1841 aged 30, living at 2 Upper Portland Place, Marylebone in the employment of Barrister Gilbert Young and his wife Emily.
The following letters were copied to me from Julian Hargreaves, a fellow researcher on these lines, and were preserved by Arthur Edward Ward of Barton, many of them inherited from his grandmother Mary Olney in Hexton, and other relatives. They paint a picture of a time when health was of great concern and infant and premature death commonplace. There was also economic pressure and worry over the availability of work, which must have led to the emigration of some Hexton folk in the early 1850s.
1843 Arthur Ainslie Young to Sarah Leach Sowerby Parsonage 29 February 1843 My dear Leachy You know that I promised to write to you before I left home so that I am now going to be as good as my word by scribbling you a little nonsense The cold cream that you got for me has been of great use to me nearly every body in the House complains of chapped lips or hands except me although I do allow a good many dips to be taken out of my pot Now you know Leachy I must of course make some request or other so I should be very glad & very much obliged if you would take those two pair of gloves in my drawer up stairs to be cleaned & send them down with Papa if they come home in time enough. You must read Babys letter to her and give her three (or as many in fact as you like) Kisses to her from me Give my love to Waring I suppose that now we are gone nothing can be caught sight of but Hash & Believe me dear Leachy yours very affectionate Arthur A Young Thursday Morning
``Leachy´´ is Sarah Leach who was in service with the Young family at 2 Upper Portland Place, Marylebone (see also letter no.6).
The 1841 Census shows the Young family living there without their son Arthur. The census also reveals that the Rev. William Bull at Sowerby Parsonage near Halifax, ran a small academy for about five teenage sons of the nobility and gentry;
This letter shows that in 1843, 14-year-old Arthur is attending this, and his father will soon be visiting him there. (Next year he follows his father into law and is admitted to Lincoln´s Inn ). Arthur has also enclosed a letter to ``Baby´´ - who must be his seven-year-old sister Emily Harriet.
Sarah Leach worked for the Young family for forty years, moving with them to Brighton before 1871. Despite research, at present there is no known connection between this Young family and Caroline Young of Hexton manor who married Joseph de Lautour.
1844 . Sarah Leach to her sister Arabella Peck March 12 /44 2 Upper Portland Place Dearest Arabella I address a few words to you with a sincere desire that you will be able to hear them you know i am my dearest sister painfully anxious About your bodily health but am much more so about your spiritual state. what are your hopes now my dearest sister respecting eternity. can you with the eye of faith recognize Jesus as your all sufficient saviour [......................] if you can my dear sister how comforting must the promise be ``I go to prepare a place for you´´ for you, my dear sister [ ......] if you find the promises comforting to you let Mary read two or three verses at a time according as you can bear it [ ...............] if you can before she writes again say a word or two to her about your view pray do so that she may let me know for it is the greatest desire of my heart at this time [...........] reign with Him for ever and ever. and now my dearest sister I must wish you farewell and believe me your most fondly Attach´d Sister Sarah
Sarah writes in expectation of Arabella´s death. This letter crossed with the previous one with news of the death and is mainly a religious tract, so it has been edited here. SOURCE Julian Hargreaves
1851 living at Croydon and employed as housekeeper to the Young family.
1871 aged 62, living at 5 Western Terrace, Brighton, still with the Young family.
1880 LEACH Sarah
9 April. The Will of Sarah Leach late of 46 Sillwood-road Brighton in the County of Sussex Spinster who died 28 February 1880 at 46 Sillwood-road was proved at the Principal Registry by Emily Harriette Beaumont Young of 46 Sillwood-road Spinster the sole Executrix. Personal Effects under £100.
Sarah LEACH |
Thomas Rainbow son of Thomas and Sarah LEACH bapt 12th August 1810/ www.findmypast.co.uk