Person:Sarah Hammond (30)

Early life

Sarah Ann Hammond was baptised on 7th August 1808 at Pagham in Sussex, daughter of Ann Hammond, formerly Woolgar, and her husband John Hammond, a blacksmith. Sarah was the eldest of the couple's eight children; John and Ann had only married two months before her baptism. Prior to 1813 baptism records did not generally give a specific address for the family, but from 1814 onwards the family was always described as living in the hamlet of Lagness in the parish of Pagham, on the road linking coastal Pagham with the nearby city of Chichester. Sarah's maternal grandparents also lived at Lagness, whilst her paternal grandparents lived in the neighbouring parish of South Bersted, which included the town of Bognor. Sarah's maternal grandmother died in 1827.

Marriage

Sarah was married at Pagham on 18th September 1830, aged 22, to an agricultural labourer named John Edwards. He was fifteen years her senior, being 37 when they married. John and Sarah lived in Lagness for a few years after their marriage. Their first daughter, Eliza, was baptised five months after their marriage.

Sarah and John went on to have another three children whilst living at Lagness: Fanny in 1832, George in 1835 and John in 1837. Both Sarah's grandfathers died in 1836, being buried in February and March. Her maternal grandmother died in 1839. Some time between 1837 and 1840 Sarah and John moved a short distance to the west to the hamlet of Bramber. Whilst Bramber is in the neighbouring parish of North Mundham, it is as close to the church at Pagham as it is to the church at North Mundham, so the family continued using Pagham church for the baptisms of their next two children: James in 1840 and Henry in 1842. Sadly Henry died when he was only nine weeks old.

After Henry's death Sarah and John left Bramber, moving to the other end of North Mundham parish to the hamlet of Runcton, where they had a son Alfred in 1843, then a daughter Sarah Ann in 1845. Between 1845 and 1848 the family moved again, to the neighbouring parish of Sidlesham. Their youngest son, William, was born at Sidlesham in 1848.

Seven months after William's birth Sarah and John became grandparents, when their eldest daughter Eliza had a baby, Elizabeth. Eliza went to work in domestic service, and baby Elizabeth was cared for by Sarah and John. The 1851 census finds Sarah, John, most of their children and their granddaughter Elizabeth living at Chalder in the parish of Sidlesham.

In 1852 Sarah's second daughter, Fanny, was married to a James Robinson. Sarah's second grandchild was born later that year. Fanny and her husband then had three further children who each died young, in 1854, 1855 and 1860. Meanwhile Sarah and John's first grandchild, Elizabeth, who they were raising, sadly also died young aged only six years old in 1855. Sarah's mother Ann died in 1858 and her father two years later in 1860.

The 1861 census finds Sarah and John still living at Chalder with five of their children. In 1862 their son James died aged 22.

Two further grandchildren were born in 1870. Sarah's daughter Fanny had another son, after a ten year gap since her previous child, whilst Sarah's daughter Sarah also had a daughter.

The 1871 census finds Sarah and John still living at Chalder, with their sons George, John and William and their daughter Sarah and her daughter Mary Ann. Sarah was working as charwoman. John was apparently being supported by the parish at this time.

Early in 1872 Sarah's daughter Fanny had her final child, whilst Sarah's youngest son William was married. As it happened, Sarah and John had more grandchildren from William's marriage than from the rest of their children put together, but John did not live to see any of William's children. John was buried at Sidlesham on 29th March 1872, aged 78. He and Sarah had been married for 41 years.

Later life

After John's death Sarah continued living in Sidlesham. Sarah's eldest surviving grandchild, Edward Robinson, was married in 1879 and Sarah became a great grandmother shortly afterwards. In 1880 Sarah's son Alfred married a Martha Heather. They did not have any children. The 1881 census finds Sarah living with her sons John and George, daughter Sarah and granddaughter Mary Ann at Street End in Sidlesham. Sarah was described as an invalid, whilst George was said to have a withered arm, and the younger Sarah suffered with epileptic fits. The 1881 census also finds Sarah's eldest daughter Eliza living with Sarah's sister Phoebe over at Malvern in Worcestershire, quite some way from Pagham.

By 1891 Sarah was living at Church Lane in Sidlesham with her sons George and John and her daughter Sarah. In 1895 Sarah's son Alfred died, followed in 1897 by Sarah's son George.

The 1901 census finds Sarah living with her son John and daughter Sarah at Church Lane. Later that year Sarah's eldest great-grandchild married, but Sarah did not live long enough to see her first great-great grandchild.

Sarah died in 1903, aged 95. She was buried at Sidlesham on 18th December 1903. She had lived to see eighteen grandchildren, although six of those had died in Sarah's lifetime. Sarah had also outlived four of her nine children. She had lived from the period of the Napoleonic Wars through the industrial revolution to the start of the twentieth century; the changes which she witnessed during her lifetime must have been remarkable.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Pagham (Sussex). Parish registers for Pagham, 1707-1901. (Chichester: West Sussex County Council).

