James BRATT, BRETT, or BRITT was born about 1783, in or near London, England, the son of Thomas and Ruth BRETT. His brothers and sisters are not known. He may be the same one who was christened 29 Apr 1787, in St Andrews, Holborn, the son of Thomas and Ruth BRETT. If so, he may have been the brother of Ruth BRETT, christened 12 Jan 1783, in Saint Saviour, Southwark, Surrey; and of Anne BRETT, christened 20 Feb 1785, in the same place. Both girls were children of Thomas and Ruth BRETT.
Sarah UPSTONE was born between 1790 and 1794, reportedly in Gloucestershire, England, the probable daughter of William UPSTONE. Some family records report her name as Sarah Ann UPSTONE, but a primary source has never been found substantiating this claim. One of the clues to her parentage comes from information left by her daughter, Sarah Ann Brett Wright Corbett PHILIPS, who said her mother had sisters, Hannah and Ann.
From the records of the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah, dated 1867, Sarah Ann Britt PHILLIPS completed temple ordinances for Sarah UPSTONE, Hannah UPSTONE, and Ann UPSTONE, all of “Gloucester”. Sarah PHILLIPS’ relationships to these ladies was recorded as “Grand daughter” to Sarah; “Niece” to Hannah; and “Niece” to Ann. It has always been assumed the “Grand daughter” relationship was in error, either by Sarah’s mis-stating the relationship or by the clerk mis-hearing and mis-writing the relationship. If the relationship should have been “Daughter”, then these three ladies were sisters. If the relationship truly was “Grand daughter”, then Hannah and Ann (aunts of Sarah Ann Brett PHILIPS) would have been daughters of Sarah, and UPSTONE would have been Sarah’s married name, not her maiden name. In other words, Sarah would have been the mother of the family, and Hannah and Ann would have been the daughters. The trouble with that reasoning is that Sarah Ann Brett PHILIPS’ mother would have not been named, only her aunts and grandmother. If the relationship was “Grand daughter” then the question must be asked why Sarah Ann was doing temple ordinances for her grandmother and two aunts, and not for her own mother. From emigration records, it is known that Sarah (mother) and Sarah Ann (daughter) left England together and, since Sarah Upstone Brett ALLCOCK died enroute, Sarah Ann knew temple ordinances needed to be done for her. Family records have always reported Sarah UPSTONE as the mother of Sarah Ann. Manchester LDS Branch records report that the parents of Charles BRETT (as reported by Charles BRETT himself) were James BRETT and Sarah UPSTONE; and the parents of Sarah Ann Bratt WRIGHT (as reported by herself) were James BRATT and Sarah UPSTONE. For a Patriarchal Blessing given to Sarah Ann PHILIPS, 1 Feb 1875, she reported her parents as John BRETT and Sarah UPSTON. The obvious conclusion is that the mother of Sarah Ann Brett Wright Corbett PHILIPS was Sarah UPSTONE, and Sarah Ann’s aunts were Hannah and Ann. Therefore, the family into which Sarah UPSTONE was born had to have included a father, William, and three daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Ann.
Records for Sarah UPSTONE’s parents had never been found. Her grandson, James Brigham WRIGHT, gave her birth date as 1790. Her other grandson, Thomas Brett WRIGHT, gave her birth date as 1794. Her birthplace has been variously identified as either “Gloucester” or “Gloucestershire, England”. Both grandsons reported Sarah’s father to have been William UPSTONE. All of the parish registers for Gloucester for that period have been searched and no record of christening has been found. Most of the parish registers for Gloucestershire have been extracted and no record for Sarah UPSTONE, christened 1790-1794, has been found, even though some UPSTONE records are included. Therefore, the logical result has to be that (1) her christening was not recorded, (2) her christening record is contained in a parish not extracted, or (3) her christening took place outside of Gloucestershire. A record has never been found where she, personally, during her lifetime, reported her own birth date, or birthplace. Sarah’s age at the time of her emigration in 1856 was given as 66. In the International Genealogical Index of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was found a William UPSTONE family in Ascott Under Wychwood, Oxfordshire, with daughters Sarah (christened 9 Feb 1792), Hannah (christened 9 Feb 1792), and Ann (christened 13 Jul 1794). This parish is located about four miles east of the Gloucestershire boundary, in Oxfordshire. There is no irrefutable proof this is the right family, but circumstantially it is likely. The family fingerprint consisting of father, William, and daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Ann; the coincidence of the dates; the close proximity to Gloucestershire; and no