This report shows that Robert Shum Coward (father of Robert Henry Coward, later Mansel) was attempting to change his surname before 1862. Note: the family were using the surname 'Coward' when the 1861 census was taken. I can find no record for them in the 1871 census under 'Coward' of 'Mansel'.
Transcript: "A correspondence has been published between Mr. C. Prothero, Clerk of the Peace for the county of Monmouth, and Mr. C. Romilly, Clerk of the Crown, which shows the new system of adopting surnames at will, without the Royal license, is invalid after all. Mr. W. R, Jones, of Clytha, by whom the plan was first adopted, has failed to get himself recognised as Mr. Herbert, either by the Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire or at the office of the Clerk of the Crown. Thus the above Mr. Jones, and the other Mr. Jones who wanted to be St. Paul, are thrown back into the mass of the Joneses. The next in order, who for a brief space has been supposed to rank among the great as Norfolk-Howard, more cruel still, remains a Bug. Mr. Braunagan is not Mr. Ponsonby, and the would-be Shum-Mansel is Robert Shum-Coward still. One privilege, however, is accorded to all these gentlemen — they may contract debts under which name they like, and yet be compellable to pay." |
