John Sawyer and Charlotte Manning

Bury St Edmunds - Church of St Mary
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Rob Farrow - geograph.org.uk/p/7110455

John Sawyer married Charlotte Manning at St Mary's Church, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk by licence, on 15 Dec 1788. Charlotte Manning, was baptised on 29 May 1768 at the Church of St Clare, Bradfield St Clare, a village about six miles south of Bury St Edmunds, the daughter of Thomas Manning and Mary Girling.

Records I can identify include six children of this couple:

1. Charlotte Sawyer bap. 16 Nov 1795. Infant, daughter of John and Charlotte Sawyer was buried, on 9 Mar 1796, at St Michael's Church, Beccles.
2. George Sawyer b. 24 Feb 1797, bap. 3 Mar 1797 at St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, however, a further record states that the infant son of John Sawyer & Charlotte Manning was buried in Great Yarmouth on 5 Jun 1797.
3. William Arthur Sawyer b. 18 Nov 1798, bap. 20 Nov 1798
4. George Sawyer b. 9 May 1801, bap. 11 May 1801
5. Elizabeth Sawyer b. 6 Dec 1802, bap. 13 Dec 1802
6. Frederick Sawyer b. 1 Nov 1805, bap. 11 Nov 1805

William Arthur, George, Elizabeth and Frederick were all also baptised at St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth (Great Yarmouth Minster).

Charlotte Sawyer or Manning (as the record helpfully says) died, age given as 44, and was buried at St Nicholas (Great Yarmouth Minster), on 3 Jun 1808.

John Sawyer died, aged 55 and was buried, also at St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, on 25 Feb 1820. (This would place his birth date around 1765, however, without knowing where he was born, it isn't possible to isolate his baptism.)

Charles Smith, Rebecca Salter and Esther Salter

Great Yarmouth St. Nicholas Minster
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Adrian S Pye - geograph.org.uk/p/5816819

Charles Smith (b. 1762) of the parish of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, Mariner, married Rebecca Salter daughter of Farrow Salter and Esther Mason, at what is now the church of St. Nicholas Minster, Great Yarmouth, on 9 Sep 1783. 

Charles and Rebecca Smith had three daughters, all baptised at Great Yarmouth, St Nicholas with St Peter, St John, St Andrew, St James, St Paul & St Luke:

1. Rebecca Smith b. 19 May 1785, bap. 24 May 1785
2. Margaret Smith b. 15 Aug 1786, bap. 20 Aug 1786
3. Esther Salter Smith b. 20 Feb 1789, bap. 4 Mar 1789. Buried 24 Oct 1790

However, Rebecca Salter Smith, wife of Charles Smith died aged 27 and was buried at Great Yarmouth, St Nicholas, on 27 Apr 1790.

Charles Smith then married Esther Salter, also daughter of Farrow Salter and Esther Mason, on 1 Nov 1791, at St Marylebone Parish Church, Marylebone Road, London. (Not the current St Marylebone Parish Church, but the 3rd church, opened in 1742, where Lord Byron was baptised in 1788; Admiral Horatio Nelson was a worshipper there and his daughter Horatia was baptised there. This is also the church where diplomat Sir William Hamilton married Emma Hart, later Nelson's lover. The old church closed in 1926, but was not demolished until 1949, following WWII bomb damage. Its site, Old Church Garden, is now a Garden of Rest, created in 1951.) Charles Smith was marrying his late wife's sister. This was forbidden under ecclesiastical law (but not illegal until the Marriage Act in 1835). However, in 1791, the marriage between a widower and his wife’s sister, was valid but voidable. It could be voided or annulled if successfully challenged by any interested party. Perhaps there was less chance of them being challenged in London.

I've found records for four children to Charles and Esther Smith:

1. Charles Smith b. 19 Aug 1793, bap. 22 Aug 1793 at St. Nicholas, now Great Yarmouth Minster. Died, at 5, and was buried on 22 Aug 1798.
2. Ann Smith b. 29 Mar 1801, bap. 24 Apr 1801 at Saint Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, London.
3. Christiana Smith b. 1 Jan 1803, bap. 28 Jan 1803 at Saint Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey. Died, aged 4, and was buried on 7 Nov 1806 at Southwark, St John, the Parish Church of Horsleydown, Horsleydown, Surrey, described as being 'from the Parish of St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey'.
4. Mary Smith b. 10 Dec 1805, bap. 2 Feb 1806 at Saint Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey.

