Some of the key moments in Sarah’s turbulent life are still a mystery. Born in St Albans, she moved to Birmingham when she was three. Her mother died a few days after her fifth birthday, but then there is a thirteen year gap until I’ve found her at 18, marrying John Thomas Hoghton in Blackburn.

The marriage appears to have ended in separation; they were together in Lower Darwen five years later but by 1891 she is living with Thomas Smith in Cheadle, Stockport. Divorce would not have been an option. She had her only child, Hannah, with Thomas but that relationship also ended quickly. Her grandaughter Marj recalled “my grandmother fell out with her husband and walked form Blackburn to Birmingham with my mother and worked at the Arden temperance hotel she stayed with her sister in City Road”. However the records show that for the most of the rest of her life she lived in Blackburn with Hannah.

She died in the workhouse infirmary aged 65.

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The details:

Birth: 10th July 1857, New London Road, St Albans. Father Charles was a policeman; mother Hannah signed with “her mark” so was unable to write. She had an older brother (John William Hodgkins) and sister (Emily). Her only other full sibling (Amelia) was born on the 6th December 1859.

The family moved to Birmingham and Charles joined the police force there on 2nd January 1961

1861 census: The family were living in Willington Place, Alcester St, Deritend (almost opposite the Old Crown in Digbeth). Charles is a Police Constable, the older 3 children are “scholars” including Sarah (aged 3) and her older siblings were listed as “scholars”. Some of their 9 year old and 10 year old neighbours were working so the Blakemores may have been relatively secure at this point.

Mother’s death: Hannah died of “phthisis” (tuberculosis) and “haemoptysis” (coughing blood from resiratory tract) on the 13th July 1862. The family were living at 2 Court Blucker Street (mispelling of Blucher Street, by the NT Back to backs?); the death was registered by a neighbour who was also “present at the death”.

Her father married Emily Dawson on 22nd June 1863; on the 25^th August 1863 he was drunk on duty and by 25^th August 1864 he was dismissed from the police force but “allowed to resign”.

1871 census: Charles and Hannah were with Sarah’s younger sister and three half-siblings from this second marriage. Her brother had exagerated his age and joined the army, her older ssiter was in service. I can’t find Sarah.

Marriage: 17th January 1878, banns below. Dugdale Street and Leyland Street were next to each other.

1881 census: John and Sarah Houghton are listed in Sandy Lane, Lower Darwen. He was a joiner, she was a Rag Sorter. This is the last time I have them living togther.

1891 census: Listed at 11 Greenfield Terrace, Astwood, Cheadle are “Thomas Smith (aged 40, Tramway Labourer born in London) and Sarah Smith (wife, aged 34 and born in Birmingham)” A month later, Hannah was born on 24th May 1891 at 11 Greenfield Terrace, Astwood, Cheadle.

Describe Uncle(?) and Father moving to Blackburn and add maps – how close were they geographically? was she reunited with him in either Birmingham or Blackpool? The story of walking to Birmingham must fit in here. Is JTH also close to Charles? She must have been in contact with her husband – see below.

1901 census: she was lodging with her daughter Hannah at 25 Emma Street, Blackburn.

1911 census: she was living with her daughter Hannah and two “boarders” at 32 Griffen Street, Blackburn.

1921 census: she was an inmate of the Guardian’s Institution, 129 Haslingden Road, Blackburn. (by 1921 this was both workhouse and infirmary I think)

Husband’s death: John Thomas Hoghton died of a Cerebral Haemorrhage, at 129 Haslingden Road on 10th October 1922. It was Sarah’s daughter Hannah who registered his death, describing herself as his daughter.

Death: she died there a few months later on 8th January 1923, of Chronic Bronchitis, Asthma and Cardiac failure. her daughter was “present at the death” and the death certificate describes her as the widow of John Thomas Hoghton, a Master Joiner.