Years of searching have left me no further forward in the hunt for information on Florence M Jackson, listed on the 1901 census as living at 15 St Ronan's Road, Sheffield, with her 'mother' Mary Jackson. In the 1881/91 census returns Mary's daughter was Polly Field Jackson (dob 1879) (lots of information to confirm their relationship on FMP). Polly seems to have disappeared, but I can't track a Florence either after the 1901 census. Has anyone any of these three in their family tree? I have a lot of verifiable info on Mary, from the birth of Polly, until Mary's death and burial in 1914, but Polly after 1901 and Florence M before and after 1901 remain my permanent brick wall. Can anyone enlighten me, please. I'd be so grateful for anything on either of the two 'daughters'.

I think Florence married Walter Chennels in 1904 in Sheffield and then moved to Canada.
1906 census
Florence Chennells
[Florence Jackson]
Gender: Female
Marital status: Married
Age: 25
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's name: Walter Chennells
Mother's name: Mary Jackson
Immigration Year: 1904
Province: Saskatchewan
District: Saskatchewan

Would need to thoroughly check it out first - no time just now.
Lyn

Hi Jacqui,
Sorry I cannot help you with census records you are missing but following up Lynn's lead with the marriage registry of Florence Mary Jackson to Walter Harry Chennels in 1904, Jun qtr at Sheffield. The birth registry of their daughter, Vera Phyllis M. in 1904 March qtr.Ecclesall Bierlow.

You say you have the info for Mary Jackson from birth to death, so I am assuming you know she also left England with the Chennells in May, 1904 on board the ship: Lake Manitoba' final destination Hanley Station. Saskachewan.
The ship's records are a little confusing (on Family Search website) there also seems to be a William Jackson (described as a father age 62) but I cannot find young Vera..??

On the 1906 Canadian census. Mary Jackson is listed as mother-in-law, young Vera is also there plus they now have a son Sydney age 1. No sign of a William Jackson

On the 1916 census, Mary Jackson is no longer recorded (died 1914)
2 more children have arrived, Irena (daughter) and Jesse (a son)

1926 census there are no more children but they have one farm hand listed as living with them.

I do not know if/when Mary Jackson returned to the UK but her daughter Florence is shown as a returning Canadian on board the Empress of Ireland which sailed from the Liverpool on 5th Sept/2013.
There is also some sort of very simple record of the death of Mrs. Jackson, died 1914, birth unknown, at Hanley Cemetery.
HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

Hi Lyn and Wendy

Thank you both so much for all the information in your replies. I don't think the Mary Jackson you refer to belongs in my tree. 'My' Mary was born in Beighton in 1844, and had a daughter Polly Field Jackson, born in 1879, and a son Joseph Jackson born in 1881. The family understood that Mary left her son with neighbours when she went to Canada; she later returned to Sheffield, appearing in a Sheffield Directory of 1884 and subsequently. She is variously described as a boarding house keeper, or living on own means. Her son remained with the neighbours until he married. Of course, she may have sailed to Canada a second time.


She died in Sheffield, still unmarried, in 1914 (another co-incidence), and the death was registered in the name of Mary Jackson, by her sister. It's been suggested that Polly changed her name (which would explain her 'disappearance') but that will take a lot of head-scratching to sort out!

Jaqui,
You say that Mary went to Canada after the birth of Joseph in 1881, and had returned by 1884. What evidence do you have for that please?
Dave

Mary is listed in Sheffield Directories of 1884 and 1887 - although I know these Directories are often a couple of years out of date. She and Polly are listed in the 1891 Census. The family knew that Mary went to Canada after her son was born. He was left with friends in Sheffield and would not return to live with her on her return from Canada. I believe Mary went to Canada with 3 children (one possibly Polly, the other 2 not hers) in 1883.

Hi Jacqui,

Have you seen the newspaper reports about the will of John Field in the Sheffield Daily
Telegraph 3 Dec 1880, who lived on Nottingham Street. It is quite a long article.
It appears Mary Jackson went to work as his housekeeper and John Field is the
father of Polly Field Jackson who was left provided for in his will.
As you already know, Mary and Polly are living at Nottingham St. in 1881.

Moira.

Further to Moira's great find, it looks like the will is on Ancestry.
All that publicity may be a good reason for Polly to change her name, but presumably not till she was 21!
Dave

Many thanks to everyone for the investigating you've done. I found the newspaper items about the contesting of John Field's Will some time ago (I searched for a lot of names when newspapers appeared on FMP). I didn't know that a copy of the Will was on Ancestry - I don't remember how I came to have a copy of it. It shattered a few family illusions as to the source of Mary's 'wealth'. Thank you Dave too for the suggestion that Polly changed her name when she became 21 - I hadn't thought of that and I'll try to dig a bit deeper.

I have no proof that the Mary Jackson who travelled to Canada with 3 children is the Mary Jackson I am interested in - info on Canadian immigration site. I learned long ago to verify any information from at least 2 sources, so I still have an open mind on this.

PS - I forgot to say that the verification also includes what relatives 'know' about
their family history!

Jacqui,
There is a lot of documentary evidence which indicates that the information found by Lyn and Wendy refers to your Mary Jackson., who travelled to Canada in 1904 with her daughter Florence Mary Chennells nee Jackson., and almost certainly returned to England in 1913 accompanied by her daughter, who then returned to her husband and young family in Canada.
Incidentally, the William Jackson on that 1904 crossing was 52, not 62 See original record) and he was not recorded as father, but as an occupation very difficult to read but I believe is butcher. I believe he was probably Mary's younger brother William born 1852.
Dave

Jacqueline,
The most likely explanation which fits the facts is that Polly Field Jackson changed her name to Florence Mary Jackson. Lyn and Wendy have shown that Florence marriedWalter Harry Chennels in 1904. That marriage certificate should show that her father was John Field, if she was honest. That certificate could be a very informative investment.
Incidentally Florence Mary Chennels origin has also caused problems to her descendants. There are 2 trees on Ancestry which have Walter Chennels and Florence Mary in them. Both incorrectly identify Florence's parents as Samuel Jackson and Mary nee Baker. That couple did have a daughter Florence in Sheffield in 1878, but that Florence died in q4 1881 and her burial is on this site over to the left. There is no doubt because in the same grave is her father Samuel who died in 1885.
Dave

I've found pictures of the gravestones of Walter and Florence Chennell in St Stephen's Anglican, Merrill (Canadian Headstones Index). If Florence returned to England in 1912-13, and returned to Canada alone in 1913, it may have been to bring Mary back to Sheffield if her health was failing. This would make sense, as Mary died in September 1914. Her death was registered by her sister Fanny, and she was buried in Burngreave Cemetery (no headstone). She had been living with Fanny, but died in Sheffield Union hospital.

I think I'll have to get a copy of Florence's marriage certificate! Let's hope it doesn't throw us off the scent too much. But a 'nil return' can be useful sometimes, and recorded in my notes so I don't go down that route again.

Jacqui

Jaqui,
I do not know if you are already aware of this but In the burials over to the left you will see that Mary Jackson was buried in the same grave as her parents.
Please let us know what you find in the marriage certificate.
Dave