Genealogy Chat

Perhaps there was two Sarah Jane Stoalings?

It is quite possible that she did not tell her employer she was married. As late as the 1950's my mom kept quiet about being married. Employers thought you would leave them in the lurch if you became pregnant. There was also the possibility that she was living in and staying there until she found alternative accommodation with her husband. Helena

When did the 1881 census start and when did she get married in 1880? If she was married in late 1880 and the census was taken in early 1881, perhap's she hadn't yet told her employers? Or, perhaps she told her employers, but they didn't know her married name and just listed her as unmarried?

Hi Andy My feeling is that you are right about her not telling her employers she was married. You know who she married so you could look for them in the 1901 census Good luck Joan

Thanks to those who contributed to my earlier thread entitled 'Married to the same person twice?'. However, I have another little puzzle concerning another member from the STOALING family. On the 1881 census, there's a Sarah Jane STOALING, aged 28, unmarried and working as a servant at the Turkish Baths in Bristol. However, on the FreeBMD site in the Dec quarter for 1880, we have the following: MAY Charles Frederick Bristol 6a 88 Stoaling Sarah Jane Bristol 6a 88 Wilford Thomas Bristol 6a 88 Wood Ann Sophia Bristol 6a 88 My initial reaction was to wonder why is she listed as being unmarried in 1881, given that she's newly married in 1880. My own theory is given that she's working as a servant in 1881, she simply didn't tell her employers that she had got married, and they supplied her details as being Sarah Jane Stoaling, unmarried. Does this seem like a plausible explanation or can anyone think of any other theories? Can't find Sarah after 1881. I found a Thomas & Ann S.WILFORD on the 1891 census in Bristol, so it would seem that she married Charles Frederick May. Andy.

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