d.03/03/1894
Relatives
Research:
Sarah Ann Pearce – died 1894, aged 63*
Sarah Ann Pearce was born around 1831, the daughter of Joseph Cook and his wife Rachel. She was probably born in Great Gaddesden, though throughout her life and due to the circumstances of her childhood, she gives various other places as her place of origin. The places given however are in a close area and her older brothers were all baptised in Great Gaddesden, so we can assume that this is the most likely place for her birth.
She was the youngest but one of seven children, and her mother Rachel sadly died in 1836, aged 40. We don’t know what happened to her father William, but he obviously couldn’t cope on his own with all seven children, as at the time of the 1841 Census they were living in Frithsden, Northchurch with John Ing, his wife Rebecca and their two children Thomas (9) and Isabella (7)
The Cook children in that Census consisted of William (20), Thomas and Joseph, both listed as 15, John (13), George (11), Sarah (10) and Elizabeth (7) It would seem that, including their own two children, John and Rebecca would have certainly had their hands full!
By the time of the 1851 Census, Sarah, now aged 20, was still living in Frithsden but as a servant at the home of a William Gudgin, his wife Ann and their four children. Sarah has given her place of birth as Nettleden. On the 5th. July, 1857, Sarah married James Pearce in Berkhamsted Parish Church. They set up home in Bridge Street and by the time of the 1861 Census had two little boys, Walter aged 2 and Fred aged 7 months. This time Sarah has given her place of birth as Hemel Hempstead. Living with them was James’ younger brother George, aged 21. Both brothers worked as sawyers, which was a physically hard job, mostly involving cutting up the trunks of trees into planks for building work.
The 1871 Census tells us that Sarah and James are now living in Victoria Road, Berkhamsted. James is 35 and Sarah has given her age as 38. Walter is 12, Fred is 10 and they have a younger sister Sarah Ann who is 7. The three children are all attending the local school, but they also have a baby brother, Albert, who is 10 months old. All their places of birth are listed as Berkhamsted
At the 1881 Census, the family are still in Victoria Road, but James (now 45) has given his occupation as a General Labourer. Sarah (48) has given her place of birth as Water End, Herts. At the time of the 1891 Census James and Sarah have moved to 55 Manor Street, Berkhamsted. James (aged 55) is once again listed as a sawyer, but Sarah now 57 (?) has her place of birth listed as ‘not known’. Walter and Fred are now both married with families of their own (Walter has 4 young children and Fred has 3) but are still living in Berkhamsted, so are not far from their parents. Their daughter Sarah Ann had married in 1889. But Albert, now 20, is still living at home and working as a grocer’s assistant.
Sarah sadly passed away in 1894, aged 63* (it was given as 60 when her death was registered). After a full and busy life she was interred in Rectory Lane Cemetery, where she was eventually joined by James at his death in 1904.