Sarah Burnett

Died 1st October 1849

                                                 Above: The large Burnett family on the 1841 census

Sarah Burnett  died, aged only 4, on 1st October 1849. she was one of the eleven children (at least) born to Thomas and Jane Burnett.

Father Thomas was a shoemaker in Clayport. His parents were Elizabeth (Dixon) and William Burnett, also a shoemaker. They were married on 14th July 1817 in St. Michael’s Church. Their first child was named Thomas Dixon Burnett and baptised in the Sion Chapel, then in Bondgate on 25/1/1818.

                                                Above: Thomas Dixon Burnetts baptism in 1818

Thomas Dixon was the eldest, and other siblings included: John b 9/4/20: Ann baptised 27/9/1822: Robert born 7/10/1827: Elias b. 1830 and Dixon b. 14/12/32.

Thomas Dixon Burnett married Jane Davison (1821-1863) sometime before 1839 when their first child Elizabeth was born. She was  followed by Jane, then Sarah and Ann-both baptised on 1st December 1844, (so possibly twins): John Dixon, William, another Ann (1849-1912), then another Sarah (1851-1925), Mary (1854-1935), Thomas (1857-1931), and Isabella (1859-1943).

A grand daughter Grace Darling Burnett (1860 -1935) was living with them too. Grace was the daughter of Elizabeth who never married, and by 1871 was an inmate of Newcastle Royal Infirmary being treated for an illness due to being a prostitute.

Sarah Burnett died age 4 in the cholera outbreak. Her (twin) sister, Ann had died before her, age 14 months so Jane went on to have two other daughters with the same names, as was common in those days.

Mother Jane died in 1865 having delivered at least 11 children in 25 years of marriage. Thomas became a boot and shoemaker for the Military. His son, John Dixon joined him in the business. William became a coach painter, and son Thomas became a tailor.

Thomas lived in Blyth’s Yard, Clayport. Later when all his children had dispersed he was living, probably in the same property, with his granddaughter Grace, her husband Robert Brewis, a mason and their children.

Thomas died in 1897 age 79, having seen so much sadness of his family dying before him.