This has been a wall of mine for years.

Sarah Belk, married James Hardwick, butcher in 1820. Her sister Martha Belk (d.1829)is witness.

They have children (the known ones):

Henry b1821 - no definitive trace of his life after the baptism. (I have a vague memory of finding him on the 1841, but can no longer)

Alfred b1824, marries Ellen Ward and dies 1870, buried Gen. Cem., no known children (another mystery is the 1861 census which has the couple living with an unknown, and so far untraceable niece, Sarah Ellen Hardwick b. c1851).

Edward b. 1827, no definitive trace of him after the baptism. (I have a vague memory of finding him on the 1841, but can no longer)

Charles 1833-1834 buried St George's.

The father James dies in 1834, which I have verified with the headstone, newspaper obit and burial records.

Next comes another child, again Charles (my ancestor), born too long after the above James' death to be his, verified by date of birth on baptism, James is named as father (even though he was dead) on both baptism and on Charles' marriage cert.

On the 1841, the mother Sarah is on Willey Street with just the 'new' Charles age 4, i've never found her anywhere else.

Well done if you have got this far and are still with me!!!!!


My questions are:

Whatever happened to Sarah and the children Henry and Edward?

Who is the mystery niece with Alfred on the 1861 census?

Who was the father of the second Charles (lost to history I suspect)?

Who were Sarah's parents?

And anything which anyone can find out, I have chased many dead ends, including possible marriages for Sarah in about 1843, I have found them in the directories but nothing later than what I have written above.

Help! :)

Thanks for reading!

Richard,

Apologies if you've been down this road already, and it's just a conjecture, but I noticed two potentially interesting marriages, one for Sarah Hardwick to Joseph Ellis, then another for Sarah Ellis to Thomas Coldwell a few years later:

May 26 1844 in Rotherham Minster – Joseph Ellis, of full age, widower, mason, of West-gate, son of Joseph Ellis, shoemaker, married Sarah Hardwick, of full age, widow, of West-gate, daughter of blank (squiggly line) father’s occupation blank (squiggly line). The bride signed with a mark. Witnesses Thomas Broadhead and Jonathan Preston.

Several people called Jospeh Ellis dropped off the twig in the Sheffield and Rotherham area between 1844 and 1848 (at least one was a child though, I think).

December 24 1848 in the parish church Sheffield, Samuel Coldwell, 51, widower, Iron turner of Waingate, son of Thomas Coldwell scissor smith, married Sarah Ellis, 48, widow, of Waingate, daughter of Francis Belk a plumber. Witnesses were good old John Kirk and Isaac Chatterton. Bride and Groom signed with marks.

Could Charles Hardwick have been apprenticed to someone – specifically James Allan white metal smith living at 561 Occupation road at the time of the 1851 census?

Cheers,

Andrew P.

To add to Andrew's excellent info
FROM FMP, Sarah Belk, father Francis, baptised 1799 Eckington.
Dave

Hi Richard et al,
I have found a marriage on Family Search which may be Sarah Belk's parents.
Following on from Dave's info
FRANCIS BELK
married 9, Sept, 1790 Eckington Derbyshire
ELIZABETH COOKES

also as suggested (I think by Andrew) the second Charles Hardwick B:1836 baptized 1837 is on this website showing parents Sarah and James Hardwick (Butcher)... in 1851 is an apprentice White Metal Smith.
In 1861 it says Charles is married but I do not see his wife, he is a boarder along with Thomas Broadhead age 67 a gentleman who also I believe, was a witness at Sarah's marriage to Joseph Ellis.
In 1871/1881/1891 Charles has his wife Sabina plus many children with him. Sabina dies in 1898.
In 1901 Charles is with his sons, John, Frank and Frank's wife and daughter. Charles dies in 1906.
Some of their deaths are on this website.
HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

I had seen and suspected the Ellis link before, but not had enough proof to satisfy me, however I had not seen the Coldwell one with a father's name listed, Francis is the link for me now!

Having checked on FMP, I have found a baptism of Martha Belk in Eckington (which I have always been 99% sure is here sister as she is witness on marriage to James) with parents listed as Frans and Eliz.

I now think that is now enough for me to add them and Sarah's subsequent marriages to the tree.

I still am lost as to whom the mystery niece is with Alfred and what happened to the other children of her and James' marriage.

Thanks for the assistance!

I've now also found a raft of other Belk's in Eckington with same parents, opens up new doors to explore for links.