William Staples and Mary (Roberts) Explored

In an earlier post I mentioned that this was possibly Mary's second marriage and that the first three children Hannah, John and Elizabeth, were from that previous relationship. I have since discovered earlier census records tracking the family's' movements and painting a clearer picture.

In 1841, Mary, aged 25, was working as a servant and living in a place called New Pasture in Legsby. This seems to be the name of a cottage or set of cottages housing 3 single persons and a family of 5. Occupations of the tenants range from Gamekeeper to Dressmaker. At this time Mary's father John, aged 45, was living in Bleasby (name of street? a search of google maps revealed a 'Bleasby Fields Farm' in Legsby - there may have been a set of tenets there) Legsby, with his 13 y.o. son, Robert, and 25 y.o. daughter, Ann, and her husband Joseph Woodcock, also 25.

In 1841, William, aged 11, was living with his parents Michael (here aged 55 in 1851 he is listed as 75) and Susannah (35), and his siblings John (9), Thomas (6), Robert (4) and Sampson (1).

On 30 March 1851, the date the next census was done, William was working in Welton Le Wold, Withern (Louth) as an Agricultural Labourer (listed as servant)on a 370 acre tract of land. Head of household is listed as John Clarke and his sister Elizabeth Clarke. Perusal of the next page showed two house servants also living there, a Charlotte Vemplew aged 17 and Mary Roberts aged 32. So now we know how "Harry met Sally". Mary is listed here as being 'Unmarried' and was still using her maiden name, so it is assumed that she had not married at all prior to William. I tracked down Mary's father's household in Legsby and discovered that her 8 y.o. daughter Hannah Roberts was living with him and their housekeeper. Mary's sister Ann and husband Joseph Woodcock had moved to their own place in Legsby, and now had 3 children, Elizabeth (7), Sarah (4) and Mary Ann (2). They were also caring for Mary's other two children John Roberts (6) and Elizabeth Roberts(1).

William and Mary married during the April-May-June quarter of 1851, and their first child, also named William was born in Louth in 1852.

The 1861 census lists them as living in 34 Little Lane, Louth. Mary's first three children now carry the Staples name, and Mary and William have a further 3 children, after William (Jnr), George (6), James(4) and Thomas, just 3 months old. William and his wife are working as Market Gardener's as well as Mary's son John. Elizabeth, William and George were going to school.

In 1871, the family had moved around the corner to 35 Mt Pleasant, Louth. George, James and Thomas are still at home. William Jnr has dropped off the face of the earth. I cannot find him in any census records after 1861 and cannot find a death entry for him between 1861 and 1871. John, Hannah and Elizabeth have also dropped off the radar. I can find no census, marriage or death records that match their details under either Staples or Roberts.

By 1881, Thomas was the only one left at home, he married Annie in 1882 and emigrated with his wife straight after. George and Mary had married in 1873 and had also emigrated soon thereafter. James married Christiana in 1877 and moved to Saltfleetby where their family flourished.

Mary passed away in 1885. William cont'd at the same address as a market Gardener until his death in 1911 at the ripe old age of 81.