Sarah Ann (Taylor) Crewe (1839 - abt. 1907)

Born 16 May 1839 in Uppermill, Saddleworth, Oldham, Lancashire, England

Wife of Thomas Crewe — married 26 Nov 1860 (to 20 Jun 1874) in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancashire, England

Descendants

Died about 1907 at about age 67 in Charters Towers, Queensland Australia [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Melanie Paul [send private message]

Biography

Sarah (Taylor) Crewe was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England.

Sarah Ann Taylor was born on the 16 May 1839, in Uppermill, Saddleworth, Oldham, Lancashire, England, the daughter of John Taylor (a weaver) and Elisabeth Chapel. Her birth was registered in Oldham in 1839,^[1] and with the GRO in early 1840.^[2]

On the 6 June 1841, the 2-year-old Sarah was living with her family Oldham below Town. Those home at the time were her father: John, a cotton weaver; her mother: Elisabeth; and her brother: Samuel.^[3]

Sarah Taylor's father was a weaver.

On the 30 March 1851, Sarah (11), an errand girl, was still living in Oldham below Town, with her family. Home at the time were her father: John, a powerloom weaver of cotton; her mother: Elisabeth; and her brother: Samuel, a cotton piecer. ^[4]

After their Banns had been published the required number of times, Sarah Ann, her occupation given as "piecer", married Thomas Crewe, his occupation also given as "piecer", on the 26th November 1860, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancashire, England, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church. Thomas signed his name, while Sarah made her X mark. The officiant was John Godson, Incumbent, and their witnesses were Jonas Binns, Sarah Ann Harrop, and Joshua Binns, all three of whom signed their names.^[5] His last name is misspelt as Crew.

On the 7th April 1861, the not-long married couple were living on Priory Street, Oldham Below Town. Both Thomas (25) and Sarah Ann (23) were employed in the position of cotton mill hand: spinner.^[6]
Next door (or same house, different household) was John's mother, Betty (53), and his siblings: John (12), a cotton mill hand piecer, Eliza (17), also a cotton mill hand piecer, Harriet (10), a scholar, and Sarah Ann (28), also a cotton mill hand piecer, her husband Thomas Bardsley (36), a slater, and their daughter: Emma (1).

Sarah (Taylor) Crewe migrated from Lancashire, England to Queensland, Australia.

Sarah Ann and Thomas, only three years married, departed for Australia on the ship "Rockhampton" (Thomas aged 27 and Sarah aged 25) bound for Keppel Bay in Queensland, 18th June 1863. The ship's Master was one Joseph Brough; and the ship was provisioned for a journey of 140 days. The port of embarkation was Liverpool. ^[7] The "Rockhampton" arrived in Queensland on the 18th October 1863.^[8]

Sarah (Taylor) Crewe was an Assisted Immigrant to Queensland.

According to reports of the day (The Courier (Brisbane, Qld) Fri 23 Oct 1863 Page 2), the conditions aboard the "Rockhampton" were compared to the "Black hole of Calcutta".^[9]
Thomas was listed as "labourer" on the ship's passenger list; and it seems he was one of many workers in Lancashire who had been affected by the American Civil War causing a cessation of cotton shipments from the southern states.^[10]

Among the passengers brought to Queensland in 1863 were a large number of distressed cotton workers and their families from Lancashire. As the result of the outbreak of the American Civil War on 12 April 1861 the shipment of cotton from the southern States to the mills of England ceased. Lancashire was striken with mass unemployment, abject povety and sickness. More than 2000 cotton mills closed down and thousands of operatives were thrown out of work. Near starvation was rampant. To help relieve the misery, the Queensland Government, through Mr. Jordan, offered free and assisted passages to distressed mill workers. More than 1700 of these emaciated, poverty-striken people (representing 1300 statute adults) were brought to Queensland on Black Ball ships such as the Beejapore, Hannah More, Light Brigade, Cairngorm, Rockhampton, Young Australia, Fiery Star, Wansfell and Golden Dream. The death-rate among these wretched people, many of whom were unable to withstand the rigours of the long voyage, was of course quite high.

Sarah Ann and Thomas had four children, three daughters (one of whom died the day she was born) and a son.
Their eldest child, a daughter, Bessie, does not appear on the ship's passenger list, nor does she appear under the name "Bessie", or "Elizabeth" in the BDM register, but is listed as living, born 1866, on her younger sister's birth record.^[11]

Sarah passed away after 1874 (her youngest child was born (and died) in 1872), but the exact date is not known, as it appears she may have remarried after Thomas died in 1874. (There is a death registration in 1907 for a Sarah Ann Duncan, but no marriage for Sarah Crewe to anyone Duncan has been found. See also research notes. Information does point to the 1907 death of Sarah Ann Duncan as being the correct person, but the parents do not match.)

