SARAH JANE PARSONS

The Albray’s Half-Sister

George Parsons and Elizabeth Childs were married after Banns on 9th May 1825 at St Mary, Portsea, Hampshire, George’s occupation being recorded as “HMR Marines.” They were married by R. H. Cumyns, curate, in the presence of Sarah Pitt and Thos Pitt.

George and Elizabeth had two daughters who were baptised at St Peter & Paul, Fareham:

Elizabeth Parsons was baptised on 19th June 1832. Very sadly, she died at the very tender age of just one day, and was buried on 21st June at St Peter & Paul, Fareham.

Sarah Jane Parsons was baptised on 1st May 1835, her father’s occupation being recorded as a Private in the Royal Marines. She is enumerated as Jane with her mother in the 1841 Census at Windmill Lane, Fareham (HO107 Piece 389 Book 5 Folio 8 Page 10). Also in this Census is a fifteen year-old William Parsons who could possibly be George and Elizabeth’s son. Although relationships are generally not given in this Census, the fact that he is indexed between Elizabeth and Jane could possibly indicate that he is her son.

Sarah Jane Parsons is likely the sixteen year-old Jane Parsons found in the 1851 Census of Fareham. She is working as a House Servant in the household of George and Frances Hallett at 6 Union Row in West Street (HO107 Piece 1661 Folio 118 Page 10).

Sarah Jane Parsons married George Adams on 13th May 1855 at St Mary, Alverstoke, in the presence of William Gale and Elizabeth Clarke. Intriguingly, Sarah’s father was a Labourer named “John Parsons” rather than a Marine named George Parsons, while George Adam’s father was a Gardener named Joseph.

George and Sarah Jane had a total of eleven children, although Sarah Jane was recorded as “Jane” on all but the first two baptism entries. All of her children were either half-nieces or half-nephews of Henry Albray:

Name  |  Birth Year

William John was born in the summer of 1855, his birth registration being made at Fareham (Q3 Fareham 2B/375). He was baptised on 2nd September 1855 at St Peter & Paul, Fareham, his mother’s name being recorded as Sarah Jane. He died at the age of just one year in the summer of 1856, his death being registered at Gosport (Q3 Alverstoke 2B/263).

Ellen was born on 28th June 1856, her birth being registered at Gosport (Q2 Alverstoke 2B/386). She was baptised on 19th August 1856 at St John the Evangelist, Forton, the family’s address being given as Anns Hill. Her mother’s name was recorded as Sarah. Ellen also died at a very young age in the summer of 1856, her death being registered at Gosport, and appearing on the very next page to the death index of her brother William John (Q3 Alverstoke 2B/264).

George Alfred was born on 16th December 1857, but no birth registration can be found for him. He was baptised on 11th April 1858 at St John the Evangelist, Forton. The family’s address was again given as Anns Hill, and his mother was named as Jane.

Walter was born on 19th November 1859, his birth being registered at Gosport (Q4 Alverstoke 2B/450).

When the 1861 Census was taken on the night of 7th April, the Adams family are found living at 3 Chases Buildings, Leesland Lane (RG09 Piece646 Folio 77Page 34). George is a thirty-one year-old Jobbing Labourer, while Sarah is said to be twenty-six years-old. Both are said to have been born at Titchfield. With them are their two youngest children, George Alfred aged three, and Walter aged one.

Walter was baptised several weeks after this Census on 16th May 1861 at St Mary, Alverstoke. The family’s address this time was given as Leesland, and his mother was named as Jane. He died soon afterwards, his death being registered at Gosport (Q2 Alverstoke 2B/280). He was buried on 24th May at Ann’s Hill Cemetery, plot 122.

Alice was born on 28th March 1862, her birth being registered at Gosport (Q2 Alverstoke 2B/438).

Richard was born on 14th June 1864, but no birth registration can be found for him.

Elizabeth Ann was born in early 1866, her birth being registered at Fareham (Q2 Fareham 2B/467). She died at the young age of seventeen months, and was buried on 14th September 1867 at Holy Trinity, Fareham, the family address being recorded as West St.

Albert Henry was born on 25th February 1868, his birth being registered at Fareham (Q2 Fareham 2B/503). He was baptised the same day as his siblings Alice and Richard on 31st May 1868 at St John the Evangelist, Forton. The family’s address was given as Blackbrook, Fareham, and their mother was named as Jane.

Robert James was born on 18th July 1870, his birth being registered at Gosport (Q3 Alverstoke 2B/481).

When the next Census was taken on the night of 2nd April 1871, Sarah Jane Adams and the children are found living at Willow Place (RG10 Piece 1150 Folio 44 Page 15).

Emily was born on 14th February 1873, her birth being registered at Gosport (Q1 Alverstoke 2B/528). She was baptised on 12th January 1874 at St John the Evangelist, Forton. The family’s address was recorded as 8 Willow Place, her mother being named as Jane.

