Sarah Ann Robertson - the other Mrs Maybrick

[rjpalmer]

This 1871 census entry is the only occasion on which she is listed as married under the name of Sarah Maybrick:
1871:
55 Bromley Street, Stepney
Head: Thomas Conconi aged 42 born Margate, Kent - Paymaster (Ret.)
Wife: Christianna Conconi aged 48 born Sunderland
Niece: Sarah Maybrick (Married) aged 33 (sic) born Sunderland - Merchants clerk wife

I'd like to make one correction or addition to Chris Scott's fine summary.

Sarah also called herself Sarah Ann Maybrick in 1866 when she was a witness at the marriage of Thomas and Christiana Conconi. Her signature can be seen on the bottom line.




By the way, I'd like to know the source of Paul Butler's remarkable claim that Sarah Ann Robertson and Maybrick's bookkeeper, George Smith, were first cousins.

Mr. Butler writes:

"As far as I am aware, no-one besides the diary author had made the connection between "wife" number one, Sarah Anne Robertson and George Smith until very recently. Him and Sarah being first cousins, and who lived at the same house in the East end when James was there.

No wonder he was concerned at what might happen if "Smith should find this" dirty little fantasy he's just written about his cousin."

James Maybrick's name has not been located in the 1861 Census, and there is no Geroge Smith living with Sarah Robertson in either 1861 or 1871, so the source of Mr. Butler's claim is a mystery. At the 1889 trial, George Smith states that he had only been working as Maybrick's bookkeeper for four years.

Regards.

P.S. Of course, the diarist makes no 'connection' between S.A.R. and George Smith. This is merely Mr. Butler's reading of the text.

[erobitha]

Well, I can't say I'm surprised. The fact that 'Robinson' lived on Flag Lane (the same street as Robertson's father) and had children named George and Sarah made it obvious enough how this would end.


The eighth column of the birth record is garbled. It confirms the Flag Lane address, but why is Christiana Robertson seemingly recorded as the grand mother? Her mother's name was Sarah Pell Robertson.



This also means that for a span of forty years [1851-1891] her daughter Sarah was pawned-off in London as her 'niece'--such was the stigma of having had a child out of wedlock.

Christiana had sisters in London that must have known, but did Sarah go along with the charade, or was she fed a bogus story?

I have George’s birth certificate and the father is not named at all, but i can confirm Christiana Robertson of Flag Lane is the mother.

Your observation of grandmother I think is to do with another Christiana but it’s just a theory. In 1841 Alex Hay Robertson was living with Hunters. A Christiana Hunter lived a few doors down. Perhaps her and Alex were “a thing” at the time of Sarah’s birth or perhaps as friend she just made it appear she was her mother. I actually have no idea, but I have no doubt we have Sarah Ann.

As for the relationship between Sarah Ann and Christiana - there maybe more information coming soon that could give a bit more clarity around that.

[rjpalmer]

Well, I can't say I'm surprised. The fact that 'Robinson' lived on Flag Lane (the same street as Robertson's father) and had children named George and Sarah made it obvious enough how this would end.


The eighth column of the birth record is garbled. It confirms the Flag Lane address, but why is Christiana Robertson seemingly recorded as the grand mother? Her mother's name was Sarah Pell Robertson.



This also means that for a span of forty years [1851-1891] her daughter Sarah was pawned-off in London as her 'niece'--such was the stigma of having had a child out of wedlock.

Christiana had sisters in London that must have known, but did Sarah go along with the charade, or was she fed a bogus story?

[erobitha]

The ‘truth’ is distorted.

Postern Row was in the Whitechapel registration District - as was the Tower itself. By leaving out the word registration the impression is given that this is the same place where Polly Nichols, say, was killed.

Obviously this is a distinction that seems more important to you. As demonstrated on this thread, there is more than enough evidence to show Sarah Robertson's life in Whitechapel is beyond the Postern Row address. I don't need to make any "distorted" attempts to prove she grew up in Whitechapel and had numerous links.

You might want to scroll up and read some of RJ's posts. The evidence is already there.

Thanks for the feedback.

[MrBarnett]

The truth is now known.

https://jayhartley.com/heres-to-you-miss-robinson/

The ‘truth’ is distorted.

