Sarah Ann Cole (née West) - missing for 40 years, then reappears!

[bugbear]

One of my SO's direct ancestors is Sarah Ann West (b1836 Bethnal Green). (her marriage was discussed here 9 years (!!!!) ago: https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=675926.0).

After William Cole died in 1884, I lose track of her. I have a very dubious census record for 1891 (RG12/187/112 p4).

But other than that, nothing after 1881. No Census, no unambiguous Death, nothing.

But I knew (from a family letter obtained from a cousin of SO) that she was buried at Tottenham Cemetery, as were her daughter (Jessie Amelia Cole) and Son in law (John Thomas Bice).

So in 2020 I contacted the organisation that runs the cemetery (found via this thread

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=838333.0

)

I got no reply, but assuming COVID has caused that, I asked again in May 2023.

And got a reply.

Sarah Ann Cole was indeed buried there - in 1923 (along with the two Bices).

Acting on this, I went to FindMyPast (via my local library) and found her clearly in the 1921 Census. Yay!

But I'm still missing convincing census records between 1881 and 1921, and I've tried Ancestry and FindMyPast (who have different transcriptions). No luck.

Can anyone do better?

 

[heywood]

Where is she living in 1921?
Who is she living with?

I found her 

[Cas (stallc)]

Deleted as error

[jonw65]

I have a very dubious census record for 1891 (RG12/187//112 p4.)

It doesn't look especially dubious
Sarah Cole, Widow, 54, born Bethnal Green. Living in Hackney.
Here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:3RJ5-HW2

She may still be in Hackney in 1901
Widow, age 65, born Bethnal Green
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X946-XM7

And possibly even in 1911
Sarah Cole, Widow, 74, born Hackney
It does though say she had had 4 children born alive, I think Sarah West/Cole had at least one more born?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWG4-4CS

No death in Hackney.

[jonw65]

How many children had Sarah had?
How many were alive in 1911?

[amondg]

1911 census widow married [ 50 years 4 children 4 still living] this has been crossed out.

per the record attached by jonw65

[amondg]

GRO Index
COLE
Children all registered Bethnal Green with mother's maiden name West
Sarah Ann 1858
Martha Alice 1859
William Ebenezer 1862
Jessie Amelia 1865

[bugbear]

GRO Index
COLE
Children all registered Bethnal Green with mother's maiden name West
Sarah Ann 1858
Martha Alice 1859
William Ebenezer 1862
Jessie Amelia 1865

I hadn't got the Martha Alice birth. Thank you.

But I do also have:
Alfred Augustus 1868
Joseph George (1870)

"darn"

It has become evident that I gathered up all the children that appeared in the censuses. It appears that when the GRO became available I looked up all the children I had in it.

What I DID NOT do was look up all the possible children (by surname and MMN) that were in the GTO.

There are 9 (!!!). (I have checked that there are no other Cole/West marriages to mess things up)

I now need to look for deaths in the GRO.

[amondg]

William Ebenezer Cole died 1893 age 30 registered Edmonton.