View Full Version : Clara Emily Parsons
I'm posting this on behalf of Bestie who is trying to fill in some gaps in the
rather colourful life of g/grandmother. Clara Emily was b 10.3.1862, parents
William Renshaw & Elizabeth,nee Taylor, in Bernard St, Sheffield.Ist husband
was Arthur Parsons & she appears to have later m Alan Anderson Day, but this
is where things get a bit murky as friend has his b date as 1916 & d 1936.
Something is obviously amiss & I've told her you are just the ones to sort it out as you love a bit of a challenge.
Along the way Clara also gave birth to a son, William Edward, the result of an
affair with neighbour's brother. Son was killed on the first day of the battle of
the Somme.At some point she abandoned her family & took off to Boston,
friend thinks to be with William's father.
Anything you could help with would be much appreciated, particularly Alan Anderson Day's role in this story.
It looks as if 1916 should be their wedding date, not Allen's birthdate which appears to be in 1861. In 1911 he was married with a large family: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F27697%2F0613&parentid=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F27697%2F0613%2F1
He was then married to Sarah Jane for 27 years with 6 living children, 4 still at home, one a soldier and all born in Stockbridge.
It looks as if 1916 should be their wedding date, not Allen's birthdate which appears to be in 1861. In 1911 he was married with a large family: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F27697%2F0613&parentid=GBC%2F1911%2FRG14%2F27697%2F0613%2F1
He was then married to Sarah Jane for 27 years with 6 living children, 4 still at home, one a soldier and all born in Stockbridge.
Thanks Phoenix - new you'd deliver(!) Bestie suspected it would be wedding date as it fitted in with first husband's demise.
Clara appears to have died in Sheffield: "a 75 year old woman, Clara Emily Day of 914 City Road Intake collapsed and died"
Sheffield Independent 14 November 1936
Clara's first marriage 1879 Q4 to Arthur Parsons Sheffield district.
1881 with Arthur in Ecclesall Bierlow. One dau Lucy Ann aged 7 months.
1891 Arthur in EB. Says married, no wife at home on census night. Three children, Lucy Ann 10 Arthur Arnold 7 and Harold Vincent 5. Arthur's sister in the house - Hannah Parsons single 43 housekeeper.
Let's try again re Allen, though. Their marriage is on FMP and he is single and a clerk. Full name Allen Harrison Day, born 1861 and in 1911 he is living with his Mum, Margaret at 66 Albert Terrace Road Sheffield.
21 June 1888, Arthur announces that he will not be responsible for any of his wife - Clara Emily Parsons' - debts.
21 June 1888, Arthur announces that he will not be responsible for any of his wife - Clara Emily Parsons' - debts.
Oooh!
Arthur remains in EB with his sister in 1901 and 1911. Says he is married each time and in 1911 says three children before it's crossed through because he isn't their mother!
Deaths Sep 1913 (>99%)
Parsons Arthur 59 Sheffield 9c 607
Clara is in Sheffield in 1911 with her son, William Edward Tyzack (?) Parsons aged 16 b Sheffield. Clara says married 31 years with four children of the marriage all still living. Presume she has included William in that! C has a lodger Joseph Hardy 43 single, b Sheffield.
In 1901 Clara has been mis-represented as aged 84! She has son Wm with her and this time she is the boarder in the house of Joseph Hardy and his father, William Hardy aged 73. They all live in Swinton, Yorks.
Clara appears to have died in Sheffield: "a 75 year old woman, Clara Emily Day of 914 City Road Intake collapsed and died"
Sheffield Independent 14 November 1936
Not long after her second husband:
Deaths Sep 1936
Day Allen H 75 Sheffield 9c 447a
I can't find Clara in 1901, when she would have had William with her (presumably). William has a birth record, but no other trace. Presumably it was William who was killed in WW1.
Confirmation of son's name:
PARSONS, WILLIAM EDWARD TYZACK mmn RENSHAW
GRO Reference: 1894 D Quarter in ECCLESALL BIERLOW Volume 09C Page 353
I can't find Clara in 1901, when she would have had William with her (presumably). William has a birth record, but no other trace. Presumably it was William who was killed in WW1.
