John Sullivan 1854 – 1892

For tree with ancestors of David Sullivan 1828 see his page- link on next line..

1854. Born 19/12/1854 at 14, Alfred Place, Newington Causeway, Southwark. His parents were David Sullivan a Builder-Master, and Jane Richards, who married in 1850.. Birth Certificate BS1. He was baptised 15-4-1855 at St. George's RCC, John son of David & Jane Sullivan (Richards) God parents. Joseph Sullivan & Ann Teresa Sullivan.  Rev. J. Danell. Ref. 118-1854. His uncle & godparent Joseph Sullivan was living in 14 Alfred Place in 1851. I do not know who Ann Teresa Sullivan was - various possibilities for Ann Sullivan in 1861C. He was the 2nd of 8 siblings, 2 of whom definitely die in childhood.

 

Newington Causeway 1860s

19? Walcot Place, Lambeth 2008

1861 Census.   John Sullivan, aged 6, living at 19 Walcot Place, Lambeth. So family has moved back to Lambeth, from Southwark-Newington Causeway, after 1858, when sibling Catherine was born Southwark, and can afford a servant.

(The presence of Anne Richards 28 here, after she appears in 1851C, living with sister Elizabeth Andrews [ nee Richards], Hannah Andrews’ mother, shows me that Elizabeth Andrews and Jane Sullivan are sisters, and thus the marriage of John Sullivan to Hannah Andrews in 1884, is thus a marriage of first cousins.)

The odd thing about this census entry is his father's occupation, not that of a plasterer or builder. Maybe the enumerator made a mistake, this occupation being that of his wife, or maybe he had decided that joining his wife and her sister was more profitable. The family are not at subsistance level in that they can afford a servant.

1866 His elder sister Jane Sullivan dies, aged 13, Jun Lambeth 1d.233.

For some reason the Sullivans move to Islington between 1866 & 1871.

1871 Census.  John Sullivan, aged 16, clerk, living at 367 Holloway Road, Islington.

Again this is a change of occupation for his father. And they still have a servant.

1872. Another sister Louisa Sullivan is born Jun Islington

1875. He is the informant on the 9/7/1875 death of his mother, Jane Sullivan. Then living at 367 Holloway Road, Islington.

From the Southwark Rates Books, I noted- 2014,- that Frances Markham was at 72 Crampton Street between 1872 and that John Sullivan was there 1876-1880 : thus seemingly at odds with the following:

1878. The occupier of 72 Crampton Street was Isaac Joseph - Southwark Rate Books - so John seemingly not yet living there ??, or could have been as a tenant/lodger

1880. His father, David Sullivan, 50, dies on 22/10/1880 at 94 Englefield Road, Islington, leaving ~£100. He, John, living 72, Crampton St., Newington Butts

72 Crampton Street, Newington - 2008

1881C. His sister Louisa Sullivan,9, is still living at 94 Englefield Road with their aunt, Annie Richards [ sister of Jane Sullivan] , 45, annuitant. Maybe she received most of David Sullivan's money, < £100 , to care for young orphan Louisa.

1881 Census.  John Sullivan, 24, is living with Frances Markham [nee Andrews] (a cousin -his mother, Jane Richards, and her mother, Elizabeth Richards, are sisters - and sister of his future wife,  Hannah Andrews) and her family at 72, Crampton St., Newington. Listed as John O’Sullivan, 24, and is a decorative artist. He probably moved back to his childhood district [Lambeth/Newington] on his father's death.

1884.  Aged 29, John Sullivan marries his first cousin, Hannah Andrews, 30, who has 2 fatherless children, Maud Marion Andrews, aged 11, and Jessie Andrews, aged 1, and lends his name to the younger. The marriage takes place on 18/11/1884 in St. Saviour Register Office. He is given as aged 29, a sign writer. The address for both is 16, Draper St [no longer exists but in the same area as Hanover Street, where Hannah Andrews was living in 1871-1873+], Newington. His father given as David Sullivan, deceased, builder. Hers as Charles Andrews, deceased, carpenter. Witnesses are J. A. Wells and Robert Roberts.

Hannah was in fact 34. Was it a marriage of convenience between cousins?, to provide Jessie with a 'father' ? This marriage takes place exactly one week after that of his youngest sister, Clara, to Charles Andrews [a nephew of Hannah's].

Could there have been a child of this union? In 1911C, Hannah Sullivan claims to have had a 3rd child who died- this could have been born anytime between 1866 and 1892, being born and dying between censuses. Unfortunately, from BMD, there are more than 30 possibilities for the birth and death of such a child. No baptism on IGI to a John & Hannah Sullivan, but then Maud and Jessie wre not baptised. Just 4 possibilities are John Sullivan, born Mar/Sep 1885 and dying, aged 0, Sep 1885, John Sullivan born and died Jun 1887 and John Sullivan born and died Dec 1890, all St. Saviour Southwark. Also Elizabeth[ the name of Hannah's mother] Sullivan possibilities and many other Andrews & Sullivan babes born and died aged 0.

1888-1892. John Sullivan seemingly not in London Electoral registers- Ancestry

1891 Census.   Living at 12, York Street, Southwark, in 4 rooms of an 8 roomed house, 2 other families in the rest of the house .

1892. John Sullivan dies, aged 36, House painter Journeyman, 13/1/1892, at 12 York Street, of Diabetes Coma, informant H.Sullivan, widow of deceased, present at the death, same address. Have d.c. DS2. St. Saviour, ref. 1d.173,’Mar’.No probate

He was buried in Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 30 years later his widow, Hannah, was also buried in this cemetery

 

His grave in an area of public graves (up to 8 persons in each). Most of the headstones are missing but a few survive to confirm the approximate dates.  The two photos are the best John could do to capture the general area.The cemetery was originally privately owned until 1966 when the company became bankrupt.  It was then taken into the care of the GLC who wanted to demolish all the headstones and clear the site for a park. There was a great fuss made about this and so they locked the gates and left it for 30 years! Now a trust has been set up to look after the site but with only three staff, they rely on volunteers mainly: it is designated a nature park.

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Was he buried here because his father, David, also was :laid to rest there in 1880??: we do not know where David was buried, but he died Islington , some 6/7k WNW

http://www.fothcp.org/research-a-grave

The above entry was discovered by John Lyons in 2018 , after years of searching

3 & 1/2 refers to Hour; Yes to certificate; Z?? 979 to No. : most other entries give R 95 here, but there are Z? 979, 977 & 975

 

The City of London & Tower Hamlets Cemetery Company had 2 sets of records: the first one found by John Lyons , and above is the second one for John Sullivan on 21/2/1892, maybe showing a grave number Z 979? : 2nd set for Hannah just says Sullivan, aged 71, 16/2/1922

Skipton Street [York st. was thus renamed] in 1904.

Summary of places that he lived.