birth of Sarah SMITH c 1821 Nottm

[dawghowsca]

Sarah's 1842 marriage certificate names her father as John Smith (waterman). 

The 1861 census states Sarah, age 41, was born St Mary, Nottm

The 1871 census identifies John as "gdfather" & "Rachel" as "gdmother" in the home of Sarah's daughter, Maria, & his birthplace is given as Newark, Notts while Rachel's is given as Colchester, Essex.

When I worked backwards from 1871, the 1861 census for John has Rachel spelled RACHAEL. and I found an IGI record for the marriage of JOHN SMITH to RACHAEL PALMER 18 Mar 1827.

However, if this is the right couple, the c 1821 birth (1861-41) of Sarah, does not fit.  I did not find an IGI record that fit, either.

Does anyone have another source that would help me?

dawghows

[Heather D]

Hi there

There is a possible baptism for Sarah at Nottingham St Mary 02/11/1818 to John and Mary Smith, living at Leenside and father's occupation given as boatman.

Obviously there are a lot of children born to John and Mary Smith, but the ones stating father as boatman/waterman are :-

Nottingham St Mary
William 11/03/1821 Wharf Street
John 28/01/1823 Butcher's Close
Joseph 07/04/1825 Mill Street

Newark
James 17/06/1817
Edward 30/03/1821

With two 1821 baptisms they look like two different families?

[Heather D]

Again only looking at St Mary's the closest marriages of a John to a Mary are

25/09/1815 to Mary Jackson
24/03/1818 to Mary Lightfoot

Other marriages around that date
Mary Brindley 07/11/1815 at Hockerton (not far from Newark)
Mary Brown at nottingham St Nicholas 05/02/1817
Mary Ashar at Southwell (again close to Newark) 24/08/1818

Obviously only possible suggestions but you may find a surname cropping up as you dig further

Heather

[dawghowsca]

hmmm no marriage to Rachael; not sure what to make of that.

Is that what a waterman is! -- something related to boats?  I keep forgetting Sussex is on the coast, I'm not sure what I thought it might be.

Where is Leenside, I've not heard of it before?

I have printed off your input -- & thank you for your assistance.  I cannot place Sarah back to 1818, but maybe something unexpected will turn up when the 1851 census comes out.  What was your source, please? 

dawghows

[Heather D]

Hi again,

sorry, should have said that the source is the Notts Family History Society indexes of baptisms and marriages. It includes many parishes but is not complete ...however the St Mary baptisms are there. Not being able to find baptisms for a John and Rachel Smith, I looked at other possibles (thinking this was perhaps a re-marriage).

Leenside is just the part of Nottingham they were living at the time of baptism. If you search this site, you'll find a fair bit of discussion of boatmen and watermen - not such an unusual occupation when you consider the River Trent runs through both Nottingham and Newark.

All the best, Heather

[Heather D]

I believe this is your Sarah in 1851?

HO107 2132 257 13
17 Milk Street St Mary Nottingham
Wm Scattergood head 28 framework knitter Nottm
Sarah wife 32 Nottm
Mary Ann dau 8 Sneinton Notts
Maria dau 6 Nottm
Abigail Dexter lodger 6 Nottm

If you would like to see the image let me know. However this adds weight to the 1818 baptism. Someone born towards the end of 1818 would indeed be 32 at the time of the 1851 census, which was taken in the spring.

Heather