See post #12
I can't find Clara in 1891.
There are loads of people in Sheffield called Tyzack (in case one of them is William's father!)
Mary from Italy
01-12-20, 13:05
This is son William's death:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/808460/WILLIAM%20EDWARD%20PARSONS/
Clara Emily aged 36 and son William E aged 10 sailed from Liverpool to NY i4 Oct 1905, 3rd class on the Baltic.
Obviously they returned before 1911, but am not sure when!
PERCIVAL, CLARA EMILY RENSHAW
GRO Reference: 1881 S Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 458
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1891%2F3284%2F0278&parentid=GBC%2F1891%2F0022687792
I suspect that Clara shacked up with William Edward Tyzack quite early on. Just trying to work out who Calra Paercival was - presumably the neice of the elder Clara?
This is son William's death:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/808460/WILLIAM%20EDWARD%20PARSONS/
He joined up 14 Dec 1914 giving mother as nok.
In the army papers he lists his three 'half-blood siblings':
Arthur Parsons 33 - Kennedy Road Sheffield
Lucy Parsons 36 - 101 Marshall Road, Sheffield
Harold Parsons 31 - somewhere in London
So, he did know Arthur Parsons was not his father.
Mary from Italy
01-12-20, 13:21
I can't see them in incoming passenger lists before 1911.
I can't find Clara on the 1910 US census; there is a William E Parsons, born England, aged 14, lodging in Gloucester, Mass. with an unmarried Texan physician called Frank Logan, but there's an American Parsons family living a couple of doors away, so he may be related to them.
PERCIVAL, CLARA EMILY RENSHAW
GRO Reference: 1881 S Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 458
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1891%2F3284%2F0278&parentid=GBC%2F1891%2F0022687792
I suspect that Clara shacked up with William Edward Tyzack quite early on. Just trying to work out who Calra Paercival was - presumably the neice of the elder Clara?
Persumably after she'd produced three Parsons children though? How do we know the forenames of William's father?
I can't access FMP on this computer, so apologies if that link answers anything!
Ah, OK Clara is "Mrs" Tyzack in 1901! He is William aged 37 from Sheffield - living on own means. They have her niece (see prev post) living with them.
Yes, in 1891 Clara is living with William (Edward?) Tyzack as man and wife and they have her niece by her sister Mary Ann living with them.
Mary from Italy
01-12-20, 13:29
The William Edward Tyzack born in the Eccleshall RD in 1853 was presumably the one living with Clara in 1891.
I can't see them in incoming passenger lists before 1911.
I can't find Clara on the 1910 US census; there is a William E Parsons, born England, aged 14, lodging in Gloucester, Mass. with an unmarried Texan physician called Frank Logan, but there's an American Parsons family living a couple of doors away, so he may be related to them.
There was a Clara coming back (1909??) but she didn't have William with her so I wasn't sure if it was her. I can't find him coming back independently, but clearly he did!
William Edward Tyzack senr married Sarah Ann Mills in 1880 EB district. They are together in 1881. I've not found Sarah Ann after 1881 at the mo.
Sarah should appear in 1891:
Deaths Dec 1900
Tyzack Sarah Ann 45 Ecclesall B. 9c 290
Mary from Italy
01-12-20, 13:38
In 1881 Arthur and Clara were living next door to Mark Royle Tyzack, the brother of William Edward (see 1861 census and GRO index), so the family story of her having an affair with the neighbour's brother was correct.
Yes, but will she appear as Tyzack?!!
In 1881 Arthur and Clara were living next door to Mark Royle Tyzack, the brother of William Edward (see 1861 census and GRO index).
Aha! Bestie saisd she thought Clara's lover's name was Mark & that he was
the reason she went to Boston.
Aha! Bestie saisd she thought Clara's lover's name was Mark & that he was
the reason she went to Boston.
Sorry - I cross posted without seeing you'd already homed in on this.
Passed on some of your findings to Bestie & she says its very exciting & will I
be sure to thank you on her behalf.
Mary from Italy
01-12-20, 13:50
I had a quick look for Tyzacks on the 1910 and 1920 US censuses, but didn't find anyone relevant.
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