Sage, Mrs R

Also known as: Sarah Sage

Singer

Collection date: Jan 1907

Area: Somerset - Mendips (Harptree & Priddy)

---

Mrs R Sage of Chew Stoke (1832-1922): age 75, 10 songs over several visits commencing 11 Jan 1907: Sharp often put the husband’s initial against a married woman’s name and this is the case here. Mrs Sarah Sage was the wife of Richard Sage, an agricultural labourer.

She was baptised Sarah Gallop on 12/2/1832 at Chew Stoke church, daughter of James Gallop, labourer and his wife Charlotte. She was in domestic service at Butcombe with John Light (farmer 140 acres) in 1851 and seems then to have had 4 children out of wedlock with widower Richard Sage at West Harptree. Richard’s first wife Harriet had died in 1853, leaving 2 young boys. Richard & Sarah regularised their situation by marrying on 19/7/1863 at nearby Compton Martin church. Witnesses to the wedding were their near neighbours at the time the singers George & Lydia Wyatt. Sarah had 5 children baptised on the same day 8/11/1865 at West Harptree church.

The family then moved to Chew Stoke for the next 4 censuses. Richard died in early 1901 and at the 1901 census (RG13/2330 f57 p11) Sarah was shown as Head, aged 69 with daughter Emma and son-in-law John Wedlake, son of singer John Wedlake. Sarah died in Jan qr 1922 age 90 (ref Clutton 5c 719).