Genealogy Forum UK

I have an unsigned letter which starts 'Dear John' but is not signed. It is written on November 23rd 1894 from Malt Mill Lane and looks as though it may be in my Great Grandfather (Nathan Taylor)'s writing but doesn't make sense in as much as he married Martha Manger in 1893. It seems to be a response to another letter which accuses Nathan (or whoever John is) of making the person writing it loose weight and of never having loved them. The person writing has a child and is saying that 'John' should at least love the child and 'John' also seems to have left her for some one wealthier. The letter is signed Mary L Fletcher and there is a P.S. in which Mary mentions the name of the child as Sarah and also suggest that at some point 'John' may have been accused of being already married when they presumably were together.

The above may sound confusing as the letter is not easy to follow but does anyone know anything about a Mary L Fletcher /Sarah - I can't decide whether the letter relates to anyone/any events or whether it is a piece of fiction - the only Mary mentioned in Nathan's autobiography is someone he worked with in the 1840ies and the only Sarah I know is someone who Nathan negotiated mortgages with in 1902.

????

Baptism: 1 May 1864 Broseley, Shrops
Mary Louisa - Parents: James & Louisa Skidmore

1871 Census: Malt Mill Lane, Hill
James Skidmore, Head.Mar, 35, Potter, Brierley Hill
Leweisa Skidmore, Wife, 31, Shropshire
Mary Lewcisa Skidmore, Dau, 7, Scholar, Broseley
Joseph William Skidmore, Son, 4, Scholar, Mount Pleasant, Staffs
Henry Chedwick Skidmore, Son, 2, Mount Pleasant, Staffs

1881 Census: Malt Mill Lane, The Hill, Worcs
James Skidmore, Head.Mar, 45, Potter, Brierley Hill
Louisa Skidmore, Wife, 40, Laundress, Broseley
Joseph William Skidmore, Son, 14, Quarry Bank
James Skidmore, Son, 6, Scholar, Malt Mill Lane, The Hill
Florence Skidmore, Dau, 4, Malt Mill Lane, The Hill
//
Joseph Thompson, Lodger.Mar, 20, Labourer on Coal Wharf, Rowley Regis
Rachael Thompson, Wife, 18, Rowley Regis

Marriage: 31 August 1884 St John the Baptist, Halesowen (FreeREG)
Samuel Fletcher, 23, B, Farmer, Holt Cakemore, William Fletcher, Farmer
Mary Louisa Skidmore, 20, S, Maltmill Lane, Hill, James Skidmore, Potter
Wit: Thomas Siviter, Miriam Siviter

1891 Census: Malt Mill Lane, Hill, Worcs
James Skidmore, Head.Mar, 55, Potter/Earth, Brierley Hill
Louisa Skidmore, Wife, 50, Broseley
James Skidmore, Son, 16, Tube Filer, Halesowen
Florence Skidmore, Dau, 14, Scholar, Halesowen
Samuel Skidmore, G.Son, 2, Scholar, Halesowen
Mary L FLETCHER, Dau.Mar, 27, Broseley
Sarah Fletcher, G.Dau, 6, Scholar, Halesowen

1901 Census: Malt Mill Lane, Hill, Worcs
James Skidmore, Head.Mar, 65, Potter/Earth, Brierley Hill
Louisa Skidmore, Wife, 60, Broseley, Salop
Mary L Fletcher, Dau.Mar, 37, Broseley, Salop
Sarah R Fletcher, G.Dau, 16, H.Owen, Worcs
James Skidmore, G.Son, 2, H.Owen, Worcs

FLETCHER, SARAH ROBERTS SKIDMORE Order
GRO Reference: 1885 June Quarter in STOURBRIDGE Volume 06C Page 149

Marriage: 1 July 1906 St Paul, Blackheath (FreeREG)
Joseph Chatwin, 25, B, Engineer, Oldbury Road, James Chatwin, Boot Factor
Sarah Roberts Fletcher, 21, S, Malt Mill Lane, Samuel Fletcher, Farmer
Wit: Joseph Haywood, Alice Chatwin

