Person:Sarah Forsey (2)

Watchers
Sarah Forsey
m. 6 Nov 1788
  1. Elizabeth Forsey1793 - 1874
  2. Sarah Forsey1797 - 1853
  3. Francis Forsey1803 - 1885
  4. Mary Ann Forsey1810 - 1872
  5. Susan Forsey1815 - 1890
m. 2 Jan 1823
  1. James Hodges1823 -
  2. William Hodges1825 -
  3. John Hodges1826 -
  4. Charles HodgesAbt 1828 -
  5. Mary Hodges1830 -
  6. Susannah Hodges1833 -
Facts and Events
Name Sarah Forsey
Gender Female
Christening[1] 30 Apr 1797 Winsham, Somerset, England
Marriage 2 Jan 1823 Crewkerne, Somerset, Englandto William Hodges
Census[2] 6 Jun 1841 Drayton, Somerset, EnglandBurton Pynsent
Census[3] 30 Mar 1851 Drayton, Somerset, EnglandBurton Pynsent
Burial[5] 15 May 1853 Drayton, Somerset, England

Sarah Forsey was baptised on 30th April 1797 at Winsham in Somerset, daughter of Sarah Forsey, formerly Hawkins, and her husband Francis Forsey, a labourer. She was the second of their five children. In 1821, when Sarah was 24 years old, her mother Sarah died.

Sarah was married on 2nd January 1823, aged 25, to a shepherd named William Hodges. They married at the nearby town of Crewkerne, but returned to Winsham soon after their marriage, having their eldest child, James, baptised there three months after their marriage. James was followed by William in 1825 and John in 1826.

Some time between 1826 and 1830 Sarah and William left Winsham and moved about fourteen miles north to the hamlet of Burton Pynsent. At that time Burton Pynsent straddled the parishes of Curry Rivel and Drayton. They lived in the Drayton part of Burton Pynsent, but used the church at Curry Rivel, which was nearer. They had another three children baptised at Curry Rivel: Charles and Mary who were baptised on the same day in 1830, then Susannah in 1833. Although baptised on the same day, Charles and Mary were not twins; the censuses make clear that Charles was a couple of years older than Mary.

In 1834 Sarah's husband William died. He was buried back at Winsham on 10th September 1834. He was said to be 34 years old. Sarah was left with the six children to look after, who ranged from in age from eleven to less than a year at the time of their father's death.

Both the 1841 and 1851 censuses finds Sarah and all six of her children living at Burton Pynsent. In both censuses Sarah was working as an agricultural labourer (in 1851 she was called an "agricultural labouress"). In 1841 they also had a Sarah Scriven living with them, who was Sarah's niece, being her sister Elizabeth's daughter.

Sarah died in 1853, aged 56. She was buried at Drayton, which was the parish church covering the part of Burton Pynsent where she had lived.

References
  1. Church of England. Parish Church of Winsham. Winsham Parish registers, 1559-1944. (Taunton: Somerset Heritage Service).

    Baptizms [sic] in The Year 1797 / Sarah of Frances and Sarah Forsey April the 30

    This baptism has been linked to the Sarah Forsey who married William Hodges in 1823 at Crewkerne on the basis that in the 1851 census the adult Sarah Hodges gave her place of birth as Winsham, and one of the witnesses to Sarah and William's marriage was a John Scriven, who went on to marry Sarah's sister Elizabeth later that same year. The ages quoted for Sarah in 1841, 1851 and at her burial are slightly too young, but not radically different, and there is no sign of any other Sarah Forsey baptism at Winsham who could be the one who married William Hodges in 1823. Moreover no alternative explanation for what happened to the Sarah baptised in 1797 has been found.

  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 929; Book 15; Folio 14; Page 2, 6 Jun 1841.

    Address: Burton Pynsent, Drayton, Somerset
    Sarah Hodges, female, 38 [1802/3], Ag Lab, born in county
    James Hodges, male, 18 [1822/3], born in county
    William Hodges, male, 16 [1824/5], born in county
    John Hodges, male, 15 [1825/6], born in county
    Charles Hodges, male, 13 [1827/8], born in county
    Mary Hodges, female, 11 [1829/30], born in county
    Susan Hodges, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county
    Sarah Scriven, female, 8 [1832/3], 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 1926; Folio 565; Page 11, 30 Mar 1851.

    Address: Burton Pynsent, Drayton, Somerset
    Sarah Hodge, head, widow, female, 49 [1801/2], Agricultural Labouress, b. Winsham, Somerset
    James Hodge, son, unmarried, male, 28 [1822/3], Agricultural Labourer, b. Winsham, Somerset
    William Hodge, son, unmarried, male, 25 1825/6], Agricultural Labourer, b. Winsham, Somerset
    John Hodge, son, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], Agricultural Labourer, b. Winsham, Somerset
    Charles Hodge, son, unmarried, male, 22 [1828/9], Agricultural Labourer, b. Drayton, Somerset
    Mary Hodge, daughter, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], Glover, b. Drayton, Somerset
    Susan Hodge, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1833/4], Glover, b. Drayton, Somerset

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

    d. Sarah HODGES, September Quarter 1853, Langport Registration District, Volume 5c, page 269, aged 50 [1802/3]

  5. Burials register, in Church of England. Drayton Parish Registers, 1558-1901. (Taunton: Somerset Heritage Service).
    BURIALS in the Parish of Drayton in the County of Somerset in the Year 1853
    No.NameAbodeWhen buriedAgeBy whom the Ceremony was performed
    356Sarah HodgesDraytonMay 15th49 years [1803/4]Walter Alford