How do I find out about Sarah Elizabeth Hitchins birth, parents, entry into England prior to marriage?

Question

Sarah Elizabeth Hitchins, born 1872, Strice, Natal, Africa;married and divorced Thomas Henry westwood; remarried Harry Dowden (also a bricklayer like Thomas) ; died July 11, 1933 Birmingham England

Answer 1

Hi Brenda,

I don't know anything about records in Natal, but depending on your relationship to Sarah you could try any or all of these approaches:

* Get her marriage certificates to check the parent names and witnesses on them (see following message for references that you would need to use at the General Registry Office, http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp);

* Trace her children apparent from the 1901 & 1911 English Censuses (see following message), find out what knowledge they have;

* Get her death certificate to see who the informer was (see following message), find out what knowledge they have;

* Contact the National Archives, to search their Naturalization Records(http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/naturalised-britons.htm) or their Immigration Records (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/immigrants.htm);

* Some Natal records are located online here - http://www.genealogyworld.net/; AND / OR

* Information about the Pietermaritzburg Archives in Natal here... http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=27157

 

Check following messages with details - I hope that some of this helps.

Cheers W

 

Comments

Marriages:
(1) 1st Marriage
Name: HITCHINS, Sarah Elizabeth
Spouse: WESTWOOD, Thomas Henry
Registration district: Aston
County: Warwickshire
Year of registration: 1890
Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 6D
Page no: 481


(2) 2nd Marriage
Name: WESTWOOD, Sarah E
Spouse: DOWDEN, Harry
Registration district: Birmingham
County: Warwickshire
Year of registration: 1914
Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 6D
Page no: 571

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Censuses:

(3) English 1911 Census
WESTWOOD, Sarah  Head    Married  F  39  1872    Seamtress    Africa Natal
WESTWOOD, Elsie  Daughter Single  F  17  1894    Ninefolk Presser    Warwickshire Birmingham
WESTWOOD, Beatrice  Daughter  Single  F    15    1896     Machinist    Warwickshire Birmingham
WESTWOOD, Lilly  Daughter  Single  F    13    1898     School    Warwickshire Birmingham
WESTWOOD, Thomas  Son    Single    M    11    1900     School    Warwickshire Birmingham
WESTWOOD, Harry    Son    Single    M    2    1909        Warwickshire Birmingham
DOWDEN, Harry    Boarder    Single    M    34    1877     Bricklayer    Newfort Mon

RG number: RG14
Piece: 18083
Reference: RG14PN18083 RG78PN1097 RD384 SD3 ED23 SN141
Registration District: Birmingham
Sub District: St George
Enumeration District: 23
Parish: Birmingham
Address: 127 Tower St Birmingham
County: Warwickshire


(3b) English 1901 Census
WESTWOOD, Thomas    Head    Married    M    33    1868     Bricklayer
Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Sarah    Wife    Married    F    28    1873    Africa Natal
WESTWOOD, Elsie    Daughter    Single    F    7    1894        Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Beatrice    Daughter    Single    F    5    1896    Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Lily    Daughter    Single    F    2    1899        Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Thomas    Son        M    1    1900        Aston, Warwickshire
Piece: 2886
Folio: 27
Page: 6
Registration District: 6
Civil Parish: Aston Manor
Municipal Borough:
Address: 9, Victoria Road Kingsbury Terrace, Aston Manor
County: Warwickshire

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Death Details:

Name: DOWDEN, Sarah E
Registration district: Birmingham
County: Warwickshire
Year of registration: 1933
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at death:59
Volume no: 6D
Page no: 203

---

On the off chance I had a look at the Army Births that FindMyPast has and found two records that could be your Sarah...

Name: HITCHENS, Sarah E
Mother's name: Not available before 1966
Regiment:75th Foot
Place : Fort Napier
Country: South Africa
Year: 1871
Volume : 1627
Page: 46
Record source: GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924)


Name: HITCHENS, Sarah Elizabeth
Mother's name: Not available before 1966
Station : Natal
Country: South Africa
Year: 1870-1872
Page: 637
Record source: GRO Army Chaplains Birth Indices (1796 to 1880)

Good Luck W

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Just in case you didn't have them here are Thomas's appearances in the prior censuses (but they don't provide any more clues)...


English 1891 Census
Piece: 2435
Folio: 31
Page: 12
Registration District: 12
Civil Parish: Aston
Municipal Borough:
Address: 270, Park Lane, Aston, Aston Manor
County: Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Samuel    Head    Married    M    47    1844    Brick Layer  Harborne, Staffordshire
WESTWOOD, Elizabeth Wife    Married    F    49    1842    Dudley, Staffordshire
WESTWOOD, Thomas    Son        Married    M    22    1869    Brick Layer    Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Sarah E   Daughter In Law  Married  F    19    1872    Africa
WESTWOOD, Sarah A   Daughter    Single    F    18    1873    Brass Press Girl    Smethwick, Staffordshire
WESTWOOD, Louisa    Daughter    Single    F    17    1874    Cigar Maker    Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Annie    Daughter    Single    F    14    1877    Cigar Maker    Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Lizzy    Daughter    Single    F    9    1882    Scholar    Aston, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Eliza    Daughter    Single    F    5    1886    Scholar    Aston, Warwickshire


English 1881 Census
Piece: 3044
Folio: 15
Page: 23
Registration District: 23
Civil Parish: Aston
Municipal Borough:
Address: 116, Tower Road, Aston
County: Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Samuel    Head    Married    M    46    1835    Bricklayer  Handsworth, Staffordshire
WESTWOOD, Elizabeth    Wife    Married    F    43    1838    Wife    Dudley, Staffordshire
WESTWOOD, Thomas    Son    Single    M    12    1869    Scholar    Birmingham, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Catherine    Daughter Single    F    11    1870    Scholar    Birmingham, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Sarah A    Daughter Single    F    9    1872    Scholar    Birmingham, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Lizza    Daughter    Single    F    6    1875    Scholar    Birmingham, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Annie    Daughter    Single    F    3    1878    Birmingham, Warwickshire
WESTWOOD, Eliza    Daughter    Single    F    1    1880    Birmingham, Warwickshire