Lookup for William Heath of Stafford

[valerieheath209]

My Great Great Grandfather was William Heath, b. 1824, christened in St Mary's Church, Stafford on 15th Aug 1824.  This information I found from LDS records.  It shows his father being Thomas Heath and Mother is Sarah.  I have no more information than that.  Would be very grateful if someone could check at the Staffordshire Records Office for any more information on Williams birth or his parentage.

The 1841 census shows William Heath, b 1824 living in Stafford with his mother Sarah but no sign of his father.  Also in the same household is a child called Amelia Poulson.  I remember seeing a marriage of a Thomas Heath and a Sarah Poulson (widow) on 19th May 1823 in St Mary's Church, Stafford, but have been unable to find it since.  I think Thomas's birth was around 1803 and Sarah's around 1796.

I'm not able to get to the records office myself as I live in South Australia so would be most grateful for any help anyone could provide.

Kindest regards
Valerie Heath

[sugs]

 Hi Valerie
 I'm going to the records office tommorow, I live in Stafford, with pleasure I will see what I can find for you about William and his family.
 I won't make any promises but I,ll do my best.

 Willbe back to you soon.
 Sue.

[valerieheath209]

Thank you Sue, that is very very kind of you.  I had a day in Stafford about two years ago whilst on holiday.  No time to records search though.  It was lovely to tread the cobbled stones of Church Lane though up to Saint Mary's Church where my ancestors walked all those years ago. The addresses I have for William and Elizabeth Heath (nee Murrall) from the censuses are from 1841, going upwards are Church Lane, Stafford in 1841, then they moved to Birmingham until they are back in 1861 at 2, 1 Millbank Court, Stafford, then 1871 in 10 Stafford Street, then onto Foregate Square, Stafford for the next three censuses before William died in 1895 and Elizabeth in 1899 and she is at 5 Garden Street, Stafford at that time.

Kindest regards
Valerie

[sugs]

 Hey Valerie how are you.
 Ther's not alot to report at the moment as the records were a little obscure in places.

 1st though I found the marriage of William and Sarah

 St Mary's church Stafford
 19th May 1823
 Thomas Heath Batchelor
 Sarah Poulson Widow
 Married by Banns
 Witnessed by  Richard Heath and John Tildesley

 J Tildesley I think was church warden or such as he appears to witness alot of marriages.

 I'm sure you know this but anyway to be married by Banns meant that the intention to Marry was read
  out for 3 consecutive weeks in church.

 Then St Mary's church Stafford
  Baptism Aug' 15th 1824
 William son of Thomas and Sarah Heath  fathers proffesion Labourer

 Unable to find any siblings for William in St Mary to 1830

 But then
 St Mary's church Stafford
 Burial june 11th 1830
 Thomas Heath of Stafford age 37

 Had only a quick look for the parents of Thomas but no luck as yet
 Do you know any other details that might help?

 Have found though a marriage for Sarah
 
 Holy Trinity Eccleshall Stafford
  17th feb' 1817
 Thomas Poulson
 to Sarah Williams
 Witnessed by Roger Williams and Thomas Smith (again I think T Smith is rector)

 That's as much as I can get for now but when I go again I'll see if I can gleen any more.
 Let me now of any specifics .
 
 But for now All the best Sue.
 P.S My Nan and Grandad and my Mum lived in Mill Bank Mum was born 12th june 1914 at 3 house 1 court Mill Bank ,small world.

[valerieheath209]

Sue, this is wonderful research!  Thank you so much.  I did wonder if Thomas Heath had left his mortal coil early.  I think it's correct in saying that Thomas and Sarah Heath had no more children. 

However, following William b: 1824 and Elizabeth (nee Murrall) Heath through to the 1891 census, there is a Thomas Heath, brother of head of household living with them in 15 Foregate Street.  This has been a puzzle for me as he is 30 years older than William.  I can follow him up to 1901 census and then no further.

Which means he wasn't the son of the original Thomas Heath, Labourer.  And Sarah (nee Poulson) would have been 58 years old when he was born is she was the mother.  This Thomas was a Baker and his birth is St Mary in Stafford as well.  I wasn't thinking about him at all when I asked about William and his father.    William was a Shoemaker by the way.  Perhaps next time you are in the records office, you could look for this Thomas Heath, b: 1854.  There were so many Thomas Heaths though.

