Sarah Sophia Armitage

     

Sarah Sophia Armitage was born, 25 February 1874, in Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, England. Her birth was indexed in the first quarter of 1874.^1,2,3,4 She was the daughter of Charles Armitage and Sarah Maria Wood.

I have a hand-written note from Sarah, my grandmother, indicating details of my father's ancestry as well as her own. She indicated that her mother was Sarah Maria Woods and her grandmother was Sarah Sophia Massey, who married John Woods. This is impossible, because the Sarah Maria Woods born to John Woods and Sarah Sophia Massey was born in 1803 and would have had 10 children born to her at age 60-75. I believe that Sarah Sophia Massey was her grand-mother, as herein recorded.

John Evan Armitage, Mary Armitage, Edward Armitage, William Armitage, Sarah Sophia Armitage, Ernest Armitage and Lucy Armitage were listed as children in the household of Charles Armitage and his wife, Sarah Maria Armitage on the 1881 British Census, at 21 Bradgate Street, in Ashton Under Lyne, Saint Peters Parish, Lancashire, England. She was also listed as a scholar.⁵

The attached is a studio photo of Sarah Sophia (seated) and her sister Lucy Armitage, taken in Oldham, about the time of Sarah's marriage, 1896.

Sarah Sophia Armitage married John Park Cheyne 1896, in Ashton-Under-Lyne Parish, Lancashire, England. A marriage of Sarah Sophia Armitage was listed on the England Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983 as having taken place in the last quarter of 1896 in Ashton-Under-Lyne Parish, Lancashire, England. A similar listing for John Park Cheyne appeared same quarter, same volume, same page, but the location was Aston, Warwick. Did the transcriber mistake Aston and Ashton?⁶

The John Park Cheyne family, studio photo taken at Oldham Parish, Lancashire, England, about 1898.

Sarah Sophia Cheyne and her husband, John Park Cheyne, were listed on the 1901 British Census, at 60 Quail Street, in Clarksfield, Oldham Parish, Lancashire, England. They were listed as the head of household and wife. Also present listed as their children were, Ernest Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne.⁷

The attached is a photo of Sarah Sophia Cheyne, taken in Fraserburgh, about 1908.

The attached is a studio photo of the John Park Cheyne family, taken in Fraserburgh, about 1908. From the left Sarah, Margaret, Alexander, Ernest and John Park Cheyne; the older boy was Laurence Armitage.

The John Park Cheyne family, studio photo taken at Fraserburgh, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland, about 1910. The oldest boy was Laurence Armitage, an adopted son (and Sarah's nephew).

The attached is a photo of Ernest, Sarah Sophia, Margaret and Alexander Cheynes, taken at Workingham, about 1919, probably just before Ernest and Alexander departed for the USA.

S. S. Cheyne was named the mother and closest relative of Ernest Cheyne on a passenger list dated 23 February 1920. She resided at 55 Hardy Street, Oldham, England.⁸

Sarah Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne were found on a passenger list, dated 16 August 1920, at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They were on a Manifest of Alien Passengers aboard the Megantic, out Liverpool, on 7 August. Mother and daughter were joining, Laurence Cheyne Armitage, listed as step-son, who resided at 676 Pennsylvania Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was their final destination. Sarah was 44 years of age, a widow, a housewife and was born in Ashton-Under-Lyne; Margaret was 22, single, a clerk and born in Oldham. Both were British Subjects of English race. Their contact in England was a friend, Mrs. Buckley, 267 Buckstones Road, Near Oldham, Lancashire. Listed immediately after them was a David Finlayson, 24, lather, also joining Laurence Armitage.³

Sarah Sophia Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne were found on a passenger list, dated 18 August 1920, at Quebec, Quebec, Canada. They were on a Manifest of Passengers aboard the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, out Liverpool. They were destined for Detroit, Michigan. Sarah was 39 years of age and a widow. Margaret was 24 and single. Both were born in England of English race.⁹

Photo of Sarah Sophia taken about 1925.

Sarah Sophia Cheyne married (?) Guymer circa 1925. He either died or they separated before the 1930 census. She was known with the Guymer surname the rest of her life.

Sarah Sophia Guymer was listed as a roomer in the household of Margaret Ortwine on the 1930 US Census at 524 Montclair, in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA. This was the household of her son, Alexander's (32) wife's mother. Also present was her other son, Ernest Cheyne (31). She was also listed as not working and that she immigrated in 1920. It also showed that she had filed First Papers for naturalization to the US.¹⁰

Lucy Buckley nee Armitage (54) wrote a note to her sister, Sarah Cheyne (27), about 1935. Their brother, Ernest (53) and Lucy's daughter, Ville (14419) were also mentioned.¹¹

Not long after a visit to my grandmother, Sarah Sophia (27), while she was living in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan, USA, she sent me the attached note. This note was the total extent of my knowledge of my Cheyne side of the family. Not until 1988, did I have the chance to do any genealogical research. With this note, I first ventured into the fascinating world of genealogy at the LDS Center in Mesa, Arizona.

Sarah Sophia Armitage died 22 August 1960 Her remembrance card reads: "Sarah S. Guymer. Mrs. Guymer passed away August 22, 1960 at the age of 86 years. She was born February 25, 1874 in Manchester, England and had been a resident of Royal Oak for the past 20 years. She leaves two grandsons, Donald and James Cheyne, and two great grand-children. Funeral services will be at the Spiller-Spitler Funeral Home, 836 North Main Street, Royal Oak, Thursday August 25, 1960 at 2 PM, Rev Orrin Van Loon, Jr. will officiate. Burial will be in Oakview Cemetery." in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan, USA.

Sarah Sophia Armitage was buried 25 August 1960, at Oakview Cemetery, in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan, USA..