James Saunders

[friesland]

Can anyone make a suggestion regarding James Saunders.

I have a Census for 1841 showing him in Stanford, Southill, Biggleswade, Beds age 27, with Lucy Saunders age 25 (I thought that they might be married but I could find no marriage). Then there is Sarah Young age 60, maybe Lucy's mother?, William Young (Lucy's brother if her maiden name was Young?) and Sarah Steel ?.

Then in 1851 I have James now 36 in Clifton, Biggleswade with Sarah Saunders maybe nee Young (wife), Mary Ann Saunders (daughter), William Young (brother in law), Sarah Steel (niece).

The repetition of William Young and Sarah Steel lead me to believe that this is the same James Saunders but then who is Lucy in the 1841 census? I can't find a Lucy as a wife or sister.

Any pointers would be most helpful.

Thanks

[QueenoftheWest]

Is it possible that Lucy also went by Sarah?

I ask this because there is a baptism for a Lucy Young born to Thomas & Sarah Young in 1815 in Clifton, Bedfordshire but there is no baptism for a Sarah.

I notice that James had remarried by 1861 to a woman called Caroline. From this we know that Sarah/Lucy died between 1851 and 1861.

I find this interesting:

Lucy Saunders death registered Mar 1855 Biggleswade RD Bedfordshire

I know from Mary Ann Saunders' birth certificate that her mother's maiden name was indeed YOUNG.

Have you thought about purchasing this birth certificate to see how the mother lists her name? I don't know whether it would resolve the mystery entirely but it may well do.

Of course, it may well be that Lucy and Sarah are sisters but I have my suspicions that they are one and the same. Perhaps it could even by an enumerator error.

Funnily enough, in the 1871 census, James went by Thomas!

Queenie 

[friesland]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Yes, it is possible that Lucy and Sarah are one and the same, either going both names or recorded incorectly (I've certainly come across a few of those)

Yes James married Caroline Hollingsworth in 1855.

I think it might be a good idea to get Mary Ann's birth certificate as you suggest as I've tried FindmyPast, Family Search, Ancestry and the Genealogist to no avail.

Thanks

[Mabel Bagshawe]

The Lucy who died was 45

I suspect she and sarah are one and the same. There were sisters to Lucy baptised on the same day - Fanny and Anne. William was baptised in 1817 - same parents. PLus a Mary in 1803

Also

Mary Young
James Steel
Marriage    25 Dec 1824, Clifton, Bedford

Mary Steele
Age:    36
Burial    4 Jun 1839 St Helier, Jersey
Spouse:    James Steele

Worth noting the minister officiating isn;t the local rector or curate, nor can she be a "dissenter", as that's clearly noted for others in the register.

[friesland]

Hello there.

Thank you for the mention of Mary Young, born 1803.  I made the mistake of thinking that as Fanny, Lucy and Anne were baptised in 1815 and William in 1817 there was no point in looking before about 1810 but of course baptism year does not necessarily equal birth year. The parents were Thomas Young and Sarah (Norris?) and it seems strange, though not impossible, that none of thier children continue these names.
In the census of 1841 it shows Lucy born about 1816 and in the 1851 Sarah born about 1812, I think that people often guessed the age.

I've also looked for the birth of Sarah Steel the niece mentioned in the 1851 census at arounf 1835 and the marriage of Thomas Young and Sarah around 1800 but with no success.

I think I will get Mary Ann's birth certificate at least to see whether it gives any further clues.

Thanks anyway.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

I can't see a  baptism on Jersey for Sarah Steel either.  There was a brother Thomas who died there aged 1y 6m in 1833 - no baptism found for him either