Sarah Elizabeth was the only one of John and Mary Ann Harmer’s children to remain in England when the family emmigrated to America in 1860. She was also their first-born.
Sarah Elizabeth was born in Sep 1843, and baptised on 1st of October 1843 at St. Nicholas Church, Brighton. We know a little about the various locations she lived at in Hove during her childhood, which you can read about here.
Marriage
Sarah Elizabeth had only just turned 16 when she married ‘Frederic Sparrowe’ or ‘Sparrows’ at Kensington in Dec Q 1859 [England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915]. Frederick was an employee of John Harmer, as we know from a May 1860 court case in which John Harmer allowed his old friend and colleague Clement Lewer to build upon allotment land which he was already leasing out to a Mr. Henry Kilby. Kilby stated that it was ‘Sparrow’, John’s son in law, who collected the rent.
We also know that John Harmer had intended for Frederick and Sarah Elizabeth to remain in Brighton when the rest of the family left for America, as he had (albeit illegally!) sublet a patisserie at 48 East Street, Brighton, ‘for his family’:
That John had taken on the shop for Sarah Elizabeth is further evidenced by a remembrance of the old coaching stop outside the shop, published by H.C. Porter in the Brighton Gazette of 23rd October 1901. Although Porter seems to muddle up 48 and 52 East Street, he does make reference to the shop being tenanted ‘by the son-in-law of meddlesome Jack Harmer as a confectioner in the early sixties’.
You can read more about the patisserie debacle here. John’s tenure of the premises was short lived and dramatic!
Life in London
In the census of April 1861 Sarah Elizabeth and Frederick were living at Arthur Street, Chelsea St. Luke. His occupation was given as a builder’s clerk, and his age as 20. Sarah Elizabeth was 18. They had a son, Frederick, aged 1, born at Kensington.
By 1871’s census the couple can be found at 80 Richmond Road, Finsbury. Frederick was by then an architect and surveyor. There is no reference to baby Frederick or any other children. I have not traced a death record for their son.
Death of Frederick
Frederick died 17th July 1875 aged 34, at 80 Richmond Road. His will was proved the following year, when Sarah Elizabeth, by then of 53 May Street, North End, Fulham inherited under £200.
After this I lose trace of Sarah Elizabeth. Can any readers help find her?
