Events
Date of Birth: 27 September 1836.
Place of Birth: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.
The date is given in her baptism record. The place is given in censuses.
Date of Baptism: 2 January 1837.
Place of Baptism: Birmingham (St Martin’s).
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: 1916.
Placee of Death: Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
The death is given in the GRO index.
Relationships
Father: John Breeze (about 1815 - 1874).
Mother: Mary Ann Pardoe Mayers (1808 - 1897).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Daniel Ward (1832 - 1870). Married 29 November 1857 in Shrewsbury (Holy Cross) and 24 December 1857 in Kidderminster (St Mary’s).
The parish registers give the marriage.
Children (with Daniel Ward):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Mary Sophia Ward (baptized 19 February 1859 - died 1898). Mary was a nurse in Shrewsbury.
Charles John Thomas Ward (born 19 January 1861 - died 22 August 1940) married Sarah Harper 7 April 1885 in Kidderminster.
Henry Breeze Ward (born 21 February 1863) married Selina Potter in 1891.
William James Ward (born 11 February 1865 - died 1909) married (1) Sarah Ann Mound in 1886; married (2) Emily Louise Stokes in 1891.
Edward Ernest Ward (born about 1867 - died 1934) married Annie Elizabeth Bridges.
Sarah Hannah Ward (born about 1869 - died 1940) married Henry Thomas Westwood in 1896.
Child (father unknown):
Albert Frank Ward (born 19 March 1874, baptized 24 August 1874 in Kidderminster, St John the Baptist - died 1959) married Mary Jane Owens 21 April 1903 in Ombersley, Worcestershire. No father is given for Albert in his baptism record, but his school admission gives his father's name as Thomas.
Evidence
Sarah Ann Breeze baptism
Baptism 2nd January 1837 Sarah Ann daur of John and Mary Ann Pardoe Breeze, Howe Street, Tailor (born 27th September 1836)
1841 census of England (Aston - Deritend)
John Breese, 25, Jour Tailor, no [“no” means not born in Warwickshire; “Y” means born there]
Mary [Breese], 30, no
Sarah [Breese], 4, Y
Sophia [Breese], 1, Y
Sarah Farnell, 14, F.S., Y
1851 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
Stourbridge Street
John Breeze, Head, Mar, 35, Tailor employing 6 men Victualler, [born] Montgomery Caersus
Mary Ann Breeze, Wife, Mar, 39, Tailors Wife, [born] Salop Shrewsbury
Sarah Ann [Breeze], Daur, 14, Scholar, [born] Warwick Birmingham
Sophia Jane [Breeze], Daur, 11, Scholar, [born Warwick Birmingham]
James Griffin, apprentice, 15, Tailors Ap, [born] Worcester Bewdley
1861 census of England (Shrewsbury, Shropshire)
Severn Terrace (Frankwell St Chad)
Daniel Ward, Head, M., 28, Ironmonger assist., [born] Worcester Kidderminster
Sarah Ann Ward, Wife, M., 24, Wife, [born] Warwick Bir’m
Mary Sophia Ward, Dau, Un, 2, daughter, [born] Salop Shrewsby
Chas Jno Thomas Ward, Son, Un, 11 weeks, [born Salop Shrewsby]
Mary Jane Jones, Serv, Un, 22, House Servant, [born] Stafford Whampton
1871 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
52 Blackwell Street
Sarah A Ward, Head, Wid, 32, Dressmaker & Shop Keeper, [born] Birmingham, Warw.
Mary S [Ward], dau, 12, Scholar, [born] Shrewsby, Salop
Charles J. T. [Ward],Son, 6, [Scholar], [born Shrewsby, Salop]
Edward E [Ward], Son, 4, [Scholar], [born Shrewsby, Salop]
Sarah H [Ward], daugh, 2, [born Shrewsby, Salop]
Harry Downey, Lodger, 19, Bricklayer, [born] Kidd Worcester
1881 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
8 Worcester St
William Roberts, head, Widr, 78, Tailor, [born Worcester] Stockton
Sarah Ann Ward, serv, W, 45, genl serv, [born] Warwick Birmingham
Chas J T Ward, boarder, Unm, 20, Tailor, [born] Salop
Edw’d Ernest [Ward], [boarder], 14, Butcher’s assistant, [born Salop]
Sarah Hannah [Ward], [boarder], 12, Scholar, [born Salop]
Frederick Cheadle, [boarder], 63, Draper’s assistant, [born] Stafford Stone
William Watkinson, [boarder], 66, Wool stapler, [born] Lincoln Gainsboro
1891 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
85 Clensmore St
Sarah Ann Ward, Head, Widow, 52, [born] Warwick, Birmingham
Sarah Hannah [Ward], Daur, S, 22, Domestic servant, [born] Salop, Shrewsbury
Mary Ann Breeze, Daur, Widow, 33, Living on own means, [born] Salop, Shrewsbury
Albert Frank Ward, Son, S, 17, Errand Boy, [born] Worcester Kidderminster
John Rawlings, Lodger, S, 53, Tailor, [born] Hereford, Kingsland
1901 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
85 Clensmore St
Sarah Ann Ward, Head, Wid, 63, Dressmaker, own account, [working] at home, [born] Birmingham Warwick
Harry Breeze [Ward], Son, Mar, 38, Stocktaker at Ironworks, worker, [born] Shrewsbury Salop
Joseph Crannage, Visitor, 72, [born] Cookley Worcester
1911 census of England (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)
14 Rock Terrace Kidderminster
Sarah H Westwood, Head, 42, Widow, Laundress, [working] at Home, [born] Shrewsbury
Daisy Westwood, Daughter, 13, Scholar, [born] Kidderminster
Thomas Westwood, Son, 8, Scholar, [born] Kidderminster
Sarah Ann Ward, Mother, 74, Widow, [born] Birmingham
Commentary
Parentage:
Sarah Ann’s father is recorded as John Breeze, tailor, in her 1857 Kidderminster marriage record. In the 1851 census, Sarah Ann appears living in Kidderminster with her father, John Breeze, tailor, John’s wife Mary Ann, and John’s other daughter Sophia Jane.