evidence to the contrary are all strong evidences that this is the sought-after family. There has been found no marriage or death record for Sarah UPSTONE in Ascott Under Wychwood Parish records, or in any of the surrounding parishes, so it is presumed she married and died elsewhere. This adds to the circumstantial evidence of this being the right Sarah UPSTONE. Sarah’s birth family consisted of father, William UPSTONE, christened 1760; and mother, Ann ROSE, christened 1765. They were married in 1787 and had 10 children, namely William, 1787; Michael, 1789; Hannah (twin), 1792; Sarah (twin), 1792; Ann, 1794; Philip, 1797; Jane, 1800; James, 1803; Mary, 1806; and Cecilia, 1810. For some reason Sarah UPSTONE went to London, about 70 miles to the east of Ascott Under Wychwood. She would have been 18 years old in 1810, so it probably happened between then and the birth of her first child, Charles, in 1817. James BRETT and Sarah UPSTONE are reported to have been married 18 Feb 1819, at Saint Giles in the Field Parish, Middlesex County, England, located on the west side of London, near Saint Pancras and Saint Marylebone Parishes. It is also reported their first child was christened in Feb 1817, two years before their marriage. One or both dates may be incorrect. They had six children, namely (1) Charles, christened 25 Feb 1817, residence Tash Street, Grayshm Lane, trade-servant; (2) George Frederick, born 15 Oct 1818, christened 9 Nov 1818, residence A. or D. alten Wale, trade-ostler; (3) John James, born 24 Jan 1820, christened 13 Mar 1820, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-servant; twins (4) Eleanor and (5) Sukey, born 16 Jan 1823, christened 24 Jan 1823, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-ostler; and (6) Sarah Ann, born 7 Nov 1824, christened 23 Jan 1825, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-ostler. Charles was christened in Bloomsbury, but the remaining five children were christened in Holborn. Both areas are located on the northwest side of London. At the time of these births, their residences were given as Tash or Lash Street, Graysham Lane (1817) or as Little Graysham Lane (1820-1824). James’ occupation was given as either “servant” or “ostler” (a person who takes care of horses at an inn or stable). No known record exists concerning the family from 1825 (christening of Sarah Ann BRETT) to the 1841 census. By the time of the 1841 census, Sarah had married William ALCOCK or ALLCOCK, and was living in Leek, Staffordshire, England, which is located about 30 miles south southeast of Manchester, 50 miles north northwest of Birmingham, and about 150 miles northwest of London. It is presumed James BRETT died after the birth of his last child, Sarah Ann (1824), and before the marriage of his wife, Sarah, to William ALCOCK (before 1841). However, it is also possible that they divorced. If James BRETT died before Sarah’s marriage to William ALCOCK, it is not known if the death (or divorce) happened before or after the move to Leek. Neither is it known where or when Sarah married William ALCOCK. Neither a death record for James BRETT nor a marriage record to William ALLCOCK has been found. From British LDS Mission Records, dated 25 Sep 1840, a report stated that several members of the Leek Branch, in Staffordshire, had received the gift of tongues, among which was Sister ALCOCK. This may or may not have been Sarah Upstone Brett ALCOCK, since there were many others by the name of ALCOCK in the area. However, nothing is known of how many ALCOCKs had joined the LDS Church. At the time of the 1841 census, William and Sarah ALCOCK were listed on Derby Street, in Leek, Staffordshire, England. His occupation was reported as stonemason, age 56, Sarah ALCOCK’s was dressmaker, age 50, and Sarah Ann BRATT’s was silk weaver, age 15. The 1831 Directory of Staffordshire listed a William ALCOCK, stone mason, on Spooner’s Lane, in Leek, along with another William ALCOCK, who was a baker, flour dealer, etc. This seems to indicate that either William ALCOCK, stonemason, had moved to Leek prior to 1831, or that Sarah met and married him there (if the marriage happened after 1831). That is, of course, if the 1831 stonemason was the same one married to Sarah Upstone BRETT. Sometime during the 1840s, the ALLCOCK family moved to Ardwick, a part of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, England. LDS Branch records include the names of William and Sarah ALLCOCK (and ALCOCK), reporting they were baptized in 1844 and received from Leek, Staffordshire. They were included in a membership book covering the period 1841-1852, and in another covering the period 1838-1846. Therefore it seems logical they went there between 1844 and 1846. William, Sarah, Charles, and Sarah Ann joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 1840s while living in Leek, and then