George and Sarah Jane’s final child was James, who was born at 5 Cobden Street, Mill Lane, Forton on 22nd May 1876, his birth being registered at Gosport (Q2 Alverstoke 2B/531). He was baptised the same day as his brother Robert James on 20th August 1876 at St John the Evangelist, Forton, their mother being named as Jane.

George Adams died at the age of forty-six, his death being registered at Gosport (Q3 Alverstoke 2B/321). He was buried on 9th August 1876 at Ann’s Hill Cemetery, plot 134.

By the time the 1881 Census was taken on the night of 3rd April, the now widowed Sarah Jane Adams née Parsons was in a relationship with Joseph Habens, whose wife Ann née Morgan had died at the age of thirty-six just a few months before George Adams (Q2 Alverstoke 2B/328). In this Census, Joseph and Sarah Jane are found living at 4 Bedford Street, Alverstoke (RG11 Piece 1164 Folio 103 Page 27). Although Sarah Jane is recorded as Joseph’s “wife,” it appears they were never married. With them in this Census are Joseph’s children Joseph, George, Henry, William, and Herbert, and Sarah Jane’s children Richard, Albert Henry, Emily, and James. All of Sarah Jane’s children are recorded as either “brother” or “sister” of the head of house, Joseph Habens.

Joseph Habens, a Baker of Forton, and Ann Morgan of Gosport had been married after banns on 27th August 1860 at St Mary, Alverstoke, in the presence of G Groves and Jane Groves. Their fathers were recorded as William Habens, a Shoemaker, and Edward Morgan, a Labourer. Joseph and Ann had a total of eight children: Edward was born on 11th April 1861; Mary Jane on 26th August 1862; Joseph on 29th March 1864; George William on 7th March 1866; Harry on 23rd January 1868; William on 13th October 1869; Annie Elizabeth on 8th May 1872; and Herbert on 30th April 1874.

On 24th August 1884, George Alfred Adams and Mary Jane Habens were married after banns at St Thomas, Elson, in the presence of George’s brother and mother, Albert Adams and Sarah Jane Habens. Their fathers were recorded as George Adams, a Labourer, and Joseph Habens, a Miller. Their daughter Nelly Eugene was born on 1st January 1886, and was baptised on 4th April 1886 at St John the Evangelist, Forton, the family address being given as Bedford Street.

Very sadly, Mary Jane Adams died aged just twenty-four years in the spring of 1887 at Gosport.

George Alfred Adams married his second wife, Mary Ann Day, on 26th December 1888 at St Barnabas, Great Tey, in Essex. Their residences were recorded as Forton, Alverstoke and Great Tey respectively, their fathers being named as George Adams, a Labourer, and John Day, a Policeman. Their son Arnold Robert was born on 12th November 1889, and baptised soon after on 25th December at St John the Evangelist, Forton, their address being given as 23 Whites Slip.

The following year,on 15th September 1889, Joseph Haben’s son, Henry (Harry), who was said to be a twenty-two year-old Stoker with the Royal Navy, married twenty year-old Caroline Wisedale at St Thomas, Elson, in the presence of John Eames, and Sarah Jane Haben’s daughter Emily Adams. Their fathers were named as Joseph Habens, a Miller, and Samuel Wisedale, a Blacksmith. A son who they named John joined the family in 1892, followed by Annie Isabella in 1893, Joseph in 1897, Herbert in 1899, William in 1900, Elsie in 1904, Henry William in 1906, Phyllis Rose in 1908, Edward in 1910, and Amelia in 1915.

When the 1891 Census was taken on the night of 5th April, Joseph and Sarah Jane Habens were found living at 3 Brougham Terrace, Alverstoke (RG12 Piece 879 Folio 121 Page 2). Joseph was a fifty-seven year-old Mill Labourer, Sarah Jane was now fifty-five years old, and with them were Joseph’s youngest son, seventeen year-old Herbert who was a Gardener, and Sarah Jane’s two youngest children, eighteen year-old Emily, and fifteen year-old James, who was said to be a Painter. In this Census, Emily is said to be Joseph’s daughter-in-law, and James was said to be his son-in-law.

When the 1901 Census was taken on the night of 31st March, Sarah Jane (indexed as Jane) is found living back at Bedford Street, this time at number 18 (RG13 Piece 1011 Folio 45 Page 39). With her is her thirty-three year-old son Albert Henry, and a twenty year-old boarder, Frank Salmon.

A little over three and-a-half years after this Census, Sarah Jane Adams née Parsons AKA Habens died at the Alverstoke Workhouse aged seventy (Q4 Alverstoke 2B/362). She was buried on 24th November 1904 at Ann’s Hill Cemetery.