Postern Row was in the Whitechapel registration District - as was the Tower itself. By leaving out the word registration the impression is given that this is the same place where Polly Nichols, say, was killed.

[erobitha]

The truth is now known.

https://jayhartley.com/heres-to-you-miss-robinson/

[rjpalmer]

I'll probably let it rest until mid-September and switch off in another direction, but here's something that may or may not mean something.

If you look at Christiana Robertson in the 1861 census, when she was still married to Charles James Case, the watch jobber, and living in Jamaica Street, Mile End Old Town, you can see that two of her neighbors are also born in Sunderland, Durham. Maybe there's a connection of some sort. It looks like Mary Walker, born around 1828, with a mother named Elizabeth Graham. Looks like they lived in Bishopwearmouth, Durham in 1851.

Could be a coincidence, of course. Probably a good thing that Feldman didn't notice the name Graham.

[erobitha]

There's no way of knowing without ordering the death certificates, as no age is given on the registers. One of the two could well be someone else--it's a common enough name.

That said, yours looks very promising, but how is it supposed to be a flaw in my hypothesis? If anything, it probably confirms it.

Remember that George Taylor Robertson was born in Sunderland in 1840, and if this is Sarah's registration, under Sarah Ann Taylor, with the mother Robertson, then my hunch was right. The 1841 Christiana Robinson , with children Sarah and George the right ages (assuming Sarah was born before June 6th, June being the month of the 1841 census) means the enumerator did indeed make a mistake and we have found our woman.

That the child was registered in Sunderland, doesn't mean she didn't go up north for her confinement. Or maybe Mrs. Maybrick had some other reason for claiming her birthplace was Scotland.

I'll tell you want. I'll bet you a pint of Guiness right now that when the cert. arrives the mother's full name will be Christiana Robertson. A second pint with a Jamison chaser says that Taylor will turn out to be her common-law husband.

I think you misunderstood me RJ - I was highlighting it because I found Sarah Ann Taylor independently a few days ago. However I had no Taylor link.

The fly in the ointment was the reference to Scotland. She could have still spent time there but it’s fairly obvious to me she was from Sunderland if this is true.

I am not trying to prove it wrong but stress test it to support the candidate I had already found!

i found her through taking long shot searches against mothers maiden name and Sarah Ann as the first name. Then out of nowhere you found Robinson - who by the way I looked at and for whatever reason missed! It was only through you highlighting Taylor on George that the penny dropped.

If what you say is correct then it is the missing piece of my own puzzle.

For once I want you to be right.

If you are right then it links to another thread I wish to follow.

[rjpalmer]

Did you find this one dead in infancy?

There's no way of knowing without ordering the death certificates, as no age is given on the registers. One of the two could well be someone else--it's a common enough name.

That said, yours looks very promising, but how is it supposed to be a flaw in my hypothesis? If anything, it probably confirms it.

Remember that George Taylor Robertson was born in Sunderland in 1840, and if this is Sarah's registration, under Sarah Ann Taylor, with the mother Robertson, then my hunch was right. The 1841 Christiana Robinson , with children Sarah and George the right ages (assuming Sarah was born before June 6th, June being the month of the 1841 census) means the enumerator did indeed make a mistake and we have found our woman.

That the child was registered in Sunderland, doesn't mean she didn't go up north for her confinement. Or maybe Mrs. Maybrick had some other reason for claiming her birthplace was Scotland.

I'll tell you want. I'll bet you a pint of Guiness right now that when the cert. arrives the mother's full name will be Christiana Robertson. A second pint with a Jamison chaser says that Taylor will turn out to be her common-law husband.

[erobitha]

There were three children named Sarah Taylor born in Sunderland in 1837 +/- 1 year. (two in 1837 and one in 1838. Best info states that Sarah Robertson was born in 1836)

There are also two Sarah Taylors who died at the same timeframe--1837--which probably means in infancy, but I'm not about to order the death certificates.

The third is still alive in 1841 and is living in another household.

I'm not seeing any connection, or do you have something else?

One has the maiden name Robertson.

I have already ordered the birth certificate.

