Sarah Ann Roberts/Sines/Nicholls/Privett was my great grandmother via her son Henry Herbert Nicholls Sines. Clearly she led a complex and difficult life. I can reveal that one of the children (An elder brother of Henry Herbert, was sent to Canada as a Banardos child, which may explain a missing sibling mentioned in a listing here. The story goes that my Grandad never knew he was a Nicholls (he assumed he was Sines). It wasn't until he joined the navy that his full name was revealed via his birth records. Sarah had neglected to tell him. Whomever Mr Nicholls was, we feel he was an important person to Sarah as my Grandad seemed to be a favourite. We know that another member of the family knew more but refused to talk about it. The only clue we have is that Mr Nicholls was murdered.
It appears that my Grandad witnessed Agnes's marriage so I wouldn't take the Fathers name on the certificate as anything other than kindness in giving her a Father on her special day. Goodness knows they deserved it.
I think also Agnes may have changed her name to Nancy.
Would dearly love to discover who Mr Nicholls was. It is always the one you know so little about that is the most interesting.
