Thomas Sampson Williams 1852-1861

In the 1841 English census Mary Sampson is listed first in the household. As a rule the head person is listed first. After Mary are listed her three younger sisters in Grace, Christian/a and Elizabeth. This seems to imply that Mary had a responsibility in running the house. This suggests that both her parents had died.  Mary’s occupation is listed as: Works at mine. Mary’s age is given as 25 whilst her sisters were all given the same age of 15 which is incorrect. Mary’s sisters were also listed as working in the mines. The census found these sisters living in Goldsithney, Cornwall. Next door was the household of their eldest brother John Sampson with his wife Ann and four children in John, James, Grace and William.

Within a few years of the census Mary was living in Botallack when she married Richard Williams on 5 June 1843 in St Just in Penwith. The marriage details: Richard (age 38) was a widower and was described as a miner/sojourner living in Botallack. His father was Richard Williams, a miner. Mary (age 28)was a spinster and was described as a sojourner living in Botallack. Her father was John Sampson, a miner.

Mary and Richard were living in Carnyorth when their daughter Mary Jane Williams was baptised on 14 Sep 1845 and also living in Carnyorth when their boys in Richard and Thomas were baptised on 22 Jul 1849. Thomas died the very next year and was buried  on 9 Jul 1850 at the St Just church. The burial record indicates that the family had moved and were living in Churchtown. By the time of the 1851 census the family was living in North Place, Lafrowda, St Just in Penwith. The 1851 census reveals that the next son born was also given the name of Thomas and was one month of age when the census was taken. This Thomas was given the middle name of Sampson and was baptised on 8 Dec 1852 at St Just in Penwith. The census record for 1851 is given below:

Richard Williams died in 1857 and his death entry reads as follows:

Sadly, Thomas Sampson Williams died 5 Jan 1861 at 10 years of age. He had suffered from fever for three weeks and contracted encephalitis in his last week. Residence at time of death was Church Town, St Just in Penwith. The death certificate records that Jane Allen was present at the time of death.

The 1861 census describes Mary Williams as a widow of 46 years of age and she had an occupation listed as Char Woman and lived in Bosorne, St Just in Penwith. With Mary are her two surviving children in Mary Jane Williams 15, tin dresser and Richard Williams 14 a tin miner. What follows is the census entry for 1861:

By the 1871 census Richard (the son) is not listed as he migrated to Australia in 1864. He boarded the ship Red Jacket which departed from Liverpool and arrived in Melbourne on 21 Dec 1864. His age is given as 17 and occupation as labourer. Richard Williams later appears when he marries Mary Jane Tonkin in Moonta Mines, South Australia on 25 Dec 1871.  Mary is now a fruitrer aged 56 with her home in Fore Street, St Just in Penwith. Her daughter Mary Jane is with her. Mary Jane’s occupation is given as an Assistant. Assume Mary Jane helped her Mum with the fruit business. A copy of the 1871 census is provided below:

In Kelly’s Directory of Cornwall 1873, under the town of St Just in Penwith, Mary appears to be listed as Wlliams, Mary (Mrs) shopkeeper, Fore Street. However after this we lose track of Mary and her daughter Mary Jane. Further research needed: What happened to Mary Williams and her daughter Mary Jane Williams? They do not appear in the 1881 census.