Did you find this one dead in infancy?

[rjpalmer]

I may have a fly in that ointment RJ, hence why I wanted to run over your Christiana Robinson find a bit more.

I could possibly have a link that ties it all together. Look for Sarah Ann Taylor born 1837 in Sunderland.

There were three children named Sarah Taylor born in Sunderland in 1837 +/- 1 year. (two in 1837 and one in 1838. Best info states that Sarah Robertson was born in 1836)

There are also two Sarah Taylors who died at the same timeframe--1837--which probably means in infancy, but I'm not about to order the death certificates.

The third is still alive in 1841 and is living in another household.

I'm not seeing any connection, or do you have something else?

[rjpalmer]

I've just checked the phone book and apparently there are no Maybrick's listed for anywhere in Scotland.

Of course with mobile phones more people are not owning landline phones.

Too bad we don't have Paul Feldman bankrolling our research--at least his team got paid.

No, if this isn't the same Sarah Maybrick I'll eat my hat...and my shoes.

The name is very unusual. Sarah Maybrick from Sunderland doesn't disappear from Greenwich in 1891 and another Sarah Maybrick from Scotland suddenly appears up the road in Deptford thereafter.

I wouldn't think.

It's a weird household--I'll admit that. I've never seen such a strange collection of census returns. Why is Gertrude Blakiston from Portsmouth being called a daughter ?!??

Christiana doesn't appear to be riff-raff. She's got beautiful handwriting and she marries a tobacconist (former watchmaker) and a civil servant. Sarah Robertson works in what may have been an upscale jewelry store, Dewdney's. (A connection to the first stepfather?)

One can find a lot of adverts for Dewdney's in the 1850s and 60s. This is where Maybrick supposedly met her.




I imagine a young Jim Maybrick buying a gold watch in that store, hallmark 1860, with a great big J.M. engraved on it.

What was the dodgy Johnson watch? 'J.O.' circa 1846/47?

[barnflatwyngarde]

Not to be rude to our friend 'Ike,' but since he is currently touring Scotland, and since Sarah Maybrick of Deptford twice gave her birthplace as Dumfriesshires, he could swing by the records offices and poke around and see what he can find.

I'm not seeing a heck of a lot of Maybricks born in Scotland, so if it is not the same woman, I'd be mightily surprised. I'd be floored.

So, Ike, if you're listening, (why do I sound like Donald Trump?) it is a lot to ask-- but it beats the heck out of sniffing for 'Maybrick' anagrams hidden inside the Goulston Street Graffiti.

A dose of reality would go you some good, mate.

I've just checked the phone book and apparently there are no Maybrick's listed for anywhere in Scotland.

Of course with mobile phones more people are not owning landline phones.

[erobitha]

Not to be rude to our friend 'Ike,' but since he is currently touring Scotland, and since Sarah Maybrick of Deptford twice gave her birthplace as Dumfriesshires, he could swing by the records offices and poke around and see what he can find.

I'm not seeing a heck of a lot of Maybricks born in Scotland, so if it is not the same woman, I'd be mightily surprised. I'd be floored.

So, Ike, if you're listening, (why do I sound like Donald Trump?) it is a lot to ask-- but it beats the heck out of sniffing for 'Maybrick' anagrams hidden inside the Goulston Street Graffiti.

A dose of reality would go you some good, mate.

I may have a fly in that ointment RJ, hence why I wanted to run over your Christiana Robinson find a bit more.

I could possibly have a link that ties it all together. Look for Sarah Ann Taylor born 1837 in Sunderland.

[rjpalmer]

Not to be rude to our friend 'Ike,' but since he is currently touring Scotland, and since Sarah Maybrick of Deptford twice gave her birthplace as Dumfriesshires, he could swing by the records offices and poke around and see what he can find.

I'm not seeing a heck of a lot of Maybricks born in Scotland, so if it is not the same woman, I'd be mightily surprised. I'd be floored.

So, Ike, if you're listening, (why do I sound like Donald Trump?) it is a lot to ask-- but it beats the heck out of sniffing for 'Maybrick' anagrams hidden inside the Goulston Street Graffiti.

A dose of reality would go you some good, mate.