Griffin/Phipps Enigma

[nthnyds]

This is where it starts to get confusing.

Without reference to parents we really have no idea who the Sarah Griffin - domestic servant aged 11 in Oldbury is.
Find it strange that if she is the daughter of Henry and Christina that she would be working - far from home - at the age of 11 when her siblings, John, Edward (Edwin) and Phoebe are still at school, aged 13, 10 and 14 respectively?

[heywood]

Mmm- I agree.
However, she was with the Johnsons who were possible relatives and they had been married since 1853 and apparently no children.
I wonder,even though she was a servant, whether that had any bearing on it.
There may be other Sarahs in the extended family.
Your Sarah is the only one in 1851 census but there is a Sarah Jane in births in addition to a Sarah and there is a death for a Sarah.
On the other hand, there is a Myra link.

There is a marriage on Family Search 1876, Hulme,Manchester Sarah Griffin (father Henry) and William Taylor.

[heywood]

Just found more details on Lancs OPC 
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/indexp.html

6 Jun 1876 St Michael, Hulme, Lancashire, England.
William Taylor, 24yrs  a Joiner, bachelor46 Juniper St.
Father, George Taylor, Tailor
Sarah Griffin 24 yrs Spinster 46 Juniper St.
Father: Henry Griffin, Joiner
Witnesses: George Taylor; Louisa Griffin
   

[heywood]

1871  RG10; Piece: 2974; Folio: 88; Page: 3
15 Halesowen Street Oldbury

Oliver Johnson head 43 yrs Green Grocer
Sarah Elizabeth wife 39 yrs
Mary Ann Johnson daur 9 yrs
Phebe Johnson daur 7 yrs
Myra Johnson daur 4 yrs
Louisa Griffin servant 17 yrs General Servant b Clent
Thomas Griffin servant 11 yrs General servant b Clent

I realise we are wandering away from your initial query to which there perhaps there isn't a real answer 

[nthnyds]

I believe you are right,Heywood, when you say we will probably never know. I guess I was being a little naive, but hopeful that maybe someone else descended from Christiana and Henry had asked the same questions, and had found an answer.
Or anyone else for that matter who had a similar problem within their families at that time, and had some experience of what the problem may have been.

I do believe your last two posts have identified the marriage of Sarah Griffin to William Taylor, and the workplace of the young Louisa and Thomas. It would seem from the information you have posted that Sarah Elizabeth Johnson (nee Griffin) could indeed be a relative, and is helping out her "family" with work for the two young ones, as it would appear she did with Sarah before.

[nthnyds]

Regarding Sarah's marriage to William Taylor. Hulme is in fact in SOUTH MANCHESTER. This would tie up with the registration/birth of Myra Taylor in Chorlton.
Chorlton was a district of South Manchester up to 1925 before it was fully incorporated into South Manchester.

[heywood]

Yes it does all fit and glad you can see that. We are on the outskirts of Manchester so it is familiar territory.
It is difficult to look back when we are doing it from our modern view.
Best wishes
Heywood