Sarah Ann Evans - Black Widow?

[snoopysue]

Here's what I've got so far:

Sarah Ann Evans born about 1834 in Wednesbury, Staffs

Married widower Joseph Wearing in Yardley Wood, Worcs on the 13 Oct 1856.The couple had daughter Sarah Ann Wearing in 1858.
Joseph died in 1859 in Yardley Wood - his will stated that she forfitted any property if she remarried!

In 1866 Sarah Ann did remarry, this time to Alfred Beardmore - their first child, Joseph, was born in Yardley the same year. The couple have two further children: Selina Beardmore born 1869 in Sheffield, and Florence born in Walsall in 1870. The Family was in Walsall on the 1871 Census.
Alfred died in 1873 in West Bromwich.

By 1881 it seems that Sarah Ann has married for a third time - this time to a John Smith. They are living with Sarah Ann's eldest daughter (Sarah Ann Wearing) in Aston, Warwickshire. Joseph Bearmore is also at the address where Sarah Ann Wearing is a beerhouse keeper.

Selina Beardmore is at the Royal Orphanage in Wolverhampton, there is no sign of Florence.

On the 22 April 1885 Sarah Ann Wearing marries Joshua Bradburn and by 1891 they are living in Wednesfield. She is widowed by 1901 and living with half brother Joseph Beardmore.

My question is what happened to Sarah Ann Evans after she married John Smith. I have been unable to find a marriage for them, or a death for either of them.

It seems Sarah Ann had a hard life, her first husband although fairly well off was quite possibly an alcoholic - there marriage lasted three years. Sarah Ann's second marriage lasted seven years before she was again a widow. By 1881 Sarah Ann was married to an unemployed blacksmith and one of her daughters was in an orphanage.

[snoopysue]

Here are the census entries for Sarah Ann Evans:

1861 Census RG09 piece 2215 folio 84 page 12
Yardley Wood, Yardley, Warwickshire
Sarah A Wareing, Head, Widow, 27, Independent, Worcestershire
Sarah A, Daur, 3, Staffs West Bromwich
Henry Evans, Visitor, Widower, 35, Pawn Broker, Sheffield

1871 Census RG10 piece 2960 folio 7 page 9
33, High Street, Walsall, Staffordshire
Alfred Beardmore, Head, Mar, 30, Publican,
Sarah Ann, Wife, 38,
Sarah Ann, Daur, 13, Scholar,
Joseph, Son, 5, Staffs Solihull
Selina, Daur, 2, Yorks Sheffield
Florence, Daur, 6 months, Staffs Walsall
Emily Viles, Visitor, 23, Unmar, Grocer's daughter, Staffs Bilston
Mary Welch, Servant, Unmar, 18, General Servant, Staffs Willenhall
Sarah Ann Stokes, Servant, Unmar, 22, ....Girl, Staffs
Louisa G Warring, Visitor, 6,
Others born Staffs, Wednesbury

1881 Census RG11 piece 3021 folio 5 page 3
16, Arthur Street, Aston, Warwickshire
Sarah A Wearing, Head, Single, 23, Beer House Keeper, Staffs West Bromwich
John Smith, Step Father, Mar, 45, Blacksmith (Unemployed), Worcs Worcester
Sarah A Smith, Mother, Mar, 47, Staffs Wednesbury
Joseph Beardmore, Half Brother, Single, 15, Blind, Worcs Yardley
Fanny Moore, Visitor, Single, 20, Warwicks Aston
Sarah A, Visitor, Single, 13, Worcs Yardley

[gardener]

I thing dau Sarah A married (on Wolves site)

Marriages Jun 1884
Bradburn Joshua Wolverhampton 6b 783
Wearing Sarah Ann Wolverhampton 6b 783

1891
Wednesfield
Joshua Bradburn 34
Sarah A Bradburn 33
Mary Haris 15

but then her husband dies (family hobby) and she is with her brother

1901
Walsall
Joseph Beardmore 35
Florence L Beardmore 37
Joseph L Beardmore 1
Sarah Ann Bradburn 42

1911
Wednesbury
Joseph Beardmore 45
Florence Louise Beardmore 47
Joseph Leslie Beardmore 11
Alfred John Beardmore 9
Norman Archibald Beardmore 4
Florence Ana Beardmore 3
Sarah Ann Bradbeer 53
Arthur Reginald Fox

Can't see him in 1891 though. Incidentally, the 1881 seems to say he had St Vitus Dance and abscesses, unfit for work. He must have recovered.

Marriages Jun 1898
Beardmore Joseph Walsall 6b 1212
JOHNSTONE Florence Louise Walsall 6b 1212

[snoopysue]

Thanks Gardener,

Any sign of the mother?
I can't find her marriage to John Smith - the surname doesn't help of course! I do Wonder if Sarah Ann married between Alfred Beardmore and John Smith - if so she was one unlucky woman!! Of course she may never have married John, but what happened to Sarah Ann after 1881? I haven't found a death yet.

[gardener]

No, sorry. I have not found Sarah snr, or John. Or deaths for them

[snoopysue]

Thanks for looking

[snoopysue]

I've just found a newspaper article for an Alfred Beardmore who committed suicide in 1873 at the Turks Head Hotel in Walsall. So maybe she was a Black widow!
Her first husband seems to have died an alcoholic, the second hanged himself, and the third was certainly down on his look in 1881!

[rogerneilson]

Is this due to be archived now?

[snoopysue]

Still haven't found out what happened to Sarah, maybe I never will!
You can archive it.