Looking for Samuel Carlisle, James Edward, Sarah Ann and Frederick Gray/Grey

[pollymann]

I am trying to find out what happened to Samuel Carlisle Gray/Grey and his children James Edward, Sarah Ann and Frederick after the death of his wife. Isabella Ann (maiden name Dixon) committed suicide 20th March 1895 and her death was reported in The Shields Gazette on that day. An inquest was held at Jarrow Police Station the same day and the jury recorded a verdict of “suicide whilst of unsound mind”. They had heard that she had been suffering from influenza and her husband had been out of work for some time. He had gone from their home in Frederick Street, Jarrow to Blyth, Northumberland,  to try and find work that day. Samuel was a blacksmith and they had three children. After this date the only one of the family I can find is James Edward who, in 1901, is living with his maternal uncle, Robert Dixon, in East Molesden, Northumberland.
Other information:
Samuel and Isabella married in Morpeth, Northumberland in 1885.
James Edward and Sarah Ann were born in South Hetton, Co Durham  and baptised at St Paul's Haswell 3rd October 1888.
In 1891 the family are living at 7 Alexandra Terrace, Tyne Dock, South Shields. Frederick's birth place is given as Tyne Dock.
In 1895 the family were living at 15 Frederick Street, Jarrow.
In the newspaper reports Isabella is said to be the mother of three children so I am, at the moment, assuming that these children were James Edward, Sarah Ann and Frederick.
I think James married Isabella Edgar in Morpeth, Northumberland in 1908 and is living with her and their son, Robert, in Hirst, Northumberland in 1911.

[Milliepede]

How sad and the children were so young at the time

There's a Sarah Ann Gray marriage to Frederick Tolley in 1908 Auckland Durham as a possible *

* Nope scrap that one sorry wrong family.

[pollymann]

I'd looked at that marriage as well. Yes, it was very sad.
Pauline

[Schoch]

Hi,

This may be stating the obvious but have you gone through the possibilities;

1) Samuel may well have married very soon after his wife's death, needing someone to look after the children (very common in those days).
2) He may have returned to the Morpeth area with the children (he was looking for work there).
3) He may have "farmed" them out to relatives (James was living with an Uncle later).
4) Could he have left for the colonies.
5) Could he have died and the younger one's placed in "work houses".

etc etc


Good Luck

Richard

[pollymann]

Hi Richard
Thank you for the ideas. I have tried most of them but seem to be going around in circles. I have tried to find other family members who could have taken them but no look so far. Samuel's half-brother, Joseph (my great-grandfather) got married in South Hetton, Co Durham, in July 1895 but he only has his own children with him in 1901. Their mother is living in Haswell and no children there either. Still looking for Isabella's other siblings. Nothing in the colonies so far.
Perhaps I am searching for the wrong children as Sarah and Frederick could have died and the children left were younger siblings.
Pauline

[Milliepede]

Going round in circles as well I'm afraid.

There's a death for Samuel Gray in Morpeth 1913 age 52 about the right age for yours. 
He should be around in prev census if only to rule him out.

I see what you mean about the 3 children.  It's possible one or more were born between 1891 and 1895 and any of the previous 2 we can't find had died 

[pollymann]

Hi
Yes, I looked at that death but I haven't been able to find him on either the 1901 or the 1911 census yet. I think I need some church records but there's nothing on Family Search for that time period.
Pauline

[Schoch]

Have you tried researching "flu pandemics" in Newcastle in 1895 era.  While I can not find names there do seem to be lots of deaths due to it and it was not uncommon for numerous members of a single family to succumb to itPerhaps hospital record may be a source (don't know how to access them I'm afraid)

Richard

[Neil Todd]

It is just possible that Samuel may have staged a walk out and this was enough for a very sick Isabella to take her own life.

Sad stories abound when researching ancestors, but not all our ancestors are heroes and some are real low life's.

The children if under 14years could have been placed in an orphanage and adopted later?

Neil