moved to Manchester. They attended the Manchester Branch of the LDS Church, in which records they were reported to have been baptized in 1844, and to have moved to Manchester from Leek. At the time of the daughters, Sarah Ann BRETT’s, marriage to Andrew WRIGHT (1849), her address was Chancery Lane, in Ardwick (a section of Manchester). At the time of Sarah Upstone ALCOCK’s emigration to the United States, her address was 48 Chancery Lane, Ardwick. The 1848 Directory and Street Register of Manchester and Salford included the name of William ALCOCK, greengrocer, at 24 Chancery Lane. This could be a son of William ALCOCK (stone mason), since the occupation is so different. However, it could have been the same person. The 1851 census for Manchester is only partially readable, and the names of William and Sarah ALCOCK have not been found. It is presumed their names were included in the unreadable portion. Entries for Chancery Lane are less than 50% readable. Census takers asked for the birthplace of each individual, so she may have reported the parish where she was born, if it was readable. In December 1851, Sarah’s daughter, Sarah Ann Brett WRIGHT, was living at 50 Birch Street, Ardwick. The 1852 Directory for Manchester had William ALLCOCK, greengrocer, living at 24 Chancery Lane. This appears to have been the same person as was listed for 1848. The 1855 Directory and Street Register of Manchester and Salford included the name of John J. BRATT, greengrocer, at 73 Chancery Lane, and William ALLCOCK, policeman, Chancery Lane. John J. BRATT is presumed to have been the son of Sarah Upstone Brett ALLCOCK, and William ALLCOCK to have been her stepson. It is unknown when or where William ALCOCK, stonemason, died, but Sarah Upstone Brett ALCOCK was listed as a widow at the time of her emigration in May 1856. The LDS handcart project became very popular with the Saints in Europe, especially among those who hitherto had been unable to raise sufficient means to emigrate. Many of them, carried away by the idea of gathering to Zion that season, left their various employments in their native land before proper arrangements had been completed for their transportation. The result was that they were left to choose between the alternative of remaining at home to starve, go to the poor house, or else face the danger of a late journey across the plains. They chose the latter course, to which the Presidency of the British Mission, seeing no better way out of the difficulty, acquiesced, and directed matters to that end. Accordingly the ships Horizon and Thornton were chartered, which brought over the Atlantic most of the emigrants who suffered so much crossing the plains and mountains in James G. WILLIE's and Edward MARTIN's handcart companies, and William B. HODGETT's and John S. HUNT's wagon trains, which followed close behind the handcart companies. Most of the members of MARTIN's company crossed the Atlantic in the ship Horizon that sailed from Liverpool, England and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. Edward MARTIN was returning from a British mission and fathered the Horizon's passengers as well as being the Captain of the fifth handcart company of 1856. Manchester Branch records reported that Sarah (mother) and Sarah Ann (daughter) emigrated to the United States on 23 May 1856. Sarah Ann longed to go to America to join the Saints in Zion (Utah). On Thursday, 8 May 1856, she was notified that she and her children could substitute for a couple, Richard and Sarah Ann BRADSHAW and a James ALLEN who had booked passage on the ship Horizon, but had changed their minds and were not going. Knowing the Church had set up a Perpetual Emigration Fund to help the Saints go to Zion, Sarah Ann and her mother went at once to the ship's Captain to verify the notification and to receive their certificates of transportation. Captain William REED did not want to take Sarah Upstone ALCOCK, who gave her age as 66 years. He said the journey was too long and hazardous for older people and it would take them six weeks or longer on the relatively little sailing vessel. Sarah ALCOCK started to cry and said she would rather go and be buried at sea than to be left to die alone in England. (The locations of Sarah’s other children have never been discovered, so it is not known why she used the word “alone”.) Captain REED finally consented and they hurried home to prepare for the long and perilous journey. By great sacrifice and hard work they were ready in two weeks and boarded the ship Horizon on Friday, 23 May 1856, at Liverpool Wharf, bound for Boston. They had to wait for a favorable trade wind and finally set sail on Sunday, 25 May 1856. Edward MARTIN, Jesse HAVEN, and George P. WAUGH were in charge of the company of 856 Saints on board. The Steward was John THOMPSON; Cooks were Henry HAMILTON and Joseph