The Family of Edward Joseph KEITH and Ann Boleyn MacPHERSONEdward Joseph KEITH was born in Somerset, England in 1801 to the Reverend Dr. Daniel KEITH and his wife Jane McPHERSON. Edward married Anne Boleyn McPHERSON (probably Jane's younger sister) in London in 1825 then migrated to Sydney, Australia where they had four children. Edward died suddenly on 29 May 1837. Anne, after tidying up his estate, took the three extant children back to London, departing Sydney on Sunday 20 January 1839. Anne was now aged 45 and the children were aged 11, 10 and 4. Left behind in Sydney was Edward's young mistress - Louisa HANKS - and her three children with Edward. louisa was aged 25 and the children were aged 6, 5 and 2. (Note: Edward was not alone in Sydney society in having children with both his wife and his mistress. It would appear that several of his colleagues were in the same situation which is perhaps why they stepped in to look after Louisa and her children after Edward died.) Here I cover Edward's family with Ann Boleyn. His other family, with Louisa HANKS is here. The family of Edward Joseph KEITH and his wife Ann Boleyn (McPHERSON)
Edward and Ann married in London on 5 April 1825, sailed from Plymouth on 25 April 1825 and arrived in Sydney in November 1825. They had five children, all born in Sydney.
Their first child was a boy, who appears to have died soon after birth. The birth was reported in the local paper.
Return to LondonAfter Edward died on 29 May 1837, Anne and her three surviving children were left alone in Sydney with Edward's young sister Jessica. The older sister Frances, who had arrived in Sydney with Edward and Anne, had married Robert Montgomery MARTIN in 1826 and had subsequently left the colony. Ann stayed in Sydney for 19 months before returning to London. Daniel died in May 1837, probate was granted by the court on 14 February 1838, but it was not until 20 January 1839 that Anne and family boarded the Roslyn Castle bound for London. We do not know where she lived during that time, but it was probably the house the family had occupied in Elizabeth St as it was demolished soon after Anne left, later in 1839.
During that 19 months Ann would have had limited income. Even before probate she began to sell off assets. In November 1837 for example she sold 5 horses:
Once back in London Ann continued to sort out Edward Joseph's estate. She advertised in the Sydney papers on 20 and 27 July and 3 August 1840, in a letter dated "London, Feb 27 1840" for any creditors to come forward.
Life in LondonIn the 1841 census Anne, Frances, Ann and Dudley are back in London living at Camden St, Islington. This location is in the same part of London where Anne's sister-in-law Frances Jane Avice MARTIN (but now living with John SHERIDAN) was residing. Anne was accompanied by Jessica Keith, Edward's sister. Ann was working as a school mistress. The 1841 census did not record the place of birth, only whether the person was born in the county. Note that Jessica was born in Middlesex confirming she was Edward's sister. Note that Anne no longer has her servant living with her, even though she had accompanied Anne back from Sydney.
By 1851 Anne had moved to Chapel St, Clerkenwell. She was aged 58 and was now an "Annuitant". Note the important fact that she was born in "Canada British Subject". With her was daughter Frances, aged 20, a dressmaker, born "Australia - ditto" (i.e. British Subject).
Death of AnneAnne died at 7 Albert Square, Holloway Road, in Islington on 14 November 1857. She was aged 64 and the widow of Edward Keith, Barrister. The informant at death was her daughter Frances HANSON, who was also living at the same address. Anne was buried in the Finchley Burial Ground, St Mary, Islington:
Albert Square was a small apartment block lying behind Swan Yard, just off the southern end of Holloway Road in Islington, London. It was just south of the Highbury and Islington railway station but was demolished around 1890 when the station was expanded. It can be found on old maps of the area.
The Children of Edward and Anne KEITHFrances Jessica KEITHFrances Jessica was the first child of Edward and Anne to survive, born 24 May 1827 in Sydney. She was baptised at St James Church Sydney on 28 June 1827. Frances travelled to London with her mother Anne after her father died in 1837 and is with Anne in the 1841 and 1851 censuses. She married John HANSON on 31 May 1851 at Holy Trinity Church, Islington, London. Although the marriage record shows them both of "full age" (i.e. over 21) Frances would have been 24 but John was 49.
John and Frances appear to have had only one child, Sarah Ann Clara HANSON born 19 June 1852 and baptised just before her sixth birthday on 6 June 1858. Their address is given as 7 Albert Sq, the same address as on Ann's death record in 1857.
Frances and daughter Sarah are in the 1861 census, living at 6 Albert Square. I have not found John, but I presume he was still alive as Frances is listed as married:
John HANSON died on 25 November 1864 at 6 Albert Square, Islington. He was aged 62, so was born in 1802. John was buried on 29 November at Finchley burial ground. He left a Will and probate was granted to his wife Frances.
I have not found Frances in the 1871 census but daughter Sarah may have been working as a servant to William Hart, clerk at the general post office, at 3a Heliford St, St Mary, Islington.
