Sarah Crosby (1770-1864)

Sarah Crosby was born on the 1st December 1769 to Joseph and Sarah Crosby. She was baptised on the 29th January 1770 at Lion Walk Meeting House Independent in Colchester in Essex.

The names of Sarah's siblings are currently unknown.

1st Marriage
Sarah married Robert Bird on the 19th May 1791 at Tendring in Essex. His origins are currently unknown, but it is likely that he was born outside the county of Essex. Witensses to the marriage were Joseph Crosby (likely a relative of Sarah) and Elisabeth Inglish. They were married by banns.

Sarah signed the marriage register with her name, which meant she could write.

The couple settled in Tendring and raised their family there.

Death of Children
Several of Sarah and Robert's children were to die in infancy. The first was son Robert who was buried in 1799. Next was another son named Robert who died in 1808. Thirdly was son John in 1809. They are all buried in Tendring.

Death of first husband
Husband Robert died and was buried at St Edmund, King and Martyr Church in Tendring on 22nd May 1823. He was 57 years old.

Second Marriage
Although a marriage record is yet to be found, it is beleived that Sarah married again between the years 1823 and 1841. This conclusion is determined by the 1841 census.

Death of Daughter
Sarah's eldest daughter (also called Sarah) died on 31st August 1829 in Nayland, Suffolk, leaving a husband and three children.

1841 Census
Sarah is listed in the 1841 census for Tendring, Essex with a man by the name of John Bird, who is the right age to be a brother of Robert. John was recorded as being 'not born in county', which meant he had been born outside of Essex. If this is indeed Robert's brother, than it is likely that he was also born outside of Essex.

John is recorded as aged 80 while Sarah is recorded as aged 70 and they are living on Church Street.

Death of Second Husband
Sarah's second husband John was buried in Tendring on 31st December 1844, aged 84 years. A gravestone still marks his burial location.

1851 Census
In the 1851 census, Sarah is recorded as 81 years old and a widow, living at 11 Cottage, Tendring. She has 3 boarders living in her house with her, a 20 year old woman by the name of Margaret Masterson and her 9 year old daughter Victoria, and 38 year old Sarah Bambough.

1861 Census
In the 1861 census, Sarah is living with her widowed daughter Hannah Burling (who had married John Burling in Tendring in 1823). She is recorded as 91 years old and born in Colchester, while her daughter, aged 60, was born in Tendring. Their address appears to be 'The Row'.

Death
Sarah died and was buried on 15th February 1864 in Tendring. She was aged 94 years. She had outlived two husbands and four of her children.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Robert and Sarah Bird (nee Crosby)
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Robert and Sarah Bird (nee Crosby)