Debt Records in 1870s in Sussex

[lms245]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone here knows where I can find debt or court records for Sussex, or more specifically Hastings, in the mid to late 1870s.

I'm looking for Helen Eliza Sweetman (nee Crouch). According to the Hastings and St Leonard's Observer in 1873, her husband Samuel Sweetman "hereby give notice that I will not be answerable for any debts contracted by my wife, Helen Sweetman, after this date (1st August 1873)". In July 1874, their fourth child was born, so they must have stayed together for a while after the notice was put in. However, I can find no more evidence of Helen after that. She is not found in the 1881 census, and I believe that Samuel left the area and changed his surname. The youngest son was found in the local workhouse.

Other information I have, (a transcript of a court case relating to her older sister) suggests that Helen had died before 1880. However, I have not been able to find a death record.

I would love to find out what happened to Helen. Has anyone got any ideas?

Thanks
Linda

[Peter Goodey]

In July 1874, their fourth child was born, so they must have stayed together for a while after the notice was put in

Presumably you have the birth certificate and the father's name is definitely shown as Samuel Sweetman? If it does show Samuel, there's no guarantee that Samuel really was the biological father.

Mater semper certa; pater est quem nuptiae demonstrant

I don't think you'll get anywhere looking for debts and I don't think you can assume there were any. The records of the Hastings Board of Guardians might be interesting, depending on what has survived. It is possible with luck to find a written account how it came about that an individual needed support.

[lms245]

Hi Peter, thanks for your reply.

That's a good point about the father. I do have the 4th child's birth certificate and the father is given as Samuel Sweetman, but it was the mother that registered the birth, where as the other three children were registered by the father.

I'll see if I can find anything on the Board of Guardians and perhaps try and find other newspaper articles, when I'm next in the area.

[Lesley Robertson]

If they were still married, the child was legally his until proved otherwise...

Have you looked for the Workhouse records?