The Family of Sarah Ann Sumner

Sarah Ann was the daughter of Thomas Sumner and Abigail Hartley, who were married at the Parish Church of Manchester - now known as Manchester Cathedral:

	Date: 22 July 1821, by Licence
	Place: The Parish Church
	Location: Manchester, Lancashire
	Priest: Joseph Brookes
	Witnesses: Robert Hilton and Edward Hinde

Thomas Sumner was born in Clitheroe c. 1797. Abigail Hartley was born in Gisburn, Yorkshire on 12 April 1801.

The marriage register records that Thomas was "of the Parish of Whalley, and township of Clitheroe", a bachelor and Ironmonger. Abigail was described as a spinster "of this Parish and town of Manchester".

Soon after marrying they moved to Clitheroe, Lancashire - where their first child, Thomas George, was born the following year.

Thomas and Abigail had four children, although only three survived infancy:

1:	Name: Thomas George Sumner
	Born: 17 July 1822	Baptized: 8 September 1822
	Church: St Mary Magdalene Parish Church
	Location: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Abode: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Father's Occupation: Ironmonger
	Priest: R. Little

2:	Name: Margaret Ann Sumner
	Born: c. 1824	Baptized: 25 January 1824
	Church: St Mary Magdalene Parish Church
	Location: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Abode: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Father's Occupation: Ironmonger
	Priest: Robert Heath

3:	Name: Sarah Ann Sumner
	Born: c. 1825	Received into the Church: 17 October 1827
	Church: St Mary Magdalene Parish Church
	Location: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Abode: West Bradford, Lancashire England
	Father's Occupation: Publican
	Priest: Joshua Lingard

4:	Name: Abigail Sumner
	Born: 23 September 1827	Received into the Church: 17 October 1827
	Church: St Mary Magdalene Parish Church
	Location: Clitheroe, Lancashire England
	Abode: West Bradford, Lancashire England
	Father's Occupation: Publican
	Priest: Joshua Lingard

Margaret Ann Sumner lived less than one year, and was buried in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene Parish Church, Clitheroe, on 27 November 1824.

At some point before 1827 the family had moved to West Bradford, a village not far from Clitheroe, but by the night of the 1841 Census they were living back in Clitheroe, where they would live for the rest of their lives:

1841 CENSUS OF CLITHEROE, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND:
NAME:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BORN IN THE COUNTY?
Thomas Sumner	M	40	[illegible]	Yes
Abigail Sumner	F	35	-	Yes
Thomas Sumner	M	15	-	Yes
Sarah Sumner	F	15	-	Yes

NOTES:
1:	Living at Pimlico Road, Clitheroe, Lancashire. (H.O.107-507/4, folio 10, page 14)
2:	Thomas' occupation is impossible to decipher, and looks like two letters.
3:	It is not known where their daughter Abigail, who would have been 13, was on the night of the census.

Thomas Sumner died in 1844 and was buried on 18 July in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene Parish Church, Clitheroe. The burial register incorrectly records his surname as "Summer".

By the night of the 1851 Census all of their surviving children had left home. Sarah Ann was married to William Seed and her sister Abigail was staying with them. Their mother, Abigail Sr, was living with her elderly mother:

1851 CENSUS OF CLITHEROE, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
Abigail Sumner	Head	Widow	F	48	Beerhouse Keeper	Gisburn, Yorkshire
Margaret Hartley	Mother	Widow	F	79	Pauper	Gisburn, Yorkshire

NOTES:
1:	Living at Shaw Bridge, Clitheroe, Lancashire. (H.O.107-2256, folio 160, page 4)
2:	Margaret Hartley was described as a "Pauper, formerly a Dressmaker".

Margaret Hartley died in 1853, aged 83 years, and Abigail Sr died in late 1860 or early 1861. She was buried in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene Parish Church, Clitheroe, on 6 January 1861, aged 69 years.

NOTE:
1:	The above information is taken from the original registers of St Mary Magdalene Church, Clitheroe, held at the Lancashire Archives, as well as the Census records on-line at www.ancestry.co.uk.

Marriage Page	Baptism Records	Census Returns	Burial Records	Info. from Wills
William's Family	Sarah's Family		Surname Index	Home