   Baptisms in 1808 / August 7th Sarah Ann daughter of John & Ann Hammond

   This baptism has been linked to the Sarah Hammond who married in 1830 on the basis that as well as being in the right time and place to match the censuses, Sarah's daughter Eliza Edwards appears in the 1881 census living with her aunt Phoebe Medhurst (nee Hammond) who was Sarah's sister.

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1100; Book 10; Folio 12; Page 1, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Bramber, North Mundham, Sussex
   John Edwards, male, 45 [1791-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Sarah Edwards, female, 30 [1806-11], born in county
   Eliza Edwards, female, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Fanny Edwards, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   George Edwards, male, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   John Edwards, male, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   James Edwards, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1652; Folio 82; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Chalder House, Sidlesham, Sussex
   John Edwards, head, married, male, 56 [1894/5], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah Edwards, wife, married, female, 43 [1807/8], b. Pagham, Sussex
   George Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1834/5], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   John Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1837/8], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   James Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 11 [1839/40], Farm Laborer, b. Northmundham, Sussex
   Alfred Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 8 [1842/3], At Home, b. Northmundham, Sussex
   Sarah Edwards, daughter, unmarried, female, 6 [1844/5], At Home, b. Northmundham, Sussex
   William Edwards, son, married, 3 [1847/8], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Elizabeth Edwards, granddaughter, female, 2 [1848/9], b. West Hampnett, Sussex

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 617; Folio 73; Page 20, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Chalder, Sidlesham, Sussex
   John Edwards, head, married, male, 67 [1793/4], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah A. Edwards, wife, married, female, 52 [1808/9], Wife of Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   George Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 26 [1834/5], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   John Edwards, son, male, 24 [1836/7], Farm Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Alfred Edwards, son, male, 16 [1844/5], Farm Laborer, b. Mundham, Sussex
   Sarah Edwards, daughter, female, 15 [1845/6], Farm Laborer, b. Mundham, Sussex
   William Edwards, son, male, 12 [1848/9], Farm Laborer, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1111; Folio 64; Page 3, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Chalder, Sidlesham, Sussex
   John Edwards, head, married, male, 72 [1798/9], Agricultural Labourer ["Supported by Parish" crossed out], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah A. Edwards, wife, married, female, 62 [1808/9], Charwoman, b. Pagham, Sussex
   George Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 36 [1834/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Pagham, Sussex
   John Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 34 [1836/7], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah A. Edwards, daughter, unmarried, female, 25 [1845/6], b. Mundham, Sussex
   William Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 22 [1848/9], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Mary A. Edwards, granddaughter, female, 1 [1869/70], b. Sidlesham, Sussex

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1122; Folio 65; Page 3, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Village of Street End, Sidlesham, Sussex
   Sarah Ann Edwards, head, widow, female, 72 [1808/9], Invalid, b. Pagham, Sussex
   George Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 46 [1834/5], Agric[ultura]l Labourer, b. Pagham, Sussex, Withered Arm
   John Edwards, son, unmarried, male, 44 [1836/7], Agric[ultura]l Labourer, b. Sussex
   Sarah A. Edwards, daughter, female, 36 [1844/5], b. North Mundham, Sussex, Elip Fits
   Mary A. Edwards, granddaughter, female, 11 [1869/70], b. Sidlesham, Sussex

7. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 840; Folio 63; Page 9, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Church Lane, Sidlesham, Sussex
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Sarah A. Edwards, head, widow, female, 82 [1808/9], b. Pagham, Sussex
   George Edwards, son, single, male, 56 [1834/5], Agricult[ura]l Labourer, employed, b. Pagham, Sussex
   John Edwards, son, single, male, 54 [1836/7], Agricult[ura]l Labourer, employed, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah A. Edwards, daughter, single, female, 45 [1845/6], b. South Mundham, Sussex

8. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 967; Folio 115; Page 4, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Church Lane, Sidlesham, Sussex
   3 rooms occupied
   Sarah Edwards, head, widow, 92 [1808/9], b. Pagham, Sussex
   John Edwards, son, single, male, 65 [1835/6], Formerly Farm Labourer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Sarah Edwards, daughter, single, female, 54 [1846/7], b. North Mundham, Sussex

9.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Sarah EDWARDS, December Quarter 1903, Westhampnett Registration District, Volume 2b, 229, aged 95 [1807/8]

10. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Sidlesham (Sussex). Parish registers of Sidlesham, 1566-1901. (Chichester: West Sussex County Council).

    BURIALS in the Parish of Sidlesham in the County of Sussex in the Year 1903
    No	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
    1352	Sarah Edwards	Church Lane, Sidlesham	eighteenth December	95 years	W.T. Dutton (Vicar)