St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, being such a large church, seems to have been a very busy place in the 1790s. There were, for example, several lads called Charles Smith baptised there in 1793, but enormous thanks to the clerks there, who had clearly foreseen the potential for confusion and listed the mother's full name, with maiden name, on all the baptisms, as well as specifying that detail on the 1798 burial.

There are no records of further children baptised to this couple in Great Yarmouth, nor in Bermondsey that I can find. That's not to say there weren't any. It's clear they were still in the parish of St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey at least until 1806, but I'm less confident of being able to follow their story further.

Charles Smith will inevitably be more difficult to pin down. That I've got this far with a Smith is close to miraculous. It was only by working down the children of William Arthur Sawyer and Ann Smith (they named their first Ann Salter Sawyer, so I was sure that Salter was Ann's mother's maiden name), that revealed the aunt, Ann's sister, Mary Smith, who, in turn, named her father on her marriage in 1856 as Charles Smith that then allowed me to find the girls' baptisms with common parents and that led to finding the marriage. This is a lesson in why it's a huge mistake to concentrate only on direct ancestors: they may be hiding in collateral lines. 

William Arthur Sawyer and Ruth Swift

St. Andrew's Church, Kirk Ella
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Richard Croft - geograph.org.uk/p/2306399

William Arthur Sawyer (20), son of William Sawyer and Ann Smith, married Ruth Swift, daughter of William Swift and Mary Ann Lister, on 21 Aug 1855, at the Parish Church of Kirk Ella. Both were resident in Anlaby. At the time of his marriage, William Arthur Sawyer's occupation was listed as Shoe Maker, as was his father's. Ruth's father is listed as late William Swift, Ingeneer (sic). The church official was obviously better at maths than spelling too! LOL

William and Ruth had 15 children over 26 years, including one pair of twins. Seven of these children, including both twins, sadly, did not survive infancy: 

1. Lavinia Jane Sawyer b. 1856 S Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 187
2. Margaret Ann Sawyer b. 1858 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 205, died, aged 3, in 1862 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 145, and was buried, on 12 Feb 1862, at Hull Holy Trinity.
3. Rebecca Ruth Sawyer b. 1859 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 193, bap. 18 Dec 1859 at West Street Chapel, Hull
4. Mary Ellen Sawyer b. 1861 S Quarter in HULL Vol 09D Page 198, d. 1862 M Quarter in HULL Vol 09D Page 150, buried 27 Feb 1862, at Hull Holy Trinity.
5. Arthur William Sawyer b. 1863 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 213, bap. 24 May 1863 at West Street Chapel, Hull and, curiously, was baptised again on 6 Feb 1869 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull 
6. Mary Ellen Sawyer b. 31 Jan 1865 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 214, bap. 23 Mar 1882 at Christ Church, Sculcoates
7. Ruth Swift Sawyer b. 1868 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 241, bap. 6 Feb 1869 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull
8. Emmeline Sawyer b. 1869 D Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 223, bap. 6 Feb 1869 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull, died, aged 3, 1873 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 179
9. Minnie Smith Sawyer b. 1871 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 202, bap. 25 Apr 1871 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull, died in 1871 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 228
10. Walter James Sawyer b. 1871 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 221, bap. 25 Apr 1871 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull, died in 1871 S Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 163
11. Louisa Sawyer b. 18 Apr 1872 J Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 238, bap. 12 Mar 1873 at St. Matthew's Church, Kingston upon Hull, d. 1873 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 176
12. Ernest Sawyer b. 1873 D Quarter in HULL Vol 09D Page 244, bap. 22 Nov 1873 at Holy Trinity, Hull, d. 1874 D Quarter in HULL Vol 09D Page 189
13. Harold Sawyer b. 23 Feb 1876 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 274
14. Alfred Sawyer b. 1877 D Quarter in SCULCOATES Volume 09D Page 190, bap. 15 Apr 1878 at St. Paul's, Sculcoates.
15. Ethel Sawyer b. 1881 M Quarter in SCULCOATES Volume 09D Page 193, bap. 11 Jan 1885 at All Saints Church, Sculcoates

I've been unable to find any of this family on the Census of 1861.

