well received cheers L.B
but didn't know about Oxton/Birkenhead at the time...... yes I would say Swansea ..