JACKSON; Historian was John JACQUES; and Sergeant of the Guard was Elder F.C. ROBINSON. Most of the Saints were poor. The Perpetual Emigrating Fund financed passage for 635 of them. Sarah Ann WRIGHT, her three children, and her mother would never see their beloved homeland again, and probably never dreamed of the hardship, sacrifice and suffering that awaited them on this long, sad journey. Their certificates read: Sarah ALCOCK, age 66, of 48 Chancery Lane, Ardwick, Manchester; Sarah Ann WRIGHT, age 29, wife, from 98 Chancery Lane, Ardwick, Manchester; and three children, James B. age 11, Thomas age 4, and Emma age 2. Their notification number was 183. The vessel Horizon had been built in 1854, displaced 1,775 tons, was 220 feet long, 42 feet at midships, and a large ship for her time, even though small in comparison to later ships. She had three masts, three decks, a square stern, and a figurehead. Captain REED was from Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a mariner of considerable experience as well as being part owner of the vessel. From her bow a glassy-eyed eagle with a long orange beak spread its painted wings for flight. The ship lay anchored in Bramley Moore Dock, in Liverpool. Elder Silas H. WHEELOCK had hastily composed a few lines entitled "Farewell, our Native Land, Farewell" for the departing Saints to sing on leaving England. It was but a few lines that ran as follows: Our gallant ship is underway to bear me out to sea, And yonder floats the steamer gay that says she waits for me. The seamen dip their ready oars as ebbing waves oft tell, To bear us swiftly from the shore, my native land farewell. As the gay decorated steamer towed the Horizon the sound was heard above all other noise and din "My native land farewell." On Fri, 23 May 1856, (about midday,) the ship Horizon was tugged out into the River Mersey (and cast anchor in the river). Soon after leaving the dock a disagreement occurred between the mates and some of the crew who had declined to obey orders, and a regular fistfight took place. Two or three bloody faces figured in the scene. The first mate paced the deck, flourishing a Colt revolver, and swearing and threatening grandly, but did not use the weapon. Several of the crew were sent ashore, and other men came on board in their place. The mate complained that the troublemakers had come on board to plunder the passengers and the rest of the crew. On board ship, there were nine wards with a president over each ward. Presidents were Elders John ENNIOR, 1st; Thomas B. BRODERICK, 2nd; Robert HOLT, 3rd; Henry A. SQUIRES, 4th; Thomas LEAH, 5th; James STONE, 6th; John JACQUES, 7th; Peter MAYOR, 8th; and Robert EVANS, 9th. John TOONE was clerk. Rising in the morning was scheduled for 6 a.m. and clearing of the deck by passengers was to be not later than 9 p.m. The food consisted of salt beef, salt pork and vegetables with sea biscuits by way of bread (and peas, rice, sugar, tea and some dried fruits sometimes ). The cook would generally have some kind of pudding as a side dish. Sometimes the drinking water would stink so they could hardly use it for two or three days, then it would be good again. The passengers likely slept anywhere there was room to make a bed. The bunks were along the two sides of the hold--three tiers of wooden boxlike spaces. They were close enough together that when occupants sat up, they bumped their heads. The family likely spread straw on the bunks and rolled out their quilts on top, then hung tin cups on nails in the bunk partitions and tied down pans and jugs with twine. The berths for two passengers were about six feet long and four feet four inches wide. The ends were to the side of the vessel. As the ship made its way down the river Mersey on her way to the Irish Channel and, ultimately America, the passengers stood on the main deck in a drizzling rain, clutching their cloaks about them, as they strained for one last glimpse of their homeland before it gradually disappeared into the mist. The ship's course was planned to take her around Cape Clear on the western tip of Ireland, and out into the Atlantic toward her 3,000-mile-distant destination. On Sunday, 25 May, about 9 a.m., the steamship Great Conquest came alongside bringing the captain and others. It took the Horizon out into the Irish Sea about 20 miles, and left in the afternoon, taking back those who had come to see off the emigrants, plus the river pilot. On the same day, 25 May, they came in sight of the Welsh hills, which view lingered into the evening due to sailing into a head wind. The second day out (in St. George's Channel) they encountered a gale that came nearly capsizing the ship. Precautions had been taken to avoid such a disaster as this, but it happened nevertheless. They had lashed their loose belongings and supposed they were safe, but the storm was a hard