Oates
22-01-2009, 09:47 PM
The certificate I've been waiting for to prove one of my theories arrived today and I believe I have my first black sheep. :D
As it stands, the evidence seems to show the following (with a little elaboration):
Once upon a time, a man named Daniel Clark married his pregnant girlfriend Sarah Ann Avison, when they were both still minors. A few months later, they had a baby girl. This was followed by another daughter 4 years later and by 1851, Sarah and her two daughters were staying with Sarah's parents, whilst Daniel was at home with his recently widowed mother. Tragedy soon struck as their youngest daughter died young. However, they had another son and by 1857, Sarah was pregnant with their fourth child.
Daniel meanwhile had been spending time away from his family, and in the company of a young local widow who also became pregnant. Daniel was now faced with a choice between his pregnant wife and his pregnant mistress. The child of his mistress was born first, and Daniel named his new base born son after his father. He then left Sarah and his children to live with his mistress, their son and her other children. Sarah's son was born, and given his mother and maternal grandmother's maiden names, Oates Avison. In the 1861 census, Sarah was living nextdoor to her parents. She and her eldest daughter were working as woollen warpers to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Daniel was not too far away pretending to be married to his mistress.
Shortly after, the abandoned Sarah married an older man, but was widowed soon after. It seems Daniel took this as a sign that he could finally marry the woman he had been living with and they then had another child together, this time a daughter. With Daniel being a miner, and Sarah in the mills, it seems highly unlikely they would be able to afford divorce and do not appear in the index.
By 1871, both women were made grandmothers. Sarah's eldest daughter married, had two children and was widowed in just 4 short years. She moved back in with her mother, bringing her two young children, both girls, with her. By this time Sarah was working as a shopkeeper, having her elderly father, two children, two grandchildren and a niece to support.
Daniel's stepdaughter also married and had several children, one of whom was with her grandmother and stepgrandfather on the 1881 census. Sarah died in 1880, having been abandoned by one man, and widowed by another, then finally alone for her last 17 years.
As it stands, the evidence seems to show the following (with a little elaboration):
Once upon a time, a man named Daniel Clark married his pregnant girlfriend Sarah Ann Avison, when they were both still minors. A few months later, they had a baby girl. This was followed by another daughter 4 years later and by 1851, Sarah and her two daughters were staying with Sarah's parents, whilst Daniel was at home with his recently widowed mother. Tragedy soon struck as their youngest daughter died young. However, they had another son and by 1857, Sarah was pregnant with their fourth child.
Daniel meanwhile had been spending time away from his family, and in the company of a young local widow who also became pregnant. Daniel was now faced with a choice between his pregnant wife and his pregnant mistress. The child of his mistress was born first, and Daniel named his new base born son after his father. He then left Sarah and his children to live with his mistress, their son and her other children. Sarah's son was born, and given his mother and maternal grandmother's maiden names, Oates Avison. In the 1861 census, Sarah was living nextdoor to her parents. She and her eldest daughter were working as woollen warpers to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Daniel was not too far away pretending to be married to his mistress.
Shortly after, the abandoned Sarah married an older man, but was widowed soon after. It seems Daniel took this as a sign that he could finally marry the woman he had been living with and they then had another child together, this time a daughter. With Daniel being a miner, and Sarah in the mills, it seems highly unlikely they would be able to afford divorce and do not appear in the index.
By 1871, both women were made grandmothers. Sarah's eldest daughter married, had two children and was widowed in just 4 short years. She moved back in with her mother, bringing her two young children, both girls, with her. By this time Sarah was working as a shopkeeper, having her elderly father, two children, two grandchildren and a niece to support.
Daniel's stepdaughter also married and had several children, one of whom was with her grandmother and stepgrandfather on the 1881 census. Sarah died in 1880, having been abandoned by one man, and widowed by another, then finally alone for her last 17 years.