New Resolutions - Already!

13 12 08

Almost the new year, I'm only a little further forward than I was a year ago. Stay positive! One of my biggest brick walls was the date of death of Michael Kennedy, my Great Grandfather. I was led astray by my Grandfather who stated Michael was deceased at the time of his marriage in 1910. It was a long time before I realised that the bmd disk that I had bought from Rotherham fhs contained Michaels death record.

So, what hurdles are there still to overcome for next year? Well there is the the death of Michael's wife, Sarah Jane. She and Michael were living with their complete family at (address) in the 1891 census. When the 1901 census was taken, Michael was to be found in Barnsley with his youngest son Thomas in lodgings with a Mrs Grange. At first I assumed that Sarah had died and Michael had taken the youngest of the family, aged 14, to get his training as a coal miner in the best area that he could. Having searched long and hard for Sarah Jane's death, I considered that the pair may, instead, have separated. I searched then for the same name anywhere in England. Nothing jumped out at me. Maybe Sarah Jane had divorced Michael and remarried? The answer still eludes me.

Then, the most curious of all - why was a man called John Moran buried with Patrick snr and his wife Margaret. Perhaps someone else has the answer.