I see one of the witnesses at the Thomas and Sarah Heath marriage was a Richard Heath.  I shall have a scout around there as that could be his brother or even father. 

That's about all I can think of specific wise.  But your research has been a jewel in the crown for me and I am really grateful.  And it is a small world indeed.  I loved Stafford and we walked all around the streets where my ancestors lived and Mill Bank with the water wheel was quite special.  I could say you are lucky and I envy you living in such a pretty town, and I do but I love living here in Adelaide.  I spent five years living nr Broadway in Worcestershire not so long ago.  Beautiful but far too cold for me in winter. 

Thank you again for doing this for me.  I'll be getting stuck into checking out Richard Heath now.
Kind Regards
Val

[valerieheath209]

Hi Sue

Further delving has led me on a slightly different path for our Thomas Heath, father of William.  I have a marriage of a Thomas Heath  to a Mary Gray in Harbourne, Stafford.  10 Mar 1854.  Thomas is a Widower and his father is Richard Heath.

It gets a little bit better because in the 1861 census, this Thomas and Mary Heath are living in Castle Church Stafford, he is a Railway Labourer and the eldest of their children is a son, Thomas Heath born 1854, Castle Church, Stafford.

This boy would indeed be a brother to William Heath.   In which case Sarah Heath (nee Poulson) died, prior to 1854 leaving her husband a widower and free to marry again. 

So I'm thinking now that Richard Heath is the father of Thomas Heath b about 1803, which is the age he gives on the census.  Mary's age is about 1818, both giving their birthplace as Stafford.  The children's birthplaces are Castle Church Stafford.

I am bubbling a bit with excitement now and have lots more delving to do.  And all because you were kind enough to do some checking in the records office for me.  Thank you again.

Val 

[sugs]

 Hi Val,I,m glad that I could help you on your way again.
 Having looked through all St Marys for Thomas's parents with no Luck I'm inclined to agree with you on them being origanally from Castle Church which is also an old church of the town and very pretty though not in their time I suspect.
 Would you like me to try and confirm this for you by checking the records?
 Sue

[valerieheath209]

Hello Sue

In the 1861 Census, I noticed that Mary who I think married Thomas Heath has her mother staying with them.  Her mother is a Hawkins and I've found a marriage for Thomas Heath and Mary Ann Hawkins in 1847 in Castle Church.  The grooms father is recorded as Richard Heath.  I think it is this Mary not the previous one I mentioned that Thomas married..

Their children in 1861 census are:  Thomas 1853, Alfred 1854, Mary 1857 and Gemma 1859, all Castle Church, Stafford birthplace.
In 1851 census they have Albert 1851 Stafford birthplace.

If you do get some time to check these then I would be grateful.  At this stage I am thinking that my thomas Heath who appears as about 1803 throughout the censuses is son of Richard Heath and Ann and was baptised on 30 Dec 1802 in Eccleshall, Stafford.  I may be totally wrong though as happens when tracing your history.

It's all still a puzzle. 

Val

[sugs]

 Hi Val,
 Ok here goes
 
 @ Holy Trinity Church Eccleshall
  12th dec 1802
  Bapt  Thomas Heath to Richard and Ann from Eccleshall

 Then we know that Thomas Marries Sarah Poulson 1823
 William is born 1824

 I can't at this time find a burial for Sarah but there are 3 deaths on Ancestry that look hopeful
 1st Sarah Heath July Qtr 1842 (Personally I think this One)
 2nd        "          April Qtr 1846
 3rd         "          July Qtr  1846  All from Stafford

 Then
 @ Castle Church Stafford
 28th Dec 1847 Marriage Solomised by Banns
 Thomas Heath of full age Widower   Labourer    living Railway Station
 father  Richard Heath Cordwainer
 To
 Mary Ann Hawkins of full age  spinster  servant  living near Railway Station
 father William Hawkins  Sawyer

 Both sign with an x
 As do both witnesses who are named as  Thomas Sewell and Elizabeth Bates

 Val this looks good to me and makes sense let me know if you want me to carry on looking for evidence of Sarah's death and if there is any thing else.
 
 By the by I don'y know what it means by Living at the railway station but I'll be interested to look into that for myself!I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

 I can't find any baptisms for those kid's(yet)
 
But I did come across this @ Castle church

 bapt 17th dec 1848 George to Thomas and Mary Heath from Castle church a Labourer
 one of yours do you think?

 All the Best Sue