Research Notes

Marriage: 26 Nov 1860 Holy Trinity, Oldham, Lancs.^[12]

Thomas Crew - 25, Piecer, Bachelor, Royton Road

Sarah Ann Taylor - (X), 22, Piecer, Spinster, Royton Road

Groom's Father: John Crew, Shoemaker

Bride's Father: John Taylor, Weaver

Witness: Jonas Binns; Sarah Ann Harrop; Joshua Binns

Married by Banns by: John Godson, Incumbent

Register: Marriages 1849 - 1861, Page 228, Entry 455

Source: LDS Family Search

A Sarah Ann Crewe married a George Wright on the 6th June 1883 (which would place it in the correct timeframe), but there is no corresponding death for a Sarah Ann Wright with father John Taylor (in Queensland, nor has one been found in New South Wales)). (There are several named Sarah Ann Wright whose deaths are noted, but all have a father listed who is not, and cannot even be imagined into being, anything Taylor.)

Sarah Ann Crewe

Event date: 06/06/1883

Event type: Marriage registration

Registration details: 1883/C/780

Spouse: George Wright

It should be noted that the actual marriage document (which names George Wright's place of birth as New Hampshire, America) has Sarah's father named as John Taylor, a labourer (not a weaver), and the mother as "Elizabeth Fitton" (not Chapel). As with the marriage to Thomas Crewe, the bride made her X mark.

There is also a marriage for a Sarah Ann Crew to William Stanhope Rodney on the 16th November 1874 (also in the correct time frame, even if seemingly rather soon after Thomas's death (remembering that she had three small children)).

Sarah Anne Crew

Event date: 16/11/1874

Event type: Marriage registration

Registration details: 1874/C/871

Spouse: William Stanhope Rodney

Again, however, there is no corresponding death that names the parents per previous documentation.

There is a death registered for a Sarah Ann Duncan whose parents are named as John Taylor and Mary Fitton, but no corresponding marriage has been found.

Sarah Ann is frequently confused online with another Sarah Ann Taylor. There is also frequent confusion between Elisabeth Chapel and Elizabeth Fitton, both of whom married a John Taylor.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration — Lancashire BMD online search Births: Surname: TAYLOR, Forename(s): Sarah Ann, Mother's Maiden Name: CHAPEL, Year: 1839, Sub-District: Uppermill, Saddleworth, Region: Lancashire, Registers At: Oldham, Reference: UPP/2/51
2. ↑ Birth Registration — GRO UK online search Births: Name: TAYLOR, SARAH ANN; Mother's Maiden Surname: CHAPEL; GRO Reference:1840 M Quarter in SADDLEWORTH Volume 23 Page 530
3. ↑ Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841. Class: HO107; Piece: 547; Book: 2; Civil Parish: Prestwich Cum Oldham; County: Lancashire; Enumeration District: 3; Folio: 9; Page: 11; Line: 17; GSU roll: 306931 Name: Sarah Ann Taylor; Age: 2; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839; Gender: Female; Where born: Lancashire, England; Civil parish: Prestwich Cum Oldham; Hundred: Salford County/Island: Lancashire; Country: England; Registration district: Ashton and Oldham; Sub-registration district: Oldham below Town; Piece: 547; Book: 2; Folio: 9; Page number: 11
4. ↑ Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Class: HO107; Piece: 2240; Page: 20. Name: Sarah Ann Taylor; Age: 11; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840; Relation: Daughter; Father's Name: John Taylor; Mother's Name: Elizabeth Taylor; Gender: Female; Where Born: Oldham, Lancashire, England; Civil Parish: Oldham Below Town; Ecclesiastical parish: St Marys; Town: Oldham; County/Island: Lancashire; Country: England; Registration District: Oldham; Sub-registration District: Oldham Below Town; ED, institution, or vessel: 1b; Household Schedule Number: 77; Piece: 2240; Page Number: 20
5. ↑ Lancashire BMD Marriage indexes online search: Surname: CREW; Forename(s): Thomas; Spouse's Surname: Taylor; Spouse's Forename(s): Sarah A; Year: 1860; Church / Register Office: Coldhurst; Region: Lancashire; Registers At: Oldham; Reference: CE209/1/455
6. ↑ 1861 England Census — The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861. Data imaged from The National Archives, London, England. Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: Class: RG 9; Piece: 3010; Folio: 82; Page: 13; GSU roll: 543064
7. ↑ Source: a photocopy of the relevant page of the ship's ledger, purchased from the Queensland State Archives 29th May 1992. Reference # Z31 p.426
8. ↑ Passengers "Rockhampton" 1863
9. ↑ THE IMMIGRANT SHIP ROCKHAMPTON The Courier (Brisbane, Qld) Fri 23 Oct 1863 Page 2
10. ↑ Queensland Immigration And The Black Ball Line By Warwick Foote
11. ↑ Birth certificate of Emily Crewe, whereon her sister Bessie is named born 1866, is in the possession of Melanie Paul.
12. ↑ Lancashire Online Parish Clerks: Holy Trinity; Marriages

• Family records and birth, marriage, death certificates or certified copies held by family members.