The censuses give this information about Sarah Ann’s date and place of birth:
1841 (taken 6 June): age 4, born in Warwickshire. [probable informant her father John Breeze]
1851 (taken 30 March): age 14, born “Warwick Birmingham”. [probable informant her father]
1861 (taken 7 April): age 24, born “Warwick Bir’m” [probable informant her husband Daniel Ward]
1871 (taken 2 April): age 32, born “Birmingham, Warw.” [probable informant herself]
1881 (taken 3 April): age 45, born “Warwick Birmingham” [probable informant William Roberts, with whom she was lodging]
1891 (taken 5 April): age 52, born “Warwick, Birmingham” [probable informant herself]
1901 (taken 31 March): age 63, born “Birmingham, Warwick” [probable informant herself]
1911 (taken 2 April): age 74, born Birmingham [probable informant her daughter Sarah Hannah]
The evidence is consistent that Sarah Ann was born in Birmingham in about 1836-8. Given the evidence from censuses and her marriage record, it is clear that her father was John Breeze, tailor, and that her mother was probably named Mary Ann. Therefore, it is easy to identify her baptism as the baptism 2 January 1837 in Birmingham (St Martin’s) of “Sarah Ann daur of John and Mary Ann Pardoe Breeze, Howe Street, Tailor (born 27th September 1836). (Howe Street is in Birmingham.)
The 8 February 1836 Edgbaston marriage of John Breeze identifies his wife as “Mary Ann Pardoe Mayers”. The birth certificate of Sarah Ann’s sister Sophia Jane Breeze identifies her father as John Breeze, tailor, and her mother as “Mary Ann Pardoe Breeze formerly Mayers”. The informant was “Mary Ann Pardoe Breeze, Mother”.
The multiple pieces of independent direct evidence provided by knowledgeable informants give conclusive support for the relationships.
References
Parish registers of Birmingham, Warwickshire St Martin’s, FHL 919772, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Parish registers of Kidderminster, Worcestershire St Mary’s, FHL 435268-435273, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Edgbaston, St Bartholomew, Warwickshire, England. Parish Registers, marriages 1835 - 1837, page 22, no. 67; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 18 April 2014), citing Anglican Parish Records. Birmingham, England: Library of Birmingham DRO 53, M144.
Certified copy of the birth entry for Sophia Jane Breeze. General Register Office, Ashton 1840.
John Breese household, 1841 census of England. Warwickshire, Birmingham, Deritend, Aston, piece 1148, folio 28, page 29, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 17 April 2014).
John Breeze household, 1851 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 1j, piece 2038, folio 245, page 30, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 17 April 2014).
Daniel Ward household, 1861 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 7, piece 1874, folio 31, page 11, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 13 April 2014).
Sarah A Ward household, 1871 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 7, piece 3034, folio 12, page 18, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 13 April 2014).
William Roberts household, 1881 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 11, piece 2901, folio 98, page 48, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 13 April 2014).
Sarah Ann Ward household, 1891 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 4, piece 2313, folio 76, page 22, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1891; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 17 April 2014).
Sarah Ann Ward household, 1901 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 2, piece 2765, folio 38, page 10, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1901; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 17 April 2014).
Sarah H Westwood household, 1911 census of England. Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Kidderminster, ED 13, piece 17556, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1911; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 17 April 2014).
GRO index, Deaths Dec 1916, Kidderminster, Volume 6c, page 100. General Register Office. England and Wales. Civil Registration Certificates. (London, United Kingdom: General Register Office).