Hannah SPARKS bC1861 Somerset, England

[majm]

Hi there Maere,

Welcome to RChat, it is a grand place for help with family history enquiries.

In the mid to late 19th Century Australia there were basically six separate British colonies,  and so each of those six colonies had their own BMD organisations.   After those six colonies were federated into one colony in 1901, those six earlier colonies became six states, but each one kept their own organisations, there was no federating of the existing civil organisations.      So, to help find your Hannah SPARKS born about 1861 in Somerset, England we need to check out each of those six civil registries, and in some instances that is not an easy online task. 

Neil asked if you have checked for outbound passengers and or emigrants, but I don’t seem to have found your reply.   

May I mention that in the 19thC so many of these civil registry entries were recorded by clerks who may not have been good spellers, based on information provided verbally, by people who were not skilled at reading writing ‘upside down’ (the ledgers were of course facing the clerks, not the informants).   So, there’s often a surname with different spelling, or a first name with mishmashed  spelling.   Of course, the indexes for so many of these registers were not prepared until decades after the info was recorded, so those volunteers preparing those indexes were reading long hand scribble, made by old fashioned pen and ink scribes, and with everyone not needing to be pedantic about spelling. 

Over the years, I have noticed SPARKS recorded as SPARKES, SHARKS, and other variations.   Hannah, well, there’s so many variations there too ….. Annie, Ann, Anne,  and many others.

Here’s  the link to the Australia Resources Board, you will find there’s the child boards for each of the states and territories that make up Australia.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?board=399.0

Cheers,  JM

[Maere]

Short of ordering ALL of them,  I'd start with the ones nearest to Somerset first,  and work outwards from there.

Yeah, those are the "ALL" of them I meant (those in/near Somerset with SPARKS/SPARKE/SPARKES/SPARK and similar or any other variant along with Anna Hanna etc, and working outward; I crossed them off the list where I could). With variations, and time lines .. I just can't afford to order all of them. I have followed up where I could (check the next census they would be in as a married couple) with no luck. I guess I should make note that I have been researching this family for 22 years now. I'm not new to the game in general, just new to Australia. I have checked ships to Canada, and ships to the United States. I have checked census in both countries, as well as Ontario marriages (her brothers Sam and John settled here), and marriages Ontario County, New York where Hannah's sisters, and one brother settled. I have begun looking into Wales, but I'm not as familiar with their system. 

Notoriously mistake ridden there is actually a death registration for a Hannah SPARKES in Australia with a father John and a mother Mary, however I don't see any real connection.

Neil

Is there anything in particular that jumps out as a not likely? Thanks for your replies Neil.

I'd be looking at deaths and marriages in England before rushing about aimlessly all over the world,  no matter how tedious it may be.
One line of enquiry I could suggest,  is to try and figure out when this Neil O Coyle died.  If he died,  she'd be out of a job,  which might tend to be the catalyst for a big move.

I have already followed up Neil COYLE and his family. She isn't with them, or any of his children. She is not in the 1891/1901 census in England or Wales. I haven't aimlessly rushed all over the world. I have been researching this family for a very long time. The marriages I could find were followed up. They did not match Hannah. No deaths within a reasonable name fit her as far as age goes, but I have ordered one which gives her age as five years younger than she is I have not followed up stranger name variants like "SPRAGUE".

In the mid to late 19th Century Australia there were basically six separate British colonies..[snip]

Neil asked if you have checked for outbound passengers and or emigrants, but I don’t seem to have found your reply.   

May I mention that in the 19thC so many of these civil registry entries...[snip]

Over the years, I have noticed SPARKS recorded as SPARKES, SHARKS, and other variations.   Hannah, well, there’s so many variations there too ….. Annie, Ann, Anne,  and many others.
Here’s  the link ...

Cheers,  JM

SHARKS is one spelling I have not come across before. I will add it to my file. And thanks for your reply. I was surprised to find all these messages, and have yet to go through them. I am familiar with the other spellings, and the messes the registrar, and even the parent can cause (my 2nd great grandfather, Hannah's brother, appears to have been baptised before he was born - I'm going with John's error in reporting the birth since the minister knew the family quite well.) thanks for your reply. It is much appreciated.

There is a marriage in 1880 of a Hannah SPARKS in Somerset and she is right age. When she was employed with the O'Coyle Family she may have lied to get the job

My finder says Hannah married one of two men. Samuel WARREN or Charles HITCHCOCK. I can find no reference to a Hannah with either surname and right birth year in 1891 census.

Neil

Good point about lying. Her sister had a child out of wedlock, and left him with his grandfather and step grand mother when she became a "single/childless" indentured servant.
The WARREN and HITCHCOCK names sound familiar. I'll go over them again, though. Thanks.