I am STUCK at a couple who married in London, lived near there through a pile of children and Censuses, have Death records, but neither seem to have definitive Birth records- which would be Baptisms given the era. So far I have Charles Dickens, a Lady's shoemaker, marries Sarah Devine (both Single): 7 Sep 1835; St. Mary's Church, Lambeth, London, England; FHL 1,041,644. Children include Hephzibah b. 1838 and Ezekiel Henry b. 1843- good names to trace! On some Censuses Sarah Devine is said to have been born in 1812 Chichester, Sussex and others in Ireland- and Devine is a known Irish surname. I got nuttin'. Charles Dickens is supposed to have been born in either Maidstone or Eynsford, Kent around 1811 with some people claiming his parents were Ezekiel Dickens and Sarah Easdown.
Also I found a marriage for Charles' reputed parents, Ezekiel Dickens to Sarah Easdown on 2 Nov 1806 in Frindsbury, Kent.
On the 1861 census, there is Devine (I'm guessing this is Sarah) Dickens, wife (of Ezekial), ladies shoemaker. Says she is 30 years of age and born Scotland. I think it should read 50 years of age as on the 1851 she is 39. Have you tried looking for Sarah Devine in Scotland 1861 census: Line 20 Page 59 Piece/Folio 211/101 RG09
Perhaps another clue is on the 1851 census of Bermondsey (HO107/1562, folio 243, page 30), there is a William DIVINE, unmarried, aged 23, supposedly born Chichester, lodging with the family - could he be a relative of Sarah? Janet
The only variant on the surname in Sussex is at Chichester St Martin 1835 Aug 16 Divine William s John and Mary a tanner.
Not sure whether this could be connected or not, but looking for any DEVINEs or variants with a Chichester connection brings up in the 1841 census of Chichester (HO107/1119/6, folio 7, page 25), John DEVINE, aged 30, Currier J, born Ireland, living with wife Mary and 2 children John & William. There would also appear to be another child, Jane Sarah, bapt at Chichester on 2 July 1829. John DIVINE was buried at Chichester on 2 April 1843, aged 39, so would be in the correct timespan to be a relative of your Sarah. Janet Snap, Burt, we have the same family!
Wife Mary remarried David Nettlefold by 1851. She is born Redhill, Surrey. There was a son John to John and Mary in 1831.
The William son of John and Mary appears in the 1851 Census at Chichester with his remarried mother. He had the two siblings baptized before him in 1829 and 1831 making his age of born 1835 as very wrong for the one born 1828, so it throws some real doubt on them being the same William.
I'm reading the 1861 census record for Charles & Sarah (Devine) as his birthplace Eynesford and hers as Ireland which would tie in with John DEVINE's birthplace as being Ireland. The only baptism I can find for a Sarah DEVINE or variants is a Catholic baptism at Dublin St Michael & John in June 1807 for Sarah daughter of Roger DEVINE & Elinor CONNELLY. There are 3 Catholic baptisms at Dublin St Paul in 1805 for a John DEVINE but no further details, so not a lot of help there! Janet
I didn't think the William son of John & Mary was the same as the one who is a Cordwainer lodging with Charles & Sarah DICKENS in the 1851 census, just trying to find the Chichester connection between any DEVINEs. As for Charles DICKENS, I cannot find a baptism for him at Eynsford, but there are 2 non-conformist births at Eynsford registered at Dr William's Library, London, namely Henry son of Ezekiel DICKENS and Sarah his wife daughter of James & Mary EASDOWN born 17 July 1807 & Sarah born 26 September 1808, both born at Eynsford Street. Both are available to view on Ancestry & FMP. Perhaps the fact that they were non-conformist might explain why Charles's baptism is harder to find. It looks as if Ezekiel may have married twice as there is a marriage at St Mary Newington on 6 July 1828 for an Ezekiel DICKENS, widower, to Esther SHELLEY, spinster (burial at St Leonard Shoreditch on 24 September 1826 for a Sarah DICKINS, Kingsland Road, aged 50??). Burial at St Pancras Chapel on 15 January 1854 for Ezekiel DICKENS, Acton Place, aged 65. Ezekiel is with son Henry DICKENS & family in the 1851 census of Southwark Christchurch. Your Charles DICKENS named a son Ezekiel Henry didn't he and Charles' son Charles named a son Charles Ezekiel DICKENS according to the 1891 census of Swansea, Wales. Difficult to prove conclusively that your Charles is the son of Ezekiel unless we can find his baptism but everything does seem to point to that fact. Janet
According to various newspaper reports, it also looks as if Ezekiel DICKENS of Eynsford, Kent was declared bankrupt on 8 May 1817, he being described as a Shopkeeper, Dealer & Chapman. Janet
From Chichester Archives Catalogue there is a Mary Devine/Divine as an Innkeeper at Chichester 1845 and 1848. It seems that prior to 1855 Catholic Services were held in an Hotel room at Chichester, but for how much earlier I cannot tell. I realised what you were doing, Janet!
I tried Scotland's People but didn't have any luck with a narrow time span. Perhaps I'll try a wider span of years.
I'm going to put this one down as a temporary measure. Maybe a member of the family will kindly correct me!
Name Devine Dickens Sex Female Age 30 Event Date 1861 Event Place City of London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom Event Place (Original) St Botolph & Bishopsgate, London, London, Middlesex, England Registration District East London Residence Note Half Moon Court Birth Year (Estimated) 1831 Birthplace Scotland Marital Status Married Occupation Ladies Shoemaker Relationship to Head of Household Wife Event Type Census Household Identifier 300843 Line Number 20 Page Number 59 Piece/Folio 211 / 101 Looks like Scotland to me.......copied and pasted from Family Search. I did put down wrong husband name though. See post #14
I used the A-site scan and definitely see "Ireland" so we'll agree to disagree- thank you kindly for checking.