1911 Census: Railway View, Avenue Road, Blackheath
Joseph Chatwin, Head.Mar, 30, Fitter, Rowley Regis
Sarah Chatwin, Wife, 26, Hill, Worcs Married: 4yrs 0 Children
Mary Fletcher, Mother in law.Mar, 47, Broseley, Shrops Married: 27yrs 1 Child 1 Living

1939 Register: Chatwin Household (3 People)
12 Springfield Road , Halesowen M.B., Worcestershire, England
Joseph Chatwin, 11 Aug 1881, Male, Fried Fish Shop (Own Account), Married
Sarah R Chatwin, 14 Mar 1885, Female, Unpaid Domestic Duties, Married
Mary L Fletcher, 16 Mar 1864, Female, Unpaid Domestic Duties, Widowed

Still doesn't explain who the letter was written to.

Strange - it is in the box I inherited full of Taylor/Billingham's documents - no idea why Nathan, then my grandfather Joseph kept it - my dad just kept the entire box. it does look like Nathan's writing but why would he keep it if he was writing on her behalf because he was literate?

An afterthought - Mary and Sarah seem to be living with her parents in the 1891 census and beyond so what happened to Samuel?

Doh!! I did all that work and just found out this Skidmore family is already on BCC https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=419315

Samuel Fletcher - some info on BCC https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=419315

Marriage: Mar 1839 Birmingham 16 259
William Fletcher & Sarah Roberts Powell

1861 Census: Causeway Green, Warley Wigorn
William Fletcher, Head.Mar, 42, Farmer of 23 acres employing 1 man
Sarah Fletcher, Wife, 40
Rebecca Fletcher, Dau, 12, Scholar
William Fletcher, Son, 10, Scholar
Sarah Fletcher, Dau, 4, Scholar
Samuel Fletcher, Son, 1
(All born Warley Wigorn)

1871 Census: Holt Lane, Cakemore, Worcs
William Fletcher, Head.Mar, 53, Farmer of (?) Acres employing 2 labourers
Sarah Fletcher, Wife, 51, Birch? Lane
William Fletcher, Son, 19
Samuel Fletcher, Son, 11, Scholar
Rebecca Fletcher, Dau.UM, 23
Sarah Fletcher, Dau, 14
Julia Fletcher, Dau, 8, Scholar
(Others born Causeway Green)

1891 Census: 3 Frederick St, West Bromwich
Thomas Taylor, Head.Mar, 34, Forge Labourer
Elizabeth D Taylor, Wife, 39 (image says 29)
Thomas Taylor, Son, 5, Scholar
Alfred Taylor, Son, 2
Elizabeth Taylor, Dau, 5mths
Samuel Fletcher, Boarder.Mar, 32, Forge Labourer
(All born West Bromwich)

I will add this info onto BCC later, save wasting it.

Looking at the Taylor family Samuel Fletcher boarded with on the 1891 I wonder whether they are descended from the mysterious Thomas Taylor who was a previous owner of one of Nathan's books (see my previous archived post) given that they seem to be using Thomas as a family name.

I have added Samuel & Mary Louisa Fletcher here on BCC:

https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=419497

and Thomas Taylor & Elizabeth Fletcher here

https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=419530

Still got some ancestors of Elizabeth Fletcher to add.

1891 Census: 3 Frederick St, West Bromwich
Thomas Taylor, Head.Mar, 34, Forge Labourer
Elizabeth D Taylor, Wife, 39 (image says 29)
Thomas Taylor, Son, 5, Scholar
Alfred Taylor, Son, 2
Elizabeth Taylor, Dau, 5mths
Samuel Fletcher, Boarder.Mar, 32, Forge Labourer
(All born West Bromwich)

I'm not convinced that is the right one.
He might be this one

1881
Civil Parish: West Bromwich
County/Island: Staffordshire
Country: England
Street address: 10 (Treadles Lane)
Samuel Fletcher 23
Hannah Fletcher 22
Ann Fletcher 0

1891
West Bromwich
Noah Rowe 29
Sarah Rowe 27
Noah Rowe 4
John Edward Rowe 6/12
Hannah Fletcher 34 married
Ann Rowe 10 (says ditto, should be Fletcher)
Mary A Rowe 8 (same here)

