William Arthur Sawyer and Ann Smith

Beach, Gorleston-on-Sea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © PAUL FARMER - geograph.org.uk/p/6203072

William Arthur Sawyer (b. 18 Nov 1798, bap. 20 Nov 1798 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk), son of John Sawyer and Charlotte Manning, married Ann Smith, daughter of Charles Smith and Esther Salter, on 29 Jun 1822 at St Andrew's Church, Gorleston, Suffolk (now Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk).

There are records for five children:

1. Ann Salter Sawyer bap. 15 Jun 1825 at The Minster Church of St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
2. Henrietta Mary Sawyer bap. 15 Sep 1828 at The Minster Church of St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
3. Jane Sawyer b. 19 Jul 1832, bap. 22 Jul 1832 at The Minster Church of St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. 
4. William Arthur Sawyer b. 10 Aug 1835, bap. 13 Sep 1835 at The Minster Church of St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
5. Margaret Manning Sawyer, b. 1840 D Quarter in GREAT YARMOUTH Vol 13 Page 329 (mother's name SMITH), bap. 20 Apr 1851 in Great Yarmouth.

On the baptisms William Sawyer's occupation is listed as Cordwainer, which makes the distinction that he was a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather, as opposed to a cobbler who just repairs them. On Jane and William Arthur's baptisms, their denomination, curiously, is listed as Primitive Methodist and that these are the records of NORFOLK: Yarmouth Tabernacle (Prim. Methodist): Births & Baptisms, but on the originals, it is clearly written that the baptisms were at St Nicholas. 

Also on Jane's baptism, her mother is listed as 'Ann Sawyer, otherwise Salter', the latter used as a middle name for eldest child, Ann. We know from the marriage record and from the registration of Margaret's birth that her maiden name was Smith. As we see, Salter was Ann Smith's mother's maiden name.

In 1841, William Sawyer (35) was living in George Street, Great Yarmouth, with wife Ann (35), Ann (15), Henrietta (10), Jane (8), William (6) and Margaret (0).

In 1851, William Sawyer (50), Shoe Maker, and Ann Sawyer (50), birthplace London, were living at 100, Row, St Georges Ward, [Great] Yarmouth, Norfolk, England with Henrietta (22), Jane (18), William (15) and Margaret (10).

Henrietta Sawyer died, age estimated to 22, in 1852 S Quarter in KINGSTON UPON HULL Volume 09D Page 165. This is useful to pin down the timeframe during which the family had must have relocated to Hull.

William Arthur Sawyer died in 1858 D Quarter in SCULCOATES Volume 09D Page 104 and was buried, on 24 Nov 1858 at All Saints Church, Sculcoates. 

In 1861, Ann Sawyer (50) - ten years out - widow, was boarding with her son-in-law, George Holland and eldest daughter, Ann, at 5, Kings Square, Sculcoates. Jane Sawyer (28) was living in Market Place, Kendal, Westmorland with her widowed Aunt (her mother's sister) Mary Taylor, assisting in her grocery business.

In 1871, Ann Sawyer (70) widow, was living with her youngest daughter, Margaret M Wall (30) Widow, School Mistress, at Lumpers Row (School House), Dawley, Madeley, Shropshire. Jane Sawyer (34ish) was still at Market Place House, Kendal, Westmorland with her Aunt, now remarried, Mary Archer.

Ann Sawyer wasn't with any of the immediate family anywhere in 1881, so I'm fairly sure she died in the interim decade. There is a death of an Ann Sawyer, of the right age 75 in 1876, in Warwick, Warwickshire (Q4 Vol 6D Page 299). This is relatively close to the midlands area she was living in with her youngest daughter and my research didn't find any corresponding local woman whose death it could have been instead, so I think it reasonable to believe this may be her.

In 1881, Jane Sawyer (48) Retired grocer was living with her younger sister, Margaret M Wall at School House, Sedgwick, Kendal, Westmorland.

In 1891, Jane Sawyer (58) Living on own means, was staying with her older sister, Ann Salter Holland, in Convent Lane, Holy Trinity and St Mary, Hull. 

In 1901, Jane Sawyer (68) from Yarmouth, Norfolk, was living at Bindless Lodge, Milnthorpe, Kendal, Westmorland.

In 1911, still at Bindloss Cottage Homes (Bindloss Cottages, Milnthorpe, an Almshouse Charity), Milnthorpe, Westmorland, was Jane Smith Sawyer (78) from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, listed as 'Occupant of bindloss homes', along with Marion Lamb (64) and Mary Ann Ashburner (55), both listed as Nurse attendant. 

Jane Smith Marianne Sawyer died, aged 79, in 1912 J Quarter in KENDAL Volume 10B Page 787. She certainly didn't have those ever increasing second names (obviously, Smith was her mother's maiden name) at baptism, but adding them has proven very useful in locating and confirming the record of her death.