Person:Sarah Smith (537)

Sarah Ann Smith was born on 30th September 1847 at New Town in Luton. She was the daughter of a straw plaiter and charwoman named Mary Ann Smith, formerly Cain, and her husband, William Smith, a labourer.

Sarah Ann grew up in Luton, appearing in the 1851 and 1861 censuses with her parents and siblings. She was described as a bonnet sewer in 1861. Sarah married when she was 19 years old to a bricklayer and plait bleacher named James Kempson. Their first two children both died as babies, and the 1871 census finds Sarah and James living at 5 Park Lane in Luton with James's father and sister. Sarah was working as a straw bonnet sewer at this time.

Between 1867 and 1889 Sarah and James had eleven children, seven of whom lived to adulthood.^[12] Sarah's mother died in 1878. The 1881 census finds Sarah and James living at Park Place with five children.

James was often in trouble with the law, being convicted of poaching and related offences on a number of occasions. The 1891 census finds Sarah and her eight children living at 48 Chobham Street in Luton, but James was in St Albans Gaol.

Sarah became a grandmother in 1894, aged 47, and lived to see at least 31 grandchildren born in her lifetime, although several of these died young.

In 1901, Sarah, James and three children were living at 36 Essex Street in Luton. Sarah was again working in Luton's straw hat industry, described as a straw hat sewer. The 1911 census finds Sarah and James living at 39 Cambridge Street. Some of their children also lived on Cambridge Street, including Frederick and his family at number 47, Elizabeth and her family at number 44, and Bertie and his family at number 77.

James died at 39 Cambridge Street on 2nd March 1915, aged 68.

At least one of Sarah's grandchildren was killed in action in the First World War: her daughter Elizabeth's eldest son Ralph.

By the end of the war, Sarah had left Cambridge Street and moved a short distance around the corner to 9 Langley Place. Her daughter Agnes and her family moved into 39 Cambridge Street.

Sarah died at 9 Langley Place on 20th January 1919, aged 71.

1. ↑ Birth certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT LUTON
   1847. BIRTH in the Sub-district of Luton in the Counties of Beds & Herts
   No.	When and where born	Name	Sex	Father	Mother	Occupation of father	Informant	Registered	Registrar
   150	Thirtieth September 1847 8 P.M. New Town Luton	Sarah	Girl	William Smith	Mary Ann Smith formerly Cain	Labourer	X The mark of Mary Ann Smith Mother New Town Luton	Sixth January 1848	W. Meed Registrar S.E. Austin, Superintendent Registrar

   Sarah's marriage certificate says she was 20 in 1867 and that her father was William Smith, labourer. The censuses after her marriage say that Sarah was born in Luton. This birth certificate appears to be the only Sarah daughter of William Smith in Luton in about 1847. There is another Sarah Smith in the 1851 census (HO107/1757/406/2) living at Stopsley in Luton with a father William, but she was only 1, implying born 1849 or 1850 - and that family cannot be found after 1851. Also, the Sarah born on 30th September 1847 appears with her parents in Park Lane in the 1861 census - the same street that Sarah lived in with her husband James in 1871.

   
2. ↑ 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 1757; Folio 748; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: New Town (Bailey Field), Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, married, male, 27 [1823/4], Farm Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Smith, wife, married, female, 25 [1825/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Whitewell, Hertfordshire
   Mary Ann Smith, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], At Home, b. Whitewell, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Smith, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], At Home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Smith, daughter, female, 1mo [1851], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

3. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 7 Feb 1858, St Mary, Luton, Bedfordshire: Sarah Ann daughter of William & Mary Smith (baptised on same day as several siblings)

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives.

4. ↑ England. 1861 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 RG9; Piece 1014; Folio 50; Page 19, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Park Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, married, male, 40 [1820/1], Farmer's Labou[re]r, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary A. Smith, wife, married, female, 35 [1825/6], Char-woman, b. Whitwell, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Smith, daughter, unmarried, female, 14 [1846/7], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Smith, daughter, unmarried, female, 11 [1849/50], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Smith, son, unmarried, male, 7 [1853/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Esther Smith, daughter, unmarried, female, 5 [1855/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, son, unmarried, male, 2 [1858/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1572; Folio 29; Page 8, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 5 Park Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, head, married, male, 24 [1846/7], Bricklayers Laborer, b. Chalk Hill, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 24 [1846/7], Straw Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, lodger, married, male, 55 [1815/6], Straw Drawer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1852/3], Straw Bonnet Sewer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 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 RG11; Piece 1651; Folio 4; Page 2, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Park Place, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, head, married, male, 32 [1848/9], Bleacher Plait, b. Chalk Hill, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 33 [1847/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Frederick Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Kempson, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ernest Kempson, son, male, 4 [1876/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Agnes Kempson, daughter, female, 1 [1879/80], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ England. 1891 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 RG12; Piece 1273; Folio 69; Page 13, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 48 Chobham Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Sarah Kempson, head, married, female, 42 [1848/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Fred Kempson, son, single, male, 19 [1871/2], Straw Hat Packer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, sister, single, female, 17 [1873/4], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Kempson, daughter, female, 15 [1875/6], Straw Hat Finisher, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Earnest Kempson, son, male, 14 [1876/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Agnes Kempson, daughter, female, 11 [1879/80], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Bertie Kempson, son, male, 9 [1881/2], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Minnie Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1883/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Maud Kempson, daughter, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 1516; Folio 128; Page 21, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 36 Essex St, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   James Kempson, head, married, male, 59 [1841/2], General Labourer, worker, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 58 [1842/3], Straw Hat Sewer, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ernest Kempson, son, single, male, 23 [1877/8], Gen Labourer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Bertie Kempson, son, single, male, 19 [1881/2], Straw Hat Blocker, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Maud Kempson, daughter, single, female, 12 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

9. ↑ England. 1911 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 RG14; Piece 8995; Schedule 387, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 39 Cambridge Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   James Kempson, head, male, 64 [1846/7], married, 12 children born alive, 7 still living, Labourer, worker, b. Chalk Hill [Tatnell crossed out]
   Sarah Kempson, wife, female, 63 [1847/8], married, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   [Form was clearly originally signed by "John Marshall, 44 Cambridge Street, Luton Beds" but this has been crossed out and replaced with "James Kempson, 39 Cambridge, Luton, Beds" - John Marshall was James and Sarah's son-in-law, being married to their daughter Elizabeth.]

10. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    REGISTRATION DISTRICT Luton
    1919. DEATH in the Sub-district of Luton in the County of Bedford
    No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
    383	Twentieth January 1919 9 Langley Place Luton U.D.	Ann Kempson	Female	72 years	Widow of James Kempson Corporation Labourer	(1) Cancer of Breast Certified by Jas. Robertson M.B.	Agnes Linsley Daughter Present at the death 39 Cambridge Street Luton	Twentieth January 1919	Edward Barnard Registrar

    Although this death certificate is in the name "Ann Kempson", extensive searching has failed to find a death for Sarah (or Sarah Ann) Kempson. However, the daughter named Agnes, the fact that Ann was Sarah's middle name, the fact that she was the widow of James Kempson and the address just around the corner from where Sarah had been living in the 1911 census (and there being no corresponding Ann Kempson of this description in the 1911 census) all suggest that this is actually Sarah.

    
11.   Bedfordshire, England. Electoral Registers 1832-1986 (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford. Ancestry.co.uk).

    9 Langley Place, Luton: Kempson, Ann

12. ↑ Sarah reported in the 1911 census that she had had twelve children, seven of whom were then living. Registered births have only been found for eleven of them.