Person:Sarah Allen (164)

Sarah Allen was baptised on 9th May 1777 at Kirkby la Thorpe in Lincolnshire, daughter of Elizabeth Allen, formerly Preston, and her husband William Allen, a tailor. When Sarah was only five years old her father died. In 1784 her mother married a David Procter, who thus became Sarah's stepfather.

Sarah's next sighting is on 18th June 1809, when she had a son named John baptised at Heckington, about four miles east of Kirkby la Thorpe. Two years later, aged about 34, Sarah married a farmer named John Turner. He was from Heckington and about 12 years her senior. He appears to have also been the father of Sarah's two year old son John too; certainly the child grew up being known as John Turner and John acknowledged the boy in his will describing him as his son.

Sarah and John had another four children together between 1812 and 1820, all baptised at Heckington. It is not clear what happened to her youngest daughter, Ann. Sarah's other four children all lived to adulthood. Back in Kirkby la Thorpe, Sarah's mother died in 1815.

Sarah's first known grandchild was baptised at Heckington in 1833, being the illegitimate daughter of Sarah's son Edward. Whether Sarah was therefore aware of or acknowledged this grandchild is unknown.

John died in 1839, aged 74. John's will stipulated that Sarah was to be allowed to live rent free in the westernmost room of their house at Heckington.

The 1841 census finds Sarah living with three of her children at North Street in Heckington.

Sarah's children John, Edward, Elizabeth and Mary all married in the 1840s. Sarah's first known legitimate grandchild was born in 1840, and she would have fourteen legitimate grandchildren born in her lifetime.

The 1851 census finds Sarah living with her son John and his daughter in Heckington. (John's wife had died shortly after giving birth.)

Sarah died at Heckington on 30th November 1851, aged 74.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Kirkby-le-Thorpe (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1660-1979. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   Baptisms 1777
   Sarah Daughter of William Allen & Elizabeth his Wife was baptized May 9th

   Whilst no named connection has been found, this baptism has been linked to the Sarah Allen who married John Turner on the basis that it is in the parish that the adult Sarah gave as her birthplace and at the right time. No evidence has been found suggesting that the Sarah baptised in 1777 died young or married anyone else.

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 619; Book 13; Folio 18; page 28, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: North Street, Heckington, Lincolnshire
   Sarah Turner, female, 60 [1776-81], Ind[ependent], born in county
   John Turner, male, 30 [1806-11], born in county
   Elizabeth Turner, female, 25 [1811-16], born in county
   Mary Turner, female, 20 [1816-21], born in county
   Joseph Vacey, male, 15 [1821-6], Servant, 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 2101; Folio 215; Page 51, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Heckington, Lincolnshire
   John Turner, head, male, 41 [1809/10], Farmer, b. Heckington, Lincolnshire
   Sarah Turner, mother, female, 73 [1777/8], b. Kirkby la Thorpe, Lincolnshire
   Sarah Turner, daughter, female, 6 [1844/5], b. Heckington, Lincolnshire
   Will[ia]m Priestly, servant, male, 19 [1831/2], b. Osgodby, Lincolnshire
   Eliz[abe]th Barnett, servant, female, 19 [1831/2], b. Heckington, Lincolnshire

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

   d. Sarah TURNER, December Quarter 1851, Sleaford Registration District, Volume 14, page 330, aged 74 [1776/7]

5. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Heckington in the County of Lincoln in the Year 1851
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   1174	Sarah Turner, Widow	Heckington	Dec[embe]r 3rd	74 years	C. De la Cour, Vicar

6. ↑ Stamford Mercury, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, 5 Dec 1851.

   DIED.
   At Heckington, on the 30th ult., Sarah widow of Mr. John Turner, farmer, aged 74.