Hi again Stephanie,
here's what we know about Sarah. She was born around 1831 in Diss, Norfolk. We have no idea when her family moved up north or indeed why. We're guessing it was because of her dad's (Michael Hall) work though. She married William Cain/Kane in 1853/4. We can't find any record of a marriage in the church records, however, we're still looking. She might have married in another church to the one in which her kids were baptised.
The 1861 census has William listed as being 31 and Sarah 29. Their daughters Sarah and Mary A. are listed as being 7 years old and 7 months old. She had no other children at that stage. BTW, their name was spelled Cane on the census.
By 1871, Mary Ann Cain is down as being 11, Margaret 8, William and Michael both 4 and finally John 3 days. As you will have seen, Sarah appears to have died sometime during the previous 10 years. Of course she could have been living with relatives - that's quite possible too.
In 1881 we have William Cain 54 and Sarah Cain 52 along with William and Michael aged 14. William Snr is down as being born in Ireland (we don't know where!) and a hawker, while the two boys are already down as glassmakers! It was a hard life. :-(
Now then, I've just noticed on the census form that they lived in Scott's Row (which I knew already) but living there too are - George Hall 24, Mary A Hall, his wife 21, Thomas 2 their son and Sarah A 4 months, their daughter.
Now I have no idea what sort of dwelling they were but I imagine them to be very overcrowded so the two families could easily have been living in one house, with other families. Unfortunately it doesn't tell one the number of Scott's Row where they were. Just a "schedule number" (whatever that is) which in their case was 7 and in the case of the Hall family was 6.
In 1859 they had a daughter called Rachael who must have died because they had another daughter called Rachael in 1865.
One more thing, in 1851 she lived in Newcastle upon Tyne as a lodger with James Scott 40 and Jane S. Scott 39, their children Michael 9 and Susannah 3. I can only make out "North Shore"? as an address and both James and Jane were born in Gateshead, however I can't tell where there kids were born. I'll get Catherine on the case.
Anyway, we're still working on Sarah who was our great, great grandmother by the way. If there's anything I've missed I'll get back to you. If you need any details about anyone - such as birthdays for example just let me know. :-)
William
