An 1870's burial of Alice KERSHAW, 69, formerly of 14, Charterhouse Square, in Sheffield

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi Everyone,
Isn't it true that you spend years banging yourself against the same old brick wall, getting nowhere, and then suddenly there's a chink of light…
For ages I have been unable to find what happened to my 3-times-gt-grandmother Alice KERSHAW (nee COCKER), who was born in Hathersage, Derbyshire, in either 1803 or 1806 (her age in the 1861 Census suggests 1803).  She moved to London and married a James KERSHAW in 1833 and thereafter lived at 14, Charterhouse Square.  Her husband James completely disappears after the 1841 Census, though Alice still refers to herself as married in subsequent Censuses, (but that's another family mystery) and then she disappears off the radar herself after the 1871.
However, googling just now I discovered a link to GenesReunited that has the tantalising words "Alice KERSHAW, formerly of 14, Charterhouse Square, aged 69"
Now, it appears that my standard membershiop of GenesReunited does not allow me to click and read what must be lists of burials (marriages and so on) in the pages of the Sheffield local papers of that time.  And I would imagine that the time frame of about 1872 to about 1876 would cover the search.
So is there some kind soul out there who is privy to those pages of the Sheffield papers of that era who could possible delve for me?  Or someone who has access via another route to these local papers.
I imagine too that a Sheffield paper might well cover a Hathersage burial ceremony, as it's only a few miles away.  This COCKER family originally came from Sheffield, then moved to Hathersage, so there may well have been a communal family burial plot somewhere in the area…
Sorry to be so long winded, and many thanks, in anticipation
Keith

[CaroleW]

There are only 2 deaths matching an age of 69 on freebmd between 1871-1881.  One is in Lancashire and there is this one

Deaths March qtr 1871 
Alice Kershaw  69 Dewsbury    9b   429

 

she disappears off the radar herself after the 1871.

However - this death is pre-1871 census and the Dewsbury RD did not include Sheffield

[Keith Sherwood]

Carole,
Thanks very much for looking those up for me.  I realise that it was rather late when I posted, and in fact Alice KERSHAW seems to disappear from Charterhouse Square after the 1861 Census, not the 1871.
And that tantalising glimpse of a few words referring to her in the Sheffield paper may not actually refer to her death or burial, but some other event of local interest.
I wonder whether London did not agree with her, first her husband mysteriously disappearing (or dying?), and in 1870 her elder of two children John KERSHAW died at the age of 35, having been tragically run over by a horse drawn London omnibus at Highbury Corner.  Her younger son James, aged 33, seems to be the only family member mentioned in the Coroner's Inquest...

[willsmum]

From The Sheffield Independent 03/03/1871.

Kershaw - February 25th at the Parsonage, St Mark's, Dewsbury, Mrs Alice Kershaw, aged 69, late of 14,Charterhouse Square, London. Friends will kindly accept this intimation.

[Keith Sherwood]

Willsmum,
Thank you SO much for unearthing that entry for me!  That really is a most important find for our family after years of not knowing.  I must now look into what the Dewsbury connections might have been, and why she moved from London to Yorkshire some time after 1861.  And at least Alice didn't live to know about the tragedy of her younger son, which didn't occur until July of 1870…
Many, many thanks again,
Keith

[Keith Sherwood]

…oh, just realized that I misread the year, and that Alice died in 1871 - so perhaps it was the fact that her son John KERSHAW had died seven months beforehand had somehow caused her to move away from London to Yorkshire.  She married the son of an itinerant Methodist Minister, but presumably had connections with the Church of England if she was living at The Parsonage in Dewsbury…very interesting indeed.
Keith
And CaroleW, thanks so much for flagging up that 1871 death entry in the BMD's, the correct one, even though I tried to throw you off the scent with some erroneous info!

[willsmum]

Pleased that I could help you.

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Willsmum,
Do you know how I go about looking up who was living at The Parsonage, Dewsbury in the 1871 Census, so I can get some kind of clue about what part of the family - or friends - might have been there in the last weeks and days of Alice's life.  I'm O.K. looking for individuals in Censuses, but have never mastered looking for particular locations or, more precisely, households…
Keith

[willsmum]

RG10 piece 4603 folio 6 page 5.

Head of household -  Samuel Vaughan, widower, aged 46, incumbent of St Marks, born Salop, Shrewsbury.