Thomas BENTHAM + Sarah (CRANMER?) did they get married?

[guest259648]

Seeking evidence of a marriage between Thomas BENTHAM (born 1838 Bentham, Yorks) and Sarah (CRANMER? born 1820s).
Married in Birmingham?, Manchester? prob. between 1861 - 1871 or later?

The Birmingham late 19th century censuses show this pair living as "man and wife" as Bentham*, but I can't locate a marriage. (Shown as *'Bethany' on one census index, but this is incorrect.)

Sarah was about 10 years older than Thomas when they set up home together. No kids that I can see.

I want Sarah to be Sarah Cranmer who came from a nomadic family which shuttled between Ireland (Antrim) and Perthshire, Scotland, for work. She gives her birthplace as Ruthven, Perthshire on one census but it could equally well have been in Ireland.
 
The couple lived together for decades and both died in B'ham just after the turn of the 20th century.

But were they ever wed?

Thank you

[Neale1961]

It is possible that Sarah Cranmer was married previously, and you therefore will be looking for a different surname.

[maddys52]

Have you traced the John WALKER (nephew) who is living with them in 1891 and 1901 to see if he provides any clues?

[Jamjar]

For reference:

1871: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD82-1GF

1891: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WLVM-2N2

1901: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS87-JVD

Where are they in 1861 and 1881?

Was he married to an Ann in 1861?: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M78F-GCP

Jamjar

[guest259648]

It is possible that Sarah Cranmer was married previously, and you therefore will be looking for a different surname.

Neale1961 Yes, a previous marriage is a definite possibility, given her age, but I haven't been able to find a suitable Sarah (yet). What searching techniques could I use, to narrow down the choices?

I have a distant memory of an image of a discoloured census page showing a Sarah (+ different surname) in Manchester who I thought could be this lady... How could I resurrect this search and look again?...are there economical ways of doing it?

[guest259648]

Have you traced the John WALKER (nephew) who is living with them in 1891 and 1901 to see if he provides any clues?

maddys52
Well spotted, yes I know John Walker, he's my great-grandfather. [Thomas Bentham isn't a blood relative.] John Walker was born in Manchester, his mother was a Cranmer - with any luck the sister of Sarah.  John worked on the railways like Thomas Bentham, and Thomas was John's mentor and benefactor.

John was with Thomas & Sarah Bentham in Birmingham at that time because he had just lost his wife Gertrude Evans in childbirth, and they were looking after John and his 2 young daughters.

I'm needing a proven link from this "Sarah Bentham" back to the Cranmer family but so far no luck.

D x

[guest259648]

For reference:

1871: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD82-1GF

1891: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WLVM-2N2

1901: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS87-JVD

Where are they in 1861 and 1881?

Was he married to an Ann in 1861?: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M78F-GCP

Jamjar

Jamjar, thank you for this, it's helpful to everyone.

In 1881 they are in Birmingham as normal but they've been indexed as BETHANY which is wrong.
For 1861 I have no clue, I've been looking for ages.

Sarah could still be in Scotland (or Ireland), unless she's in a first marriage. I am suspecting she may be in Manchester but no proof yet.

Thomas Bentham, he moved cities with the railways, he came from Yorkshire then moved south, and family stories seem to place him perhaps in Derbyshire before he comes finally to Birmingham. (My family on this side is a "railway" family, many were working with the trains.) He's not my blood relative but he is very important to this story.

I can't access Family Search, I'm really sorry - please can you paste here what it says about an Ann?

D x

[Jamjar]

FamilySearch is free. Just create an account/password.

Then when you next sign in tick the box that says keep signed in for two weeks.

They don’t send junk mail etc.

Jun 1860 Bradford Yk 9b 115
BENTHAM Thomas
DENISON Ann

1861 they are with her folks, DENNISON, at Tong, Yorkshire (West Riding), England

Folk’s marriage:

Sep 1859 Chorlton 8c 625
WALKER Thomas
CRANMER Margaret

1871: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD6W-CSS

John’s birth:

WALKER, JOHN mmn CRANMER 
GRO Reference: 1870  D Quarter in CHORLTON  Volume 08C  Page 647

There is a Sarah and a Margaret Cranmer in Lancashire in 1851:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGY5-8CK

Marriage:

Jun 1864 Chorlton 8c 677
CLIFFORD Israel
CRANMER Sarah

Death:

CLIFFORD, ISRAEL    34 
GRO Reference: 1866  J Quarter in CHORLTON  Volume 08C  Page 441

Marriage:

Jun 1867 Chorlton 8c 737
BENTHAM Thomas
CLIFFORD Sarah

Jamjar

[Neale1961]

Bravo Jamjar!!!!!
I finally had some free time and was about to have a better look at this, but it looks like you have already cracked it.