In 1871, William Arthur Sawyer (35) Post Office Letter Stamper from Yarmouth, Norfolk, was living at Parade, South Anns Buildings, Holy Trinity, Hull, with Ruth Sawyer (37), Lavinia J Sawyer (14) Servant; Rebecca A Sawyer (11); Arthur W Sawyer (7); Mary E Sawyer (5); Ruth S Sawyer (3) and Emmeline Sawyer (1).

In 1881, they were living at 1, Clifton Street, Sculcoates, Yorkshire, where the household comprised: William A Sawyer (45) Letter carrier from Yarmouth, Norfolk; Ruth (47); Rebecca R (21) Dressmaker; Arthur W (17) Apprentice; Mary E (16) Errand Girl; Ruth S (13); Harold (5); Alfred (3) and Ethel (0). Lavinia Jane Sawyer (24) was housekeeper, at 98, Gt Thornton Street, Kingston upon Hull.

In 1891, still in Clifton Street, listed as William Sayer (sic) (55) and employed as a Parkman, with Ruth (57); Rebecca (30) Dressmaker and Ruth S (23) Mother's Help, Harold (15) Wood Carver Apprentice; Alfred (13) and Ethel (10) at school. Lavinia Jane Sawyer (31) Boot & shoe dealer was living on the Anlaby Road, Hull with Clara J Foster (15) Servant. I've been unable to find Mary Ellen (26).

William Arthur Sawyer died on Monday, 15 Jan 1900, at his residence at 93 Belvoir Street, Sculcoates, Yorkshire, aged 64. The newspaper announcement says he was buried at the Western Cemetery on the Thursday [18 Jan 1900] at 2:50 pm.

In 1901, the widowed Ruth Sawyer (67) was living in Rodney Street, Sculcoates, with daughter, Rebecca Ruth (41) Dressmaker and son Alfred Sawyer (23) Grocer's Assistant. Son Harold Sawyer (25) Single, Wood and Stone Carver, from Hull, in 1901, was a boarder in Russell Street, Peterborough, Northamptonshire; Lavinia Sawyer (44) Bootmaker, Shopkeeper was on the Anlaby Road, Hull. Mary E Sawyer (36) Cook, was in Lairgate, Beverley. Ethel Sawyer (20) was housemaid to John G J Marshall, Seed Merchant, at 391, Beverley Road, Sculcoates.

In 1911, Ruth Sawyer (77) was living with her daughter Rebecca Ruth Sawyer (51) Costumier, in Sculcoates. While Lavinia Sawyer (54) Boot and Shoe Dealer, and her sister Mary Ellen Sawyer (46) were living at 169 Anlaby Road Hull, Holy Trinity.

Ruth Sawyer (née Swift) died, aged 79, in Sculcoates on 13 Nov 1913.

In 1921, Lavinia Jane Sawyer (64) Boot & Shoe Dealer was at 169, Anlaby Road, Hull. It appears that Mary Ellen Sawyer (56) was Domestic Servant to a Mary Helen Gilpin Brown (56) in Thornton-Le-Dale.

Rebecca Ruth Sawyer (62) died at 70 Brunswick Avenue, Hull, on 17 Sep 1921. 

Lavinia Jane Sawyer of 169 Anlaby Road, Kingston-upon-Hull, Spinster died, aged 65, on 1 Oct 1921, leaving her effects to her brother, Harold Sawyer, boot dealer.

In 1939, Mary Ellen Sawyer, Retired, was living at 65 Minster Moorgate, Beverley. Mary Ellen Sawyer of 65 Minster Moorgate, Beverley, died, aged 77, on 2 May 1942, leaving her effects to her sister, Ruth Swift Dawson, Widow.

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.