one. It came near being fatal in some instances as not only goods turned topsy turvy, but some of the old and feeble people were felled to the deck with such violence that they were rendered helpless for a few days and this proved to be the first day of a much talked of seasickness which also proved very injurious to the greater number on board. However, even the very sick could render service to others afflicted, and what made the case more pitiable, horrible dysentery attacked the majority of the passengers. Medicines were plenty but they seemed to have no affect. This state of things made it hard on the few who were not afflicted to such an extent. This state of affairs lasted for about eight days when it grew less severe, but it stayed with a few until arrival at the port of Boston. On Thursday, 29 May, they were in sight of the land of Murphies, (near Cork, Ireland) and the pilot left the vessel. On Friday, 30 May, Kinsale barracks were still in sight (in County Cork, on the southwest shore of Ireland). Sarah Upstone ALCOCK was very sick, but gradually got even worse. She said, "If you will just send for the Elders, I know I will get better." But the Captain insisted on the doctor treating her. She became worse and passed away. Sister Sarah ALLCOCK from Manchester Branch, died Saturday, 31 May, at 12:30 a.m., just after midnight, of the flux (diarrhea), age 66 (probably near Cape Clear, the extreme southwest point of Ireland). A baby was born later in the morning to Sister Eliza PEARS, of Bradford, and lived only a few minutes. The Counselor to Edward MARTIN reported Sarah ALLCOCK was buried at sea about 8:00 a.m., on Saturday, 31 May 1856. This was just one day short of a week since they boarded the ship. The journal of Joseph BEECROFT contained the following entry. “During the day (30 May) the wind gradually rose till night when [p.13] it blew quite a gale which made the ship heave very much and brought on much sickness; so much so that so that [SIC] an aged sister died about 2 o’clock (a.m.). Just as I was going to bed I felt sick and in vomiting my throat became very sore, which caused me much misery. This day weak. We left the dock and we were only so far that I could see the land in Ireland up to 6 o’clock p.m. (Saturday 31) I awoke about 2 o’clock (a.m.) and the ship was rocking, heaving in a very unpleasant manner. I heard much crying which caused me to think that someone was dead. I got up about six, but felt free from sickness, but had a deal of pain in my throat. I found that the wind had abated but the sea was still on motion with the force that it had acquired.....During the morning Sister Eliza Pears was confined, gave birth to a daughter, which makes the 3rd birth on ship board.” A later entry dated 1 Jun, stated “Yesterday about 7 o’clock Sister Eliza Pear’s child died and the old woman who died in the morning was launched into the deep through the porthole without any ceremony.” To prepare Sarah for burial they strapped her to a big board with weights on it. She was put on a long plank and after a short service the plank was raised and she slid down it into the sea. Her grandson, James Brigham WRIGHT, was heart broken and he said it was one of the hardest things he ever had to bear, to see his beloved grandmother buried in a watery grave, and he never forgot the sad experience. The only child of James BRETT and Sarah UPSTONE about whom any subsequent information is known is Sarah Ann Brett Wright Corbett PHILIPS, who emigrated to Utah. She first lived in Payson, married to Thomas CORBETT, but later moved to Nephi, Utah, and married Samuel PHILIPS. She died in 1894.
Records for Sarah UPSTONE’s parents had never been found. Her grandson, James Brigham WRIGHT, gave her birth date as 1790. Her other grandson, Thomas Brett WRIGHT, gave her birth date as 1794. Her birthplace has been variously identified as either “Gloucester” or “Gloucestershire, England”. Both grandsons reported Sarah’s father to have been William UPSTONE. All of the parish registers for Gloucester for that period have been searched and no record of christening has been found. Most of the parish registers for Gloucestershire have been extracted and no record for Sarah UPSTONE, christened 1790-1794, has been found, even though some UPSTONE records are included. Therefore, the logical result has to be that (1) her christening was not recorded, (2) her christening record is contained in a parish not extracted, or (3) her christening took place outside of Gloucestershire. A record has never been found where she, personally, during her lifetime, reported her own birth date, or birthplace. Sarah’s age at the time of her emigration in 1856 was given as 66. In the International Genealogical Index of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was found a William UPSTONE family in Ascott Under