Blog ≫ 2022 ≫ Mary Ann Clark (nee Rayner) 1795 - 1864
I just remembered https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk and thought I'd look up the early life of Joshua Clark. He's the one who went to Dublin, he's Clare's relative and not mine, but I feel sure there is more easy info to be gathered about this family. They lived in a city and seem to have been fairly well to do. I found this1 which is a births and deaths record from a local newspaper, Bradford Observer, from Thursday 09 June 1864.
Same day, aged 70, Mary Ann, relict of Mr. Joshua Clark, of Leeds, formerly of Wakefield.
The names and the dates match up ("same day" refers back to an earlier line, which refers to an earlier reference, which takes us to Tuesday 31st May 1864) so I think that is Mary Ann Rayner. It doesn't get us very much further, but that is a little bit of new info we didn't have before.
She'd be his grandmother. Then another newspaper entry on the same page, but from Wakefield Free Press, Saturday 28 November 1863:
On the 25th inst,, aged 68 years, Mr. Joshua Clark, shop-keeper, Meadow-lane, Leeds, formerly of Wakefield.
So that would be this Joshua Clark, grandfather of the one I was looking for and so far the earliest one in that line we have in the family tree database. At some point I have wondered if I had details of his parents, the details are on here but I don't know if that info was any good. Looks like Leeds Mercury of Friday 27 November 1863 also has a record of his death. But now I've used up my free looks and would have to spend some money. Will think about it after pay day...
This was just my first go at this too. Well this time. Oh and not actually my first attempt this time, I first started looking for The Hallamshire Hotel, where I understand my Nan was evacuated to during the war. I thought the hotel was owned by a relative, but haven't found anything useful.
- Removed old britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000155/18640609/025/0005 link here.