Robert Nelson whos wife and 2 children died in a fire before the 1st world war

[pipemakermike]

My paternal grandfather Robert Nelson's first wife and 2 children died apparently in a fire in Cambridge (or near by) sometime just before the 1st world war, probably around 1910.  I am hoping to find any information about this event.  He later married and had a single son Donald Patrick Robert Nelson (my father) in 1913.  I cannot remember the first name of his new wife, it might have been elizabeth, (we knew her as Nan Nelson) but her maiden name was Burk and she was from Ireland.  They lived in Chesterton.  One thing I have been told about him was that one of his jobs was to take the Cambridge University rowing boats to london for the boatrace by Horse drawn cart.

Regards

Mike

[CaroleW]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat

His second wife was Annie Burke and the marriage was September qtr 1912 Chesterton 3B 1084

[CaroleW]

Do you know the name of his first wife or the names of their children?

There is a death for a 44yr old Sarah Nelson in Chesterton in the December qtr 1911

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Robert and Sarah are together in 1901 in Chesterton with sons William, 10 and Walter 3. William dies in 1906 and Walter in 1907, which sadly doesn't fit your family's history

[pipemakermike]

Thanks for the info so far.  I have passed it onto my sister who might know more.  I will post anything she tell me.

Mike

[Ayashi]

Robert and Sarah are together in 1901 in Chesterton with sons William, 10 and Walter 3. William dies in 1906 and Walter in 1907, which sadly doesn't fit your family's history

Not sure where you got "William" from- the son was called Charles Robert J NELSON, died 1906.

[CaroleW]

With the death of 2 children plus a wife before 1911 and all in Chesterton - I am confident it is the right family but given the number of years between their deaths it would definitely rule out that they all died in a fire

[jorose]

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
 seems to have a couple of snippets for a Sarah Nelson of Chesterton (in the Cambridge Independent Press) - can't see quite what they're about but something about assault - I think rowing with the in-laws in 1901.

[jim1]

1904 there's a Sarah Nelson of 179 High St. Chesterton accused of assaulting another woman by grabbing her nose & threatening to pull it off.
She didn't & was let off.