John and Ann Sayers had numerous children baptised in Chelmsford in the 1790’s to early 1800’s, including William in 1797. (This?) William had a younger brother, John*, who seems not to have been baptised, but would have been born in the early 1800’s. All but one of the known baptisms of John and Ann’s children took place at St Mary’s. The last and somewhat later baptism seems to have been at Baddow Lane Independent Chapel. One of theses records gives father John’s occupation: shoemaker.
In 1841 John, “35”, was a shoemaker, living in King Street. In the next street, Rainsford End, was John Sayers, “65”, shoemaker. When William son of (this?) John had his son baptised in 1815 he was living at Gallows End in Chelmsford (which seems to have been in the vicinity of these other streets).
Unfortunately I can find no trace whatsoever of the older John Sayers in the 1851 Census. However, a John Sayers aged “85” was buried at St Mary’s in 1853, and his abode was King Street. How convincingly does this evidence suggest that John Sayers who died in 1853 was father of the brothers?
(*The relationship of brothers William, and John Sayers of King Street is only known due to their trial and criminal conviction in 1842)
