Willingham baptism and marriage registers are supposedly covered on the IGI 1559-1837 according to my Phillimore Atlas on parish registers.
On the 1861 census in Southery Sarah aged 49 gives her birthplace as London. 1841 census in Southery merely born out of county and her age was 25 (adult ages on the 1841 census was rounded down to the nearest 5) so she is consistent about a birth circa 1812 and on two censuses to one she states London as her birthplace - mistakes do happen on censuses.
Deaths Jun 1878
Edwards Sarah 66 Ely 3b 342
Her age on death is also consistent with the birthdate of circa 1812
However in 1812 most of Southwark was in the county of Surrey with a small part that belonged to the city of London, then only the square mile - all the rest of London at this time was not officially the spreading and engulfing London but mainly Middlesex and Surrey, Essex and Kent.
What evidence do you have that the Rebecca Berry that acted as a witness on Sarah's marriage was her sister and not say her mother?
Southwark was and is south of the river Thames. Petticoat Lane just to the east of the city of London - so near enough the city.
Like you no doubt I saw the Sarah Berry (parents William and Ann) who had a sister baptised in Southwark also had a brother Osmund baptised in 1813 and on the 1871 census Sarah's grandson is called Osborne. So I looked for Osborn(e) Berrys on FreeBMD and found a marriage in 1842 in St Pancras and a death in 1860 in St Martin (Westminster). Checking the 1851 census for Osborn Berry showed this very interesting entry.
1851 census HO107 1482 folio 277
St Martins Westminster (no street address given)
Osborn Berry 35 Willingham Cambridgeshire Head Married Brewers servant
Mary Berry 39 Bishop Stortford Hertfordshire Wife Married
William Berry 7 Son St Giles Middlesex
Mary A Berry 3 Daughter St Martins Middlesex
Elwood Berry 15 Willingham Cambridgeshire Nephew Coachmaker's errand boy
OSBORN BERRY
MARY EASTHOPE
Marriage: 25 JUL 1842 Old Church, Saint Pancras, London
In all 9 Berrys show born in Willingham on the 1851 census. On the 1841 census Elwood Berry was in Willingham in the household of a William (61 born Cambridgeshire an ag lab) and Ann Berry (55 not born Cambridgeshire) According to BVRI coverage of Willingham parish registers 1793-1871 Elwood was the illegitimate son of Elizabeth Berry (daughter of William and Ann baptised Willingham in 1817 when baptisms of William and Ann's children start there)
BERRY, Elizabeth
Christening Date: 23 Nov 1817 Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Father: William BERRY
Mother: Ann
BERRY, Abraham
Christening Date: 28 Jan 1821 Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Father: William BERRY
Mother: Ann
BERRY, Ann
Christening Date: 28 Jan 1821 Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Father: William BERRY
Mother: Ann
BERRY, Mary
Christening Date: 20 Apr 1823 Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Father: William BERRY
Mother: Ann
BERRY, Henry
Christening Date: 6 May 1827 Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Father: William BERRY
Mother: Ann
Henry was with his parents on the 1841 census. unfortunately William was a widower (or married again - there are two William Berrys of the same age in Willingham) in 1851 so Ann his wife's birthplace is unknown.
The hypothesis that William moved to the London area marrying Ann (possibly Osborn) either in London or before the move, had children in the London area - baptisms in Southwark and then returned to Willingham where his children were brought up and saw as home does seem to fit date wise and gives a sound reason for why Sarah chose to give Willingham as her birthplace on the 1851 census - so a strong possibility - see what others think.
Regards
Valda
