Maria Hammond

[Jillybobs]

Hi trish1120,

Many thanks for your posts and thank you ever so much for all the info!  Am I correct in thinking at from your last post that it seems Maria and Robert actually were married at Ipswich?

The birth certificate I have is for William, born 31st May 1861, father Robert Thurston, a blacksmith, mother Maria Thurston, formerly Hammond living at King street, St Peter per Mountergate, Norwich.  I have his death certificate showing death 25th November 1943 at Walkden, Worsley Manchester and the informant was his daughter who I knew as my great aunt Eunice (married name Berry).
We understood this William was the eldest child of Robert and Maria.

What I find fascinating about the story I was told is that is it not very many generations back and I have the opera glasses which I would have thought would have to have belonged to someone of means back then so finding out where Maria was born/lived etc would be amazing.  There was also some talk that her father, Mr Hammond investing in the Brunel, SS Great Eastern, ship and that Robert Thurston, a blacksmith, worked on the vessel.