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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: ojbumblebee1993 on Sunday 17 August 25 18:45 BST (UK)
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Hi there,
I was hoping to get some advice and ideally get someone to critique the research I've done so far on a person in my family tree. Her name is Sarah Jane Harrison. She married William John Houston and had several children: Polly, Ada, Sarah, Ann, Mary and maybe a William. Pollys birth certificate lists her as Sarah Jane Harrison.
I have census records showing she lived in Trimdon Foundry in 1891 and Houghton le Spring in 1901. The census records place her date of birth as roughly 1858/1859.
I'm struggling to verify her birth, marriage or death however.
For her birth I have one option as the 9th November 1857 to parents James Harrison and Isabella Branton (formerly Mitchell). But this has her birth listed as back union chapel in bishopwearmouth in Sunderland whereas both census records indicate she was born in easington lane which makes me skeptical.
For her marriage I have one option as 1878 to William Houston?
I am not sure where she died. I can't find any realistic options that match her supposed age/location (which hasn't be helped by the lack of certainty of the above). I have Williams death in 1894 which correlates with the census difference between 1891 and 1901.
I've explored the possibility that she remarried - potential in 1906? But again I can't be sure as I can't verify other facts to conclusively say yes or no to this possibility.
If someone could let me know what they think I'd be grateful. If you could also explain how you got that answer I'd be very grateful as I'm keen to learn where I am going wrong with my research or certainly how to overcome issues.
Many thanks.
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There is a Sarah Jane Hearron registered Houghton le Spring 1859 mmn Hurrell.
Wonder if the surname has been misheard, there is a marriage for a George Harrison and Ann Hurrell Sep Q 1850 Houghton le Spring.
Perhaps worth looking into.
I can t find a marriage for Sarah Jane and William though.
Cathy
Added.. I don t think this is her after all
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1891 census suggests that 2 children are step children to William Houston, William 15 & Ann 12.
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Possible births.
HARRISON, ANN STRACHAN -
GRO Reference: 1880 M Quarter in HOUGHTON.LE.SPRING Volume 10A Page 415
HARRISON, WILLIAM -
GRO Reference: 1877 J Quarter in HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING Volume 10A Page 552
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Thanks for the replies so far.
I've attached Pollys birth certificate and the two census records I have if they are of any use.
I also found a workhouse record for a potential Sarah Harrison in Durham for 1871 which I wondered was relevant?
Thanks.
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Thanks for this. Would this indicate that Sarah brought two illegitimate children into the marriage (if indeed there was one)?
Possible births.
HARRISON, ANN STRACHAN -
GRO Reference: 1880 M Quarter in HOUGHTON.LE.SPRING Volume 10A Page 415
HARRISON, WILLIAM -
GRO Reference: 1877 J Quarter in HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING Volume 10A Page 552
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Either of those 2 births is worth a £3 gro digital download, probably Williams. I suspect William Houston snr was previously married.
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Just want to note this with everything so far 1881 Hetton
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01txa/
Isabella Harrison and family
The Sarah Jane here is 19 and there are also 2 g.children, William A. Harrison age 4 and Elizabeth Ann age 1, births are Easington Lane.
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Think you might be right about William being married previously.
There's a William Ouston b c1861 in Houghton le Spring living in Chester le Street in 1881 with wife Ruth
Ruth is on her own with three girls in 1891 - the youngest is 6, which fits with him going off with Sarah and them having a 5 year old on 1891
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Just want to note this with everything so far 1881 Hetton
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01txa/
Isabella Harrison and family
The Sarah Jane here is 19 and there are also 2 g.children, William A. Harrison age 4 and Elizabeth Ann age 1, births are Easington Lane.
Good find,
1871 ref for Sarah Jane
Piece 4984
Folio 72
Page number 34
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Think you might be right about William being married previously.
There's a William Ouston b c1861 in Houghton le Spring living in Chester le Street in 1881 with wife Ruth
Ruth is on her own with three girls in 1891 - the youngest is 6, which fits with him going off with Sarah and them having a 5 year old on 1891
Possible marriage
Marriages Dec 1878
GRAY Ruth Easington 10a 487
HONSTON William Easington 10a 487
HOUSTON William Easington 10a 487
as per 1881 census
OUSTON, ELIZABETH mmn GRAY
GRO Reference: 1881 M Quarter in CHESTER LE STREET Volume 10A Page 504
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Thank you - that's enlightening (and simultaneously terrible).
