Sarah J Richards

[chorisia]

 Trying to find forebears of Sarah J Richards,my paternal grandmother. daughter of a housekeeper .born Canning town (?)1882 died Ipswich Suffolk 1936 wife of Walter Edwards,mother of Percy edwards the ornithologist

[Milliepede]

Hi there and welcome

When you say daughter of a housekeeper does that come from her birth certificate?

Is there no father's name listed? 

[Milliepede]

The marriage is online helpfully and gives her father as Robert Richards photographer (deceased)

One of the witnesses is Marian Elizabeth Richards. 

1881 census has this family

Robert Richards 35 photographer
Marian Jones 29 housekeeper
Henry Jones 5
Elizabeth Jones 3

[Milliepede]

Henry Sidney Richards marriage in 1902 has father Robert Richards photographer deceased and again one of the witnesses is Marian Elizabeth Richards.

Bit complicated isn't it but I think the two children on the 1881 census could be

Henry Jones born 1876 West Ham mothers name Norris
Elizabeth Jones born 1878 West Ham mothers name Norris

There is a marriage 1873 Marian Elizabeth Norris but not to a Jones 
Groom was John Bevan.

So that might not be right. 

[Milliepede]

Led you astray there I think sorry, see if this family look right.

1891

Mary A Richards 38 head widow born Coddenham Suffolk
Henry S Richards 14 son (the Henry Sidney who married 1902?)
Elizabeth M Richards 12 daughter
Sarah J Richards 9 daughter
plus 3 lodgers

There's a Sarah Jane Richards born Sep 1881 with mothers name Chappell and a possible marriage

Sep 1886 West Ham
Robert Richards/Mary Ann Chappell

Robert was 59 and there is a death the following year in West Ham for a Robert age 59 which would correctly make her a widow in 1891 census. 

None of that explains where the surname Jones comes in 
Hopefully someone else can do better and clear up the confusion.

[MonicaL]

With all the details you have found so far, Milliepede....there is also a likely marriage for Sarah Jane in 1899:

Sarah Jane Richards, age 19 and Walter Percy Edwards, age 25 and a tailor
Marriage on 5 Oct 1899 at St Alphege, Greenwich
Father Robert Richards, deceased. Photographer

As with the marriage for brother Henry, mother was also a witness.

However, on the family's 1911 census entry, the marriage year is given as 1904 although there are children showing as born from 1901 onwards.

In 1901, there are possible entries for Walter and Sarah Jane but both show as single and in different households 

Monica

PS: Welcome from me too!

[Neale1961]

The 1911 census has Walter Percy Edwards and Sarah Jane recorded as married for 11 years  - which adds up to their Aug 1899 marriage in Greenwich.
The first born child was Robert Walter Edwards b 30 July 1900 Greenwich.
I cannot find the family together in 1901 census, nor the baby Robert Walter.

[Neale1961]

Chorisia - Welcome to RootsChat.
I was working along the same lines as Milliepede in reply #4.
Birth:
RICHARDS, SARAH  JANE     Mother: CHAPPELL 
GRO Reference: 1881  S Quarter in STEPNEY  Volume 01C  Page 441

Marriage:
Mary Ann CHAPPELL married Robert RICHARDS 4 Aug 1886 Holy Trinity Canning Town
(Her father’s name - George; His father’s name - Robert)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJD4-3JZ2

Robert Richards in the 1881 census is 35 yrs (born abt 1846)
I think his death registration is:
RICHARDS, ROBERT       Age 43 
GRO Reference: 1889  J Quarter in WEST HAM  Volume 04A  Page 29


I am also puzzled by the name JONES in 1881 census, but will look further.

[Neale1961]

1881 and 1891 shows Mary Ann JONES/ RICHARDS born abt 1853 in Suffolk. Marriage record has her father named as George.
Mary Ann CHAPPELL baptised 6 Feb 1853 Coddenham Suffolk. Father George; Mother Lydia.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3VQ-7TY

1861 census Coddenham, Suffolk
George CHAPPELL 44 Head, born Bedingfield Suffolk, Ag Lab.
Lydia CHAPPELL 39 wife, born Coddenham
Elizabeth CHAPPELL 11 daughter, born Coddenham
Mary Ann CHAPPELL 8 daughter, born Coddenham
William CHAPPELL 6 son, born Coddenham
George CHAPPELL 3 son, born Coddenham
Henry (Sidney) CHAPPELL 1 son, born Coddenham

Marriage: George CHAPPELL to Lydia SHELDRAKE 22 Dec 1848 Bosmere, Suffolk.
George was a widower and labourer - father named William Chappell (Labourer)
Lydia was a spinster - father named John Sheldrake (Labourer)

The first marriage for George Chappell was to Lucy Hales in Jan 1840 Coddenham. She died in Dec 1846.

By 1871 census, George CHAPPELL has a third wife – Harriet, nee WELLS

The second wife Lydia (Sheldrake) CHAPPLE had died Dec 1861 Suffolk.
Baptism for Lydia SHELDRAKE 22 Dec 1822, Suffolk. Father John; mother Lydia.

George Chappell died 19 Sept 1887at Coddenham, age 71.
His daughter Mary Ann Richards of Canning Town was the informant.