What happened to Sarah Annie Florence?

[Tom Tom]

I would really like to know what happened to my 3x great aunt, born Sarah Annie Florence Davenport on the 4th May 1864, in Basford, Nottinghamshire.

She was the daughter of William and Jane Elizabeth (formerly Skillman).

Sarah married Henry Shearman Gotts in Hackney in 1888 and had the following children:
Gladys Davenport Gotts
Harry Davenport Gotts
Jack William Davenport Gotts
Leslie Davenport Gotts
Arthur Davenport Gotts

I have Sarah on all the census up to 1911. In 1911 she is in Wandsworth, recorded as Annie Gotts and is the Head of the household.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1911England%2c&rank=0&gsfn=gladys&gsln=gotts&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21417&o_lid=21417&o_sch=Web+Property&offerid=0%3a21318%3a0&pcat=35&fh=0&h=565196&recoff=

I saw on another website, that her husband went to America in 1903, but he came back as he died 1926 in Epping.

A contact of mine says that family stories told that Sarah was an alocholic who was "put away" somewhere. I do not know how true this is. Another tale they had was that her husband Henry Shearman Gotts had a "lady friend" later in life and noone remembers Sarah.

I wondered if perhaps she had gone to America as her husband did as I have been unable to find any death records anywhere.

Apparently, Henry Shearman Gotts' will makes no mention of Sarah, although I have not seen this myself.

I think I have possibly asked about this before, but if anyone has any good ideas they would be gratefully received.

Many thanks for looking,
Tom

Just to add - I have looked under various names and combinations of her first names but to no avail.

[Merry]

Henry is on the e-rolls at that Wandsworth address until 1915 (cursory look only so far!). The 1911 census says "husband away" at the bottom.

[Tom Tom]

Thanks Merry. I did look on there to see if I could see Sarah after 1918 but couldn't see anything conclusive.

I saw a death of a Sarah Gotts in (I think) 1934 and thought she might be a possibility, but found her in the electoral rolls with a couple of male Gotts who don't match any of mine.

[kiterunner]

Could she be the Sarah A Gotts who died in 1941 in Dartford district age 74?

[Tom Tom]

I saw that one Kate but discounted it because she is about three years too young and I felt that she probably died before her husband, particularly as there is no mention of her in his Will.

Worth considering it again though.

[kiterunner]

My great-grandfather didn't mention his wife in his will, but she was still alive.

[Tom Tom]

Just revisiting this. I ordered Henry Shearman Gotts' will and it does mention his wife, Sarah Annie, so just goes to show it is always worth checking things for yourself.


The certificate you suggested Kate, gives middle name as Ann, and I have found her in 1939 in The City of London Mental Hospital, Stone, Dartford. It gives her year of birth as 1867, and the date/month not known. I shall order the certificate, but pretty sure this must be her.