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Few more SS ???, more census returns for the Harrisons, looking at Isabella born Whitley
1871
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01txb/
1861 Isabella , daughter
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01txc/
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If William Houston was married before is it possible then that he did not marry Sarah? Or did he divorce Ruth? And is it likely rather than dying in 1894 as I previously had assumed he actually did another runner with someone else?
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There is a brief report in the Durham County Advertiser, 8 September 1893, I think from the Durham City Police Court (but I don't know if it is the right man)
Free ocr text, with guesses for missing words
He Couldn’t Pay.— William Houston was brought up to show cause why he should not pay £25 arrears on an order made against him for the maintenance of his wife and children.—Defendant said he could not pay 10s a week; he was paying 2s 6d a week to'his children. He was getting little money, and could pay nothing down. He had sent his wife 5s in two months—The bench ordered defendant to gaol for two months.
Also, there are some admission records, St Michael's Church Of England School, Houghton le Spring, in 1900 for
Mary Ellen Houston, born 1889
Polly Houston, born 1890
Ada Houston, born 1892
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Re the 1894 death, an announcement
Durham County Advertiser, 29 June 1894
At Trimdon Colliery, 27th inst., W. Houston, miner, aged 34 years.
There may be a burial for him indexed on Durham Records Online.
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Morning jonwarrn, good finds, well done again.
Possible birth of William & sister
HOUSTON, WILLIAM JAMES mmn KIRTLEY
GRO Reference: 1859 M Quarter in HOUGHTON LE SPRING Volume 10A Page 326
HOUSTON, MARY JANE mmn KIRTLEY
GRO Reference: 1857 M Quarter in HOUGHTON LE SPRING Volume 10A Page 304
Parents
Marriages Dec 1853
Houston William Durham 10a 329
Kirtley Mary Jane Durham 10a 329
1861 census ref----------with grandparents
Piece 3752
Folio 49
1871 census ref ----------- with grandparents and probable father who is a widower
Piece 3752
Folio 49
Page number 14
Page number 14
Believe William's father William is with his brother Thomas in 1861 census ref
Piece 3712
Folio 3
Page number 6
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If William Houston was married before is it possible then that he did not marry Sarah? Or did he divorce Ruth? And is it likely rather than dying in 1894 as I previously had assumed he actually did another runner with someone else?
I don;t think he divorced Ruth - it was fairly unusual in those days. Both Sarah and Ruth describe themselves as married in 1891 and widowed in 1901
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In 1911 Ruth is living in Chester le Street.Believe she remarried Ralph N(Newrick) Chapman in 1920. They appear together in 1921 census. Ralph dies 1924, his probate does not mention Ruth, but a possible son.
Deaths Mar 1931
Chapman Ruth aged 69 Chester-le-S. 10a 685
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I've explored the possibility that she remarried - potential in 1906? But again I can't be sure as I can't verify other facts to conclusively say yes or no to this possibility.
This one?
June 1906 Easington 10a 961
Harrison, Sarah Jane
Nicholson, Robert
+ 2 others
1911 in Shotton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHQ-S9C
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Yes that was the one.
I've explored the possibility that she remarried - potential in 1906? But again I can't be sure as I can't verify other facts to conclusively say yes or no to this possibility.
This one?
June 1906 Easington 10a 961
Harrison, Sarah Jane
Nicholson, Robert
+ 2 others
1911 in Shotton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHQ-S9C
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Yes that was the one.
I've explored the possibility that she remarried - potential in 1906? But again I can't be sure as I can't verify other facts to conclusively say yes or no to this possibility.
This one?
June 1906 Easington 10a 961
Harrison, Sarah Jane
Nicholson, Robert
+ 2 others
1911 in Shotton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWHQ-S9C
I think there's a very strong link with marriage and 1911 census.
In 1901 census Sarah Jane Houston has a 10 month old daughter called Maggie, born Houghton Le Spring. In 1911 census Sarah (Now Nicholson has a 10 year old daughter Margaret Nicholson born Houghton Le Spring.I reckon Margaret has adopted the Nicholson surname.
HARRISON, MARGARET -
GRO Reference: 1900 S Quarter in HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING Volume 10A Page 506
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added
The 1911 census gives an address of --12, Fifth Street, Horden, Shotton, Durham, England
Fast forward to 1921 census-12, Fifth Street, Horden, Shotton, Durham, England
Robert still at this address with a "different wife" but a son Edward who appears in 1911.
