What our ancestors were up to according to the 1901 Census…

Sunter

1901 Census which shows that Charles Sunter is aged 19, a railway Stoker, and living at 5 Victoria Street, Thornaby. 

Thornaby is in Stockport and just to the South East of Unicorn Yard and Brunswick Street.  I cannot find Victoria Street on Google Earth although there is a Victoria Road.

The household is composed of:

• Jane A Sunter, head, widow, 57, Leadgale
• William Sunter, stepson, single, 29, Labourer Iron Works, Yorkshire Heights Swaledale
• Charles Sunter, son, single, 19, Railway Engin (sic) Stoker, Howden Le Wear
• Dorothy Sunter, daughter, 13, Yorkshire Redcar
• Gertrude Sunter, daughter, 11, Yorkshire Redcar
• Olive J Sunter, daughter, 10, Stockton
• Joseph Sunter, son, 6, Thornaby
• Edward Sunter, son, 3, Thornaby

Rick McGarry points out that Jane had a further son, James, in 1901. This implies that she must have been pregnant at the time of the census. Presumably William and Charles are a source of income for the family.

 Marsh family

John William Marsh (33), Jane Marsh (34) and Emma Marsh (7) are living in Leeds, Yorkshire. John is listed as being born in Leeds and is a Pit Sinker; Jane was born in Liverpool; and Emma is listed as being born in Rotherham, Yorkshire.

Emma’s sister, Amy (15), is living at 76 Kieghley Road, Halifax. She is a servant in the Driver household. James driver, the head of the househod is a 28 year old Gas Engineer’s Cashier. His brother in law, Thomas Ask is a solicitor’s clerk.

Merediths

Edward Meredith (24) is living in lodging at 25 Norton Road Stourbridge. He is boarding with Walter and Caroline Knowles. Edward is a carter for a wine merchant (the career his is to follow for the rest of his life). Walter is a carter for a corn dealer. There are several other carters and a glass blower living in nearby houses.

Edward’s parents, Joseph and Ann, and his brother – also Joseph – are living in Kingsford Lane, Kinver. Joseph snr is an ‘ordinary agricultural labourer’. Joseph jnr is a ‘Groom domestic’.

Hills

The Hill family (12 of them) are Farm bailiffs at Castle Hill Farm, Wolverley. Alfred Hill is a Farm Bailiff and has responsibility for running the farm. Alfred, 19, and Fred, 15 are farm labourers. Frances May – “Auntie May” is an 8 month old baby.
 
 

1901 Census which shows that Charles Sunter is aged 19, a railway Stoker, and living at 5 Victoria Street, Thornaby. 

Thornaby is in Stockport and just to the South East of Unicorn Yard and Brunswick Street.  I cannot find Victoria Street on Google Earth although there is a Victoria Road.

The household is composed of:

• Jane A Sunter, head, widow, 57, Leadgale
• William Sunter, stepson, single, 29, Labourer Iron Works, Yorkshire Heights Swaledale
• Charles Sunter, son, single, 19, Railway Engin (sic) Stoker, Howden Le Wear
• Dorothy Sunter, daughter, 13, Yorkshire Redcar
• Gertrude Sunter, daughter, 11, Yorkshire Redcar
• Olive J Sunter, daughter, 10, Stockton
• Joseph Sunter, son, 6, Thornaby
• Edward Sunter, son, 3, Thornaby

So it seems that:

Jane A Sunter is my great grandmother. 

Her husband had been in a relationship before and had a son William c1871. 

Her husband had died within the last 4 years (Edward is 3). 

The family had been living in Howden Le Wear 19 years ago, Redcar 10-13 years ago, Stockton 9-10 years ago and then Thornaby for the last 6-7 years.