Person:Sarah Edwards (98)

Sarah Edwards was baptised on 19th October 1794 at Pagham on the Sussex coast, daughter of Susannah Edwards, formerly Bollard, and her husband James Edwards. Sarah was the fifth of their ten children, although two of her younger siblings died as babies. It has yet to be established when Sarah's father died.

Sarah was married on 10th November 1823 at Mid Lavant, a few miles inland from Pagham, to an agricultural labourer named Matthew Cluer. One of the witnesses to their marriage was an Edward Edwards, who was presumably a relative of Sarah's, although the connection has not been established. Sarah and Matthew's first son was baptised the following year in neighbouring East Lavant, after which they moved to West Stoke, where they settled, having another six children baptised there between 1826 and 1836. Back in Pagham, Sarah's mother Susannah died in 1832.

The 1841 and 1851 censuses each find Matthew living with Sarah and their children in West Stoke. Sarah died aged 66, being buried at West Stoke on 26th December 1860. Matthew survived her by just over ten years.

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

   Baptisms in 1794 / Oct[obe]r 19 Sarah Daughter of James & Susannah Edwards

   Whilst no named connection has been found, this baptism has been linked to the Sarah Edwards who married Matthew Cluer on the basis that in the 1851 census she claimed to have been born at Pagham around the mid 1790s. No evidence has been found to suggest that the Sarah Edwards baptised in 1794 in Pagham 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 1099; Book 10; Folio 2; Page 13, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: West Stoke, Sussex
   Matthew Cluer, male, 40 [1796-1801], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Sarah Cluer, female, 45 [1791-6], born in county
   Mark Cluer, male, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Henry Cluer, male, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Susan Cluer, female, 7 [1833/4], born in county
   John Cluer, male, 5 [1835/6], 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 472; Page 23, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: West Stoke, Sussex
   Matthew Cluer, head, married, male, 53 [1797/8], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. East Lavant, Sussex
   Sarah Cluer, wife, married, female, 55 [1795/6], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Mark Cluer, son, unmarried, male, 23 [1827/8], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. West Stoke, Sussex
   Henry Cluer, son, unmarried, male, 19 [1831/2], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. West Stoke, Sussex
   Susan Cluer, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1833/4], b. West Stoke, Sussex
   John Cluer, son, male, 14 [1836/7], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. West Stoke, Sussex

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

   d. Sarah CLUER, December Quarter 1860, Westhampnett Registration District, Volume 2b, page 203, aged 66 [1793/4]

5. ↑ Bishop's Transcript of burials register, in Church of England. Parish Church of West Stoke (Sussex). Parish registers, 1564-1881. (Chichester: West Sussex County Council).

   BURIALS in the Parish of West Stoke in the County of Sussex in the Year 1860
   No	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   98	Sarah Cluer	West Stoke	Dec[embe]r 26	66 [1793/4]	C. Buckner, Rector