So either Robert/Sarah have parted or she has passed away.
Possible remarriage of Robert Nicholson.
Marriages Sep 1919
King Margaret Nicholson Easington 10a 1255
Nicholson Robert King Easington 10a 1255
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Maragret/Maggie Harrison has a dob of 23rd May 1900
She marries as Margaret C N Harrison in 1918 Easington to Joseph Coxon.
Births of children--interesting
Births Mar 1921
Coxon Margaret mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 991
Births Sep 1923
Coxon Son mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 891
Births Jun 1925
Coxon Son mmn Houston Easington 10a 899
Births Sep 1931
Coxon daughter mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 663
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Polly Houston married John H Coxon 1911 Easington. John H a widower by 1939
Deaths Sep 1939
Coxon Polly 48 Durham E. 10a 521
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Thanks for this. The 1925 Houston/Coxon is Pollys son John Coxon.
Does that mean Polly and Maggie as half sisters likely married into the same family?
Maragret/Maggie Harrison has a dob of 23rd May 1900
She marries as Margaret C N Harrison in 1918 Easington to Joseph Coxon.
Births of children--interesting
Births Mar 1921
Coxon Margaret mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 991
Births Sep 1923
Coxon Son mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 891
Births Jun 1925
Coxon Son mmn Houston Easington 10a 899
Births Sep 1931
Coxon daughter mmn Nicholson Easington 10a 663
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Polly Houston married John H Coxon 1911 Easington. John H a widower by 1939
Deaths Sep 1939
Coxon Polly 48 Durham E. 10a 521
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Thanks so much for all the replies so far.
To recap it looks like:
Sarah didn't marry William Houston and bought two children into the relationship before they met. He had three children prior with Ruth. Sarah and William had Florence, Mary, Polly and Ada. She may have married Nicholson in 1906 (I need to investigate the marriage certificate) but by that point she'd also given birth to Maggie. There is also the possibility she had Isabella in 1909?
But it looks like she had died by the 1921 census.
Polly and Maggie may have married into the same family?
Thanks again for all the research. This is fantastic.
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Believe Polly and Margaret did marry brothers.
COXON, JOHN HENRY mmn LOWE
GRO Reference: 1892 D Quarter in SUNDERLAND Volume 10A Page 689
COXON, JOSEPH mmn LOWE
GRO Reference: 1899 S Quarter in EASINGTON Volume 10A Page 476
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Do you have info for Mary Ellen Houston 1899
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I have Mary as 1889?
Do you have info for Mary Ellen Houston 1899
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I have Mary as 1889?
Do you have info for Mary Ellen Houston 1899
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My mistake 1889
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The 1911 census gives an address of --12, Fifth Street, Horden, Shotton, Durham, England
Fast forward to 1921 census-12, Fifth Street, Horden, Shotton, Durham, England
Robert still at this address with a "different wife" but a son Edward who appears in 1911.
So either Robert/Sarah have parted or she has passed away.
1918 electoral register, Parish of Shotton (two pages on image)
Arranged by surname
Right hand page, 2nd column
Robert Nicholson, Sarah Jane Nicholson at 12 Fifth Street, Horden
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39L-ZV75
Spring 1919
Arranged by street
Right hand page, 2nd column
Robert Nicholson only at 12 Fifth Street, Horden
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39L-99MZ-7
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Could this be Ada? With photo?
Hartlepool (Northern Daily) Mail, 25 February 1971
TWO Horden couples celebrate 110 years of marriage this week-end. For Bob and Ada Twitty it is 60 years since they walked the 300 yards from Ada’s home in Blackhills Terrace to St Hilda’s Church to be married...
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Yes thats Ada! Thank you thats lovely.
Could this be Ada? With photo?
Hartlepool (Northern Daily) Mail, 25 February 1971
TWO Horden couples celebrate 110 years of marriage this week-end. For Bob and Ada Twitty it is 60 years since they walked the 300 yards from Ada’s home in Blackhills Terrace to St Hilda’s Church to be married...
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NICHOLSON, SARAH JANE aged 57
GRO Reference: 1918 D Quarter in EASINGTON Volume 10A Page 935
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That's the one it seems.
NICHOLSON, SARAH JANE aged 57
GRO Reference: 1918 D Quarter in EASINGTON Volume 10A Page 935
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