Richard Sumner and Jane Tunnell are entered in the marriage register (St John's Preston, Lancashire) twice - 3rd October 1818 - this entry was crossed out with a note on the margin "Richard Sumner being under age and not having the consent of his parents were re-married on the 1st of Dec 1819. M.Mark. Curate" (signed)
1st December 1819 - entry is signed in their own hand by all parties, including witness Mary Tunnell (probably her sister, a school teacher).
New Monthly Magazine vol 12 1820 lists (under Lancashire) mentions marriage of Surgeon Richard Sumner, of Chorley to Jane Tunnell of Preston
(I have found records on 8 Sumner children for this couple (1820-1837), namely (from tracing back) my 2nd Great Grandfather, Henry Alfred Sumner (b Formby, Lancashire 1833), whose death certificate (1874, Victoria, Australia) gives me his mother’s name as Sarah Jane Tunnell)
1841 Census records for Formby have helped verify the Sumner family group – Jane age 40. On a separate census record, it also lists the following Tunnells; Elizabeth 45, Anna 40, Mary 40 and Anne 35, all listed as Teachers and all not from Lancashire. Fanny Sumner, aged 4 also appears to be in their care at the time of the census.
Also of interest, the 1851 Formby Census has not only the Sumners with Jane, aged 53 born in Yorks, Scarborough, but living in a separate cottage at the same address, also has Elizabeth Tunnell, age 57, school mistress and Ann Tunnell, age 49, school mistress listed as her sister, with both born in Yorks, Scarborough. They are obviously related and likely all three are sisters.
The 1861 census for the Sumners in Formby has Richard’s wife now listed as Sarah, born in Liverpool, and slightly younger than Jane. Presumably, Jane has died sometime between the censuses of 1851 and 1861, probably in Formby. I have found the burial of a Jane Sumner at St Peter’s in Formby on 16 May 1855 and have only just ordered a Death certificate from the GRO in the last week. I am awaiting this certificate and hoping this may give some details of her parents as well as her.
Ann Tunnell age 64 appears in the 1861 Census Goosnargh, Lancashire, listed as an inmate (workhouse?), unmarried schoolmistress from Yorks, Scarborough. (She was in a hospital, not a workhouse)
In summary, we appear to have Tunnells from my family in the following timeline
1795-1805 – All 5 Tunnell girls born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, to parents unknown. (Possibly Father’s name is Thomas) Other children – not known
1818-1819 – Jane & Mary Tunnell were at St John’s Preston, Lancashire for intended wedding and actual wedding. Jane was living at Preston at this time
1820 onwards – Richard and Jane living in Formby, Lancashire and having children – last child born 1837
1841 – all 5 Tunnell adult girls living (and with the exception of Jane, all teaching) in Formby, Lancashire
1844 – Mary Tunnell appears to have been buried at St Peters , Formby in Feb 1844
1849 – Anna Tunnell appears to have been buried at St Peters, Formby in Apr 1849
1851 – Jane, Anne & Elizabeth all living in Formby, Lancashire
1852 – Elizabeth appears to have been buried at St Peters, Formby in Oct 1852
*1855 – Jane appears to have been buried at St Peters, Formby in May 1855 – await copy of Death certificate
1861 – Richard presumably has a new wife named Sarah, and daughter (to Jane), Fanny, all living at Formby.
1861 - Ann Tunnell is living in Goosnargh, Lancashire
1871 – Richard, Sarah and unmarried daughter Fanny still living in Formby. 2 grandchildren also listed
1874 – Ann Tunnell – Death record lists age as 78yo – i.e. approx 5-6 years out compared to the Census
1881 – Richard, son John Bennett Sumner and Fanny living in Formby
*May-Jun 1884 – Richard Sumner died in Formby, son John Bennett Sumner appears to have died at the same time – await copy of death certificate for Richard
Seeking any possible Tunnell / Sumner links
