Sarah Victoria Hilder and William Steward

[hookleg]

Sarah and William were both born abt 1837, she in Pakenham and he in Bradfield Combust. They married in 1860 in Suffolk, (Not sure where). In 1861 they are living at Brick Kiln Farm in Gt Whelnetham, and William is a farmer. I can find no reference to either of them in the 1871 census, but they appear again in the 1881 at Cross Green a mile or so away, but this time William has no occupation. 1891 sees them in Wimbledon with William as a cab driver, but they seem to disappear from the 1901 census. 1911 sees Sarah as a widow in Bury St Edmunds with her son George. It appears that she had 10 children, 5 of whom had died by 1911, but at present I have only tracked down four of them. (Ada Louisa, George, James and Henry). Some researchers have put in 1871 and 1901 candidates but these are for a Sarah born in Pakenham and a Robert Steward born in Stanton. THEY ARE INCORRECT as far as I can tell. Any info about 1871 and 1901 census results and the names and dates for the other six children would be most helpful.

[PaulineJ]

Use the gro index to search for births with her maiden name.

List them here to help tracking in census

[avm228]

1871 census: RG10/1720/66/2

Cross Green, Cockfield, Suffolk

William Steward Head Mar 33 Annuitant Bradfield Combust
Sarah V do Wife Mar 33 Pakenham
Ada L do Daur 10 Whelnetham (Ada Louisa b Mar qtr 1861 Thingoe)
Ellen S do Daur 8 Whelnetham (Ellen Sarah b Sep qtr 1862 Thingoe)
Elizabeth J do Daur 6 Cockfield (Jane Elizabeth b Jun qtr 1865 Cosford)
James E do Son 3 Cockfield (James Edward b Jun qtr 1867 Cosford)

[avm228]

Later children (with mmn Hilder):

Male Steward born & died Sep qtr 1870 Cosford
Henry Victor Steward b Jun qtr 1874 Cosford

I don’t think the Sarah you have found in 1911 (who has had 10 children including a son George) is the right person - she seems to trace back to the Robert + Sarah family (as does George).

[avm228]

In fact it looks as though your Stewards had settled in London by the late 1880s/early 1890s.

1887 (Sep qtr): Marriage of James Edward Steward to Ruth Cates, Bethnal Green
1890 (Mar qtr): Death of Henry Victor Steward, 16, Fulham
1891 (Dec qtr): Death of Sarah Victoria Steward, 54, Wandsworth

[hookleg]

Thanks so much for help and suggestions, particularly the research from avm228. I did wonder about the 1911 census and the Bury St Eds connection, but being only 3 miles west from birthplace and 3 miles north from home in 1861 I seem to have foolishly followed the opinion of others on this point. So glad I came for help from the forum. Cheers!!

[hookleg]

Am I being particularly 'thick'? I still can't find William or Sarah on the 1871 census of Cockfield. They are not coming up on the Ancestry search. I have looked at both District 6 and 7 page by page. Ancestry gives  RG10/1720 on each page but I can't find how to locate  RG10/1720/66/2. Did you use Ancestry?

[Comberton]

It is on page 2 of the return which is missing on Ancestry
27 pages but only 20 images

[hookleg]

Thanks Comberton. I did notice that Cross Green came early on. Now I know why I couldn't find it. Thanks.