1891 Census: 3 Frederick St, West Bromwich
Thomas Taylor, Head.Mar, 34, Forge Labourer
Elizabeth Taylor, Wife, 39 (image says 29)
Thomas Taylor, Son, 5, Scholar
Alfred Taylor, Son, 2
Elizabeth Taylor, Dau, 5mths
Samuel Fletcher, Boarder.Mar, 32, Forge Labourer
(All born West Bromwich)

I'm still working on this gardener The Samuel Fletcher above is not the one who married Mary Louisa Skidmore. With the baptisms I've found, it points to Elizabeth Taylor nee Fletcher and Samuel Fletcher above are brother & sister.

This is what I have on the Samuel Fletcher & Hannah Capewell which you also found. I don't think he is the brother of Elizabeth (Fletcher) Taylor, because of his occupation.

Baptism: 18 March 1857 Holy Trinity, West Bromwich
Hannah - Mother: Sarah Capewell - Abode: Overend - Single Woman

Marriage: 1878 St Paul, Smethwick - 9/1/461 TO PUT IN A REQUEST FOR A LOOK UP
Samuel FLETCHER & Hannah CAPEWELL

1881 Census: 10 Treadles Lane, West Bromwich
Samuel Fletcher, 23 1858
Hannah Fletcher, Wife, 22 1859
Ann Fletcher, Dau, 2mths 1881
(All born West Bromwich)

FLETCHER, ANNIE CAPEWELL Order
GRO Reference: 1881 M Quarter in WEST BROMWICH Volume 06B Page 854

1891 Census: 31 Overend St., West Bromwich
Noah Rowe, Head.Mar, 29, Labourer Copper Works
Sarah Rowe, Wife, 27, Wolverhampton
Noah Rowe, Son, 4
John Edward Rowe, Son, 6mths
Hannah Fletcher, Mar, 34, Factory hand, Screw Works
Ann Rowe/FLETCHER, Dau, 10, Scholar
Mary A Rowe/FLETCHER, Dau, 8, Scholar
(Others born West Bromwich)

WHERE IS SAMUEL IN 1891????

FLETCHER, MARY ANN CAPEWELL Order
GRO Reference: 1883 M Quarter in WEST BROMWICH Volume 06B Page 880

1901 Census: 123 Baldwin Street, Smethwick
Samuel Fletcher, Head.Mar, 42, Slater/Employer
Hannah Fletcher, Wife, 44, Turner
Annie Fletcher , Dau.S, 20, Cutter Grinder
Mary Ann Fletcher, Dau.S, 18
Sarah Capewell, M.in.law.Wid, 71
(All born West Bromwich)

1911 Census: 74 Bolham Road, Smethwick
Samuel Fletcher, Head.Mar, 53, Slater/Builder Contractor
Hannah Fletcher, Wife, 55 Married 33yrs 3 Children 2 Living 1 Died
(Both born West Bromwich)

Where do these Samuel Fletchers go in the 1891 census

I have entered Samuel Fletcher & Hannah Capewell on BCC, plus her connections to the Capewell & Rowe families.

https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=420019

Sorry Frodo, no further forward on your original post.

Thanks - I'm just amazed that Mary seems to have existed and that some of the details seem to tie in with the information on the letter. I've looked through everything I have again and there is no mention of anyone of that name anywhere and the Thomas Taylor who inherited a book from a William Taylor when he died in 1806 doesn't seem to fit in with the Taylors at Frederick Street or even with anyone of that name on Connections but as Nathan grew up in Stoke Prior the surname might just be a coincidence.

I've been looking again at the letter with a friend and we think between us comparing writing that the Dear John might be Dear Sam but whether he ever received it is questionable as it is in a box of Nathan Taylor's documents.

As I don't know Birmingham or the area I wonder are any of the addresses Samuel appears at in the Census after he and Mary have split up in posher areas to Malt Mill Lane as from the text of the letter he was obviously living a more luxurious life in 1894 than when he was with Mary?