In 1881 Frances was living with daughter Clara (Sarah Ann) at 16 Little Essex St, Shoreditch, Hackney. With them is Clara's son Edward. Frances is now listed as a widow, as John had died. Although Clara is shown as married and Edward's surname is BELL, there are no marriage records for BELL-HANSON. At birth, Edward was actually registered as Edward Edgar Keith HANSON but was later baptised in 1884 as Edward Edgar BELL.
Death of Frances Jessica KEITHFrances died of Phthisis (TB) on 18 September 1887 at Bells Hill, Bishop Stortford. She left a Will (perhaps learning from the problems caused when her father died intestate in Sydney in 1837). Probate was granted on 26 October 1887 to Ezra Harle, a surgeon from Hackney. The estate was valued at £85/7/6. The informant at the death was Frances's daughter Clara NORRIS whose address was 65 Sheppardness Walk, City Road, London.
Family of Sarah Ann Clara HansonSarah (sometimes known as Clara) was born 19 June 1852. She had a son, Edward Edgar Keith HANSON born at 64 Westbourne Road, Islington on 4 December 1872. A father is not recorded, but the 1881 census and his later baptism tells us the father was Edward BELL.
Edward Edgar HANSON was later baptised as Edward Edgar BELL, father Edward BELL (deceased) but mother's name omitted. (I suspect the rector could not remember her name and failed to enter it at a later date.) The baptism was on 27 January 1884 at the Holy Redeemer Church, Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. This is an unusual church, opened in 1884, being Church of England "in the Catholic style". The home address was 16 Gloucester St, which is just to the northeast of the church.
Edward BELL the father remains a mystery. In the 1881 census Sarah Ann claims to be married but it is doubtful that she married Edward BELL as there is no record of a marriage in the England or Scotland records. Of course the marriage may have been omitted from the indexes. On 19 December 1884 Sarah Ann married William Herbert NORRIS at the Registry Office in Holborn. She used the name Sarah Ann Clara BELL and stated she was a widow. The baptism for Edward Edgar earlier in 1884 tells us Edward BELL (senior) was deceased so even if Sarah had married Edward BELL she was free to marry William NORRIS by this date. Her address was 16 Gloucester St, the same as when she baptised her son a few months earlier. Sarah claimed she was aged 28 but Sarah was in fact 32. William NORRIS was only 21.
Sarah/Clara Hanson/Bell/Norris is not obvious in the 1891 census and Sarah and William did not have any children that might help to find her. There is a record for a Clara NORRIS working as a machinist that could be her as she was aged 38 and born in Islington.
With William NORRIS still alive Sarah took a risk to marry Edward Henry NICE on 17 December 1892 at the Registry Office in Islington. She signed her name as Sarah Ann Clara NORRIS, a widow aged 38. In fact she was aged 40 and still married.
She is in the 1901 census as Sarah NICE living at 2 Palmer Place, Islington, London and in 1911 and 1921 at 50 Woodlands Park Rd, Tottenham. In 1911 she had her son Edward BELL living with her, confirming we have the right Sarah Ann. In 1921 Edward was working as a waiter and living at the Greyhoune Inn, Kew Green.
Edward Edgar BELL married Amy FORSTER in the Dec quarter 1900 at Islington. They are in the 1901 census living at 8 Chalfont Rd, Islington:
Edward and Amy did not have any children. Amy died in 1906 explaining why Edward was a widower aged 38 in the 1911 census living with his mother and step-father at 50 Woodlands Park Rd, Tottenham. The family remained at 50 Woodlands Park for the rest of their lives. Edward Edgar died there in 1951.
Sarah Ann Clara died 1931 in Edmonton, Middlesex. Her husband Edward NICE died 1925 in Edmonton. Edward her son died 14 November 1951 at 50 Woodlands Park Rd. Cause of death was Carcinoma of the tongue. He was a retired hotel waiter and does not appear to have remarried after losing his wife in 1906. The informant was A.A. Condon, perhaps a friend?
Ann Clara KEITHAnn was born in Sydney on 20 May 1829. She returned to England with her mother as she is in the 1841 census, aged 12. She is not in the 1851 census. She travelled back to Australia with her aunt Jessica under the name of Clara, arriving in Melbourne on 28 October 1850. The immigration record gives her place of birth as Sydney and that of Jessie as Hammersmith.
We do not know much about Clara after she arrived in Melbourne. Her aunt Jessica, with whom she had travelled from London in 1850, died on 10 Dec 1852. Jessica, like Clara, was not married so this left Clara alone in Melbourne. Life may not have been kind to Clara. On 28 October 1862 she appeared in the Melbourne City Court suspected of being of unsound mind and was remanded for medical inquiry. But in March 1863 she was again in court charged with vagrancy. She was sentenced to 3 months gaol, which was served on the prison hulk Success, where she died on 22 June 1863. There was an inquest into her death, finding was death from influenza.
Dudley KEITHDudley was born in Sydney on 23 May 1834. He accompanied his mother and sisters back to England, and is in the 1841 census in London, aged 7. Dudley returned to Australia, married and lived the rest of his life in Sydney. There is more about Dudley KEITH and his family here.Return to the Keith Family Index Page Last updated: 6 January 2024 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