Wychwood, Oxfordshire, with daughters Sarah (christened 9 Feb 1792), Hannah (christened 9 Feb 1792), and Ann (christened 13 Jul 1794). This parish is located about four miles east of the Gloucestershire boundary, in Oxfordshire. There is no irrefutable proof this is the right family, but circumstantially it is likely. The family fingerprint consisting of father, William, and daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Ann; the coincidence of the dates; the close proximity to Gloucestershire; and no evidence to the contrary are all strong evidences that this is the sought-after family. There has been found no marriage or death record for Sarah UPSTONE in Ascott Under Wychwood Parish records, or in any of the surrounding parishes, so it is presumed she married and died elsewhere. This adds to the circumstantial evidence of this being the right Sarah UPSTONE. Sarah’s birth family consisted of father, William UPSTONE, christened 1760; and mother, Ann ROSE, christened 1765. They were married in 1787 and had 10 children, namely William, 1787; Michael, 1789; Hannah (twin), 1792; Sarah (twin), 1792; Ann, 1794; Philip, 1797; Jane, 1800; James, 1803; Mary, 1806; and Cecilia, 1810. For some reason Sarah UPSTONE went to London, about 70 miles to the east of Ascott Under Wychwood. She would have been 18 years old in 1810, so it probably happened between then and the birth of her first child, Charles, in 1817. James BRETT and Sarah UPSTONE are reported to have been married 18 Feb 1819, at Saint Giles in the Field Parish, Middlesex County, England, located on the west side of London, near Saint Pancras and Saint Marylebone Parishes. It is also reported their first child was christened in Feb 1817, two years before their marriage. One or both dates may be incorrect. They had six children, namely (1) Charles, christened 25 Feb 1817, residence Tash Street, Grayshm Lane, trade-servant; (2) George Frederick, born 15 Oct 1818, christened 9 Nov 1818, residence A. or D. alten Wale, trade-ostler; (3) John James, born 24 Jan 1820, christened 13 Mar 1820, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-servant; twins (4) Eleanor and (5) Sukey, born 16 Jan 1823, christened 24 Jan 1823, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-ostler; and (6) Sarah Ann, born 7 Nov 1824, christened 23 Jan 1825, residence Little Grayshm Lane, trade-ostler. Charles was christened in Bloomsbury, but the remaining five children were christened in Holborn. Both areas are located on the northwest side of London. At the time of these births, their residences were given as Tash or Lash Street, Graysham Lane (1817) or as Little Graysham Lane (1820-1824). James’ occupation was given as either “servant” or “ostler” (a person who takes care of horses at an inn or stable). No known record exists concerning the family from 1825 (christening of Sarah Ann BRETT) to the 1841 census. By the time of the 1841 census, Sarah had married William ALCOCK or ALLCOCK, and was living in Leek, Staffordshire, England, which is located about 30 miles south southeast of Manchester, 50 miles north northwest of Birmingham, and about 150 miles northwest of London. It is presumed James BRETT died after the birth of his last child, Sarah Ann (1824), and before the marriage of his wife, Sarah, to William ALCOCK (before 1841). However, it is also possible that they divorced. If James BRETT died before Sarah’s marriage to William ALCOCK, it is not known if the death (or divorce) happened before or after the move to Leek. Neither is it known where or when Sarah married William ALCOCK. Neither a death record for James BRETT nor a marriage record to William ALLCOCK has been found. From British LDS Mission Records, dated 25 Sep 1840, a report stated that several members of the Leek Branch, in Staffordshire, had received the gift of tongues, among which was Sister ALCOCK. This may or may not have been Sarah Upstone Brett ALCOCK, since there were many others by the name of ALCOCK in the area. However, nothing is known of how many ALCOCKs had joined the LDS Church. At the time of the 1841 census, William and Sarah ALCOCK were listed on Derby Street, in Leek, Staffordshire, England. His occupation was reported as stonemason, age 56, Sarah ALCOCK’s was dressmaker, age 50, and Sarah Ann BRATT’s was silk weaver, age 15. The 1831 Directory of Staffordshire listed a William ALCOCK, stone mason, on Spooner’s Lane, in Leek, along with another William ALCOCK, who was a baker, flour dealer, etc. This seems to indicate that either William ALCOCK, stonemason, had moved to Leek prior to 1831, or that Sarah met and married him there (if the marriage happened after 1831). That is, of course, if the 1831 stonemason was the same one married to Sarah Upstone BRETT. Sometime during the 1840s, the ALLCOCK family moved to Ardwick, a part of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, England. LDS