Sarah Ann was born in the third quarter of 1848 in Huish Episcopi, Somerset to William Rue and his wife Susan.
She had one older sister (by 3 years) and her parents had previously had twin boys, who both died very young.
In the 1851 census in Huish, we see Sarah aged 2 with her parents, her older sister Jane and her younger sister the 3 month old
Caroline.
In the 1861 census of Pitney, we see Sarah as a 13 year old, with an occupation which states “glover leather”. She still lives with her parents and her older sister Jane, this time her younger sister is the 9 year old Ellen. Both Caroline and a new baby, Mary, had died in 1854.
I have not found Sarah Ann in the 1871 census when she would have been about 23.
In the 1881 census Sarah Ann is shown as Sarah Ann Sanderson, the wife of James Sanderson, although they did not marry until 1882. She is shown as aged 32 and they are living at 38 Blandford Street in Liverpool. Her husband is a Seaman aged 49 and living with them are 3 young girls – aged 19, 19 and 21 shown as boarders but all without any occupation shown – from London, Hull and Liverpool.
Sarah Ann Rue (34 of 38 Blandford St Liverpool) married James Soniley Saunderson (49 of 33 Robert Street Liverpool a Master Mariner) on 14th February 1882 in the Register Office in Liverpool.
By the 1891 census they have moved again. Living at 20 Adeline Street, Roath in Cardiff we find James Sanderson a 58 year old Sailor with Sarah his wife aged 42 as well as two girls described as his cousins – a 21 year old dressmaker, Sarah Davies who was born in Montgomeryshire in Wales and a 17 year old milliner, Anne Smith who was born in Liverpool. James Sanderson was from Ireland and it seems unlikley that both of these girls were his cousins.
I do not know what happened to James Sanderson/Saunderson but no further record can be found on him. I guess that as a Sailor it is possible that he died abroad or he may have gone back to Ireland.
I also find no record of Sarah Ann Sanderson remarrying however her name does change sometime after 1891 to Harper. Records still being sought!
When Sarah Ann’s mother, Susan Rue, died on 3rd October 1900 in Cardiff, then the informant is Sarah Harper, daughter. This would be her.
She was residing at 2 Wood Street, Cardiff, and was said to be present at the death.
The 1901 census of 2 Wood Street, Cardiff shows Sarah Harper, a 52 year old widow, a wardrobe dealer. This is certainly our Sarah as she gives her place of birth as Huish in Somerset. With her is her “brother”, assumed brother in law, James Harper a 39 year old Tailor who was born in Liverpool. He appears to be of Irish descent. Sarah does not have any children with her.
I have not, as yet, identified what happened next to Sarah, she may have died a Harper, or remarried.