Confused - Cant find them ??

[Spidermonkey]

It's not me who's your cousin but ggrocott!!  (Not that I would mind if I were your cuz  )

Are you definitely sure that it is your Ben who married Ann, and not his next door neighbour Ben (cousin?)?

Have you gone through all the census returns for the siblings to check that Clara isn't with them?

[Spidermonkey]

1891 census:

Thorns Road RG12; Piece: 2310; Folio 20; Page 4
Thomas Heathcote  H  Mar  22  Brickworks Labourer  bn Worcestershire
Clara Heathcote  W  Mar  22  Brickmaker?  bn Staffordshire
George H Heathcote  Son 6 mnths  bn Staffordshire

[Mr Grinch]

Damn not my Clara then. Aged 22, too young.
Yes im pretty sure the Benjamins right. I checked all of these out sometime ago and he married Ann.

Hi ggrocot, new cuz 

James

[JAP]

William HOMER, living next door to Benjamin & Caroline, is - given his age - presumably either a brother, cousin, or no relation at all to Benjamin.

There are two William HOMERs of the right age (14) in 1841.  One seems to be the son of a (yet another) William & Nancy; the other is living with some WILDONs (that was Caroline's maiden name).
The William & Nancy living next to Benjamin & Caroline in 1861 and 1871 weren't living next to them in 1851.  And aren't in 1881 by which time Nancy is a widow living in Rowley Regis - married daughter Hannah STOKES is still with her, plus some of the other children and a nephew.  By 1891, Nancy (mother-in-law) is living with Hannah and her husband Charles STOKES in Rowley Regis (Cradley Heath).

So they don't seem to be any help in the search for Sarah BROOKS.

JAP 

[JAP]

James, there are other marriages (Dudley or Stourbridge) of a Clara BROOKS and one of a Clara HOMER between 1881 and 1891.

1891 - location of siblings; no joy as far as finding Clara or Sarah ...

Birch Coppice, Quarry Bank, Kingswinford
James HOMER, Head, 50, a Puddler (what else!)
Sophia HOMER, Wife, 50
Margaret BALL, Daughter, (age unreadable), Chain Maker
Thomas HOMER, Son, (age unreadable - possibly 10), Scholar
Lucy HOMER, Granddaughter, 1
All born Kingswinford

?Mary Anne/Maryan b ca 1841
(At home in 1861, not located since then)

Birch Coppice, Quarry Bank, Kingswinford
George BUCKNELL, Head, 43, Coal Miner
Sarah A, Wife, 40(?)
Harriet, Daughter, 20, Chain Maker
Annie, Daughter 16(?), Do
William H, Son, 13, Coke Busker(?)
Isabella, Daughter, 11, Scholar
Richard, Son, 8, Scholar
Samuel, Son, 5, Do
Thomas, Son, 2
All born Quarry Bank except George b Salop, Ironbridge

Birch Coppice, Quarry Bank, Kingswinford
Transcribed as HOMAN
Benjamin HOMER, Head, 39, Chain Maker
Ann, Wife, 36
William, Son, 16, Chain Striker(?)
Maud, Daughter, 14
Lizzie, Daughter, 12, Scholar
Benjamin, Son, 9, Do
Walter, Son, 7, Do
Alfred, Son, 5, Do
Beatrix, Daughter, 2(?)
All born Quarry Bank except Alfred, born Delph

?Matilda/Tilda b ca 1856
(At home in 1871, not located since then)

JAP 

[Mr Grinch]

Thanks for your investigative work.

So what have we so far.

1. Elijah marries Clara Nov 17th 1878.
2. Sarah born 1st August 1879.
Was Clara pregnant pre marriage ?
3. Elijah know where to be found on 1881 but Clara shown as married but living with parents.
4. Elijah or Clara can not be found on 1891 or 1901 Census. Possible Sarah as an orphan.

So would this be likely:
Elijah does a bunk after the marriage - Facts - Clara registers Sarah on birth cert. Not present on the 1881 Census.
Clara dies post 1881 leaving Sarah to be bought up my grandparents until they die leaving her as an orphan. This may explain why Sarah travelled down to Hounslow by herself. I know she did this to earn money fruit picking but seems strange for her to go all that way by herself if she had her parents around.
BUT the orphan thing just doesnt ring true - Facts - She had cousins, uncles and aunts living close by if not next door and sometimes actually living in the same house from 1841-1891 on the Census. Why wouldnt these take her in ? If there was some family break down then why would she go and visit them (ive been told that she used to put on her best clothes to show her family she was better off in London) and why did they come down and visit her ?
So many questions. What you you guys gut instinct be ?

James

[JAP]

Hi James,

No gut instincts here (well, what did you expect!!).

I've already put forward my possible scenario (reply #11). 

So, no gut instincts but just a wish for a thorough investigation of orphan Sarah in the hope of at least ruling her out.

After which we can all construct alternative hypotheses to our heart's content. 

Good luck,

JAP
PS: Perhaps showing off was also to prove that she'd done better by being brought up in another family (notwithstanding that she'd kept in touch with her HOMER blood family) ...

[Spidermonkey]

This could be nothing, but on the Ellis Island website, there is a record of a Elizah (male) Brooks from Brierly Hill, aged 46 and an iron worker arriving in 1904 from LIverpool on the SS Oceanic

[Mr Grinch]

Even more interesting. There was talk of a close relative going to the USA aswell. Brierly Hill is not too far either.

Ive just been in touch with one of Sarah's grandaughters and 2nd cousin of mine. She says that Sarah went to visit family and someone called either Joe or Joseph Priest or Priestly in Quarry Bank/Kingswinford.
Can anyone find a connection. The name doesnt ring a bell with me.

Regards
James