Sarah Jane West (1893-1941)
Family Stories > 3rd Generation
Sarah Jane West (1893 - 1941) was my maternal Grandmother
Spouse : George Dixie Ford (1886 - 1965) was my maternal Grandfather
1923 Sarah Jane Ford nee West
SARAH JANE WEST Birth Married Spouse Children Father Mother Siblings Occupations Residences Death Age at Death Cause of Death Buried Usual Place of Residence at Death | 1893, February 4 at 67 Admiral Square, Clifton, Bedfordshire, UK 1914, November 14 at Registry Office, Edmonton, Middlesex, UK Iris Ella Ford (1915 - 2007) Muriel Irene (aka Rene) Ford (1916 - 1996) Arthur Cornelius West (1866 - 1938) Anne Eliza Devonshire (1864 - 1931) Alfred John West (1883 - 1956) Harriett Ada West (1887 - 1958) Emily West (1896 - 1976) Clara May West (1898 - 1980) 1911 Domestic Servant, Ramsgate, Kent, UK 1925 Dairy, 56 Argo Street, South Yarra, Australia C1930 Labourer, AJC Factory, South Yarra, Australia 1893 67 Admiral Square, Clifton, Bedfordshire, UK 1901 54 Henlow Road, Shefford, Clifton, Bedfordshire, UK 1914 1933 Pelham Road, Wood Green, Middlesex, UK 1915 84 Westbury Avenue, Wood Green, Middlesex, UK 1923 76 Andrew Street, Windsor, Melbourne, Australia 1925 56 Argo Street, South Yarra, Australia 1926 21 Peel Street, Windsor, Australia 1927 39 Waterloo Street, South Yarra, Australia 1931 65 High Street, St. Kilda, Australia 1934 22 Stewart Street, Windsor, Melbourne 1941, February 11 at Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Melbourne 48 years Acute Asthma - 2 years Cheltenham Cemetery, Victoria 22 Stewart Street, Windsor, Melbourne, Victoria |
Sarah Jane West - Her Story
Sarah Jane West was the grand-mother I never knew. She died in 1941, four years before my entry into the world. Therefore my understanding of her has only been gleaned from my research, from knowing Sarah's sister, Clara Hewitt, nee West, and from my mother, Iris Ella Warren, nee Ford, and her reminiscences.
My mother, Iris Ella, was Sarah's eldest daughter - she described Sarah as being a wonderfully Christian woman who faced difficult situations and people with kindness and understanding. She had a gentle nature, was kind and inoffensive and was devoted to her husband, George Dixie Ford, and her two girls.
The very few photographs I have of her show a gentle personality in her lovely smile and kindly brown eyes.
About 1928 : George and Sarah Ford
About 1935 : Sarah Jane Ford, nee West, with George Dixie Ford and their two daughters, (left ) Iris and Rene
About 1939 : Baby Bernie with Grandfather, George Ford. Sarah is laying down on the right.
Watching on is Iris Warren, beside her is Rene Ford and Robbie Warren
1891 - Census, Luton, Bedfordshire
Prior to Sarah Jane's birth, her parents, Arthur Cornelius West, an agricultural labourer, and her mother Annie Eliza, nee Devonshire, were living at 67 Admiral Square in Luton, Bedfordshire.
Transcript of 1891 census for Luton, Bedfordshire -
Many generations of the West family were born, lived and died in Clifton and more details can be found in the page for Cornelius Arthur West and his wife, Annie Eliza Devonshire as well as other members of the West family.Address - 67 Admiral SquareName Description Status Age Occupation Birth PlaceArthur C. West Head M 25 Agricultural Labourer Clifton BedfordshireAnne E. West Wife M 27 Clifton BedfordshireAlfred J. West Son S 7 Scholar Clifton BedfordshireHarriet West Dau S 3 Clifton Bedfordshire
1893 - Birth
Sarah Jane West entered this world on February 4, 1893 in Clifton. Clifton is a small town located in the parish of Biggleswade in Bedfordshire. It is an ancient town and the first recorded reference to Clifton is in 944 when it was referred to as "Cliftune".
In spite of growing up with many family members surrounding her, Sarah would have known little of her paternal grandfather, William West, who died in early 1895, just two years after Sarah's birth. Her Granny West, Lucretia West, nee Webb, died in 1899 when Sarah was six years old but Lucretia was blind for the last fifteen years of her life, so would never have 'seen' her grand-daughter, Sarah.
1901 - Census, Clifton, Bedfordshire
By the time Sarah was 8 years old, the family were living at 54 Henlow Road, Shefford, Clifton, Biggleswade in Bedfordshire. This is the detail from the 1901 census -
Address - 54 Henlow RoadName Description Status Age Occupation Birth PlaceArthur C. West Head M 35 Labourer in Brickyard Clifton BedfordshireAnne E. West Wife M 37 Clifton BedfordshireAlfred J. West Son S 17 Labourer on Farm Clifton BedfordshireHarriet West Dau S 13 Clifton BedfordshireSarah West Dau S 8 Clifton BedfordshireEmily West Dau S 4 Clifton BedfordshireClara May West Dau S 2 Clifton Bedfordshire
We can see that two more sisters have joined Sarah - Emily and Clara May. The children of the family most likely attended the All Saints School in Clifton.
L : All Saints School in Clifton, C 1866 R : Boys' Class at All Saints School, Clifton, 1890
Above is a photo of a boys' class at the All Saints School in Clifton, taken in 1890. Perhaps Sarah's older sibling, Alfred, was amongst these pupils. Alfred would have been aged about 6 years old at the time.
Life must have been tough by our standards. Sarah's father, Arthur Cornelius had found work as a labourer in a brickyard, but was to suffer a terrible accident at work which left him with only one leg and there was no workers' compensation. This might account for his eldest son, Alfred John West, remaining single and still living at home to contribute to the family income.
1911 - Census, Clifton, Bedfordshire
The census for 1911 shows a much reduced family -
Address - Clifton, BedfordshireName Description Status Age Occupation Birth PlaceArthur C. West Head M 45 Permanently Injured, Clifton Bedfordshireformerly Brickyard LabourerAnne E. West Wife M 48 Clifton BedfordshireAlfred J. West Son S 27 Bricklayer's Labourer Clifton BedfordshireClara May West Dau S 12 School Clifton Bedfordshire
Arthur Cornelius' incapacity may well have required the older girls of the family to leave home in search of work as domestics. A search of the census returns for 1911 found Harriet Ada West, aged 23 years "in service" employed as a domestic at the home of Thomas Scammell, a retired greengrocer at Holy Cottage, Green House, Palmer Green in Middlesex.
Sarah Jane West, aged 19 years, was also working as a general domestic servant for the family of Frederick George Sherren, a retired civil servant at 64 South Eastern Road, Ramsgate in Kent.
Now move to the George Dixie Ford for George and Sarah's story following their marriage - click here