Branch records include the names of William and Sarah ALLCOCK (and ALCOCK), reporting they were baptized in 1844 and received from Leek, Staffordshire. They were included in a membership book covering the period 1841-1852, and in another covering the period 1838-1846. Therefore it seems logical they went there between 1844 and 1846. William, Sarah, Charles, and Sarah Ann joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 1840s while living in Leek, and then moved to Manchester. They attended the Manchester Branch of the LDS Church, in which records they were reported to have been baptized in 1844, and to have moved to Manchester from Leek. At the time of the daughters, Sarah Ann BRETT’s, marriage to Andrew WRIGHT (1849), her address was Chancery Lane, in Ardwick (a section of Manchester). At the time of Sarah Upstone ALCOCK’s emigration to the United States, her address was 48 Chancery Lane, Ardwick. The 1848 Directory and Street Register of Manchester and Salford included the name of William ALCOCK, greengrocer, at 24 Chancery Lane. This could be a son of William ALCOCK (stone mason), since the occupation is so different. However, it could have been the same person. The 1851 census for Manchester is only partially readable, and the names of William and Sarah ALCOCK have not been found. It is presumed their names were included in the unreadable portion. Entries for Chancery Lane are less than 50% readable. Census takers asked for the birthplace of each individual, so she may have reported the parish where she was born, if it was readable. In December 1851, Sarah’s daughter, Sarah Ann Brett WRIGHT, was living at 50 Birch Street, Ardwick. The 1852 Directory for Manchester had William ALLCOCK, greengrocer, living at 24 Chancery Lane. This appears to have been the same person as was listed for 1848. The 1855 Directory and Street Register of Manchester and Salford included the name of John J. BRATT, greengrocer, at 73 Chancery Lane, and William ALLCOCK, policeman, Chancery Lane. John J. BRATT is presumed to have been the son of Sarah Upstone Brett ALLCOCK, and William ALLCOCK to have been her stepson. It is unknown when or where William ALCOCK, stonemason, died, but Sarah Upstone Brett ALCOCK was listed as a widow at the time of her emigration in May 1856. The LDS handcart project became very popular with the Saints in Europe, especially among those who hitherto had been unable to raise sufficient means to emigrate. Many of them, carried away by the idea of gathering to Zion that season, left their various employments in their native land before proper arrangements had been completed for their transportation. The result was that they were left to choose between the alternative of remaining at home to starve, go to the poor house, or else face the danger of a late journey across the plains. They chose the latter course, to which the Presidency of the British Mission, seeing no better way out of the difficulty, acquiesced, and directed matters to that end. Accordingly the ships Horizon and Thornton were chartered, which brought over the Atlantic most of the emigrants who suffered so much crossing the plains and mountains in James G. WILLIE's and Edward MARTIN's handcart companies, and William B. HODGETT's and John S. HUNT's wagon trains, which followed close behind the handcart companies. Most of the members of MARTIN's company crossed the Atlantic in the ship Horizon that sailed from Liverpool, England and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. Edward MARTIN was returning from a British mission and fathered the Horizon's passengers as well as being the Captain of the fifth handcart company of 1856. Manchester Branch records reported that Sarah (mother) and Sarah Ann (daughter) emigrated to the United States on 23 May 1856. Sarah Ann longed to go to America to join the Saints in Zion (Utah). On Thursday, 8 May 1856, she was notified that she and her children could substitute for a couple, Richard and Sarah Ann BRADSHAW and a James ALLEN who had booked passage on the ship Horizon, but had changed their minds and were not going. Knowing the Church had set up a Perpetual Emigration Fund to help the Saints go to Zion, Sarah Ann and her mother went at once to the ship's Captain to verify the notification and to receive their certificates of transportation. Captain William REED did not want to take Sarah Upstone ALCOCK, who gave her age as 66 years. He said the journey was too long and hazardous for older people and it would take them six weeks or longer on the relatively little sailing vessel. Sarah ALCOCK started to cry and said she would rather go and be buried at sea than to be left to die alone in England. (The locations of Sarah’s other children have never been discovered, so it is not known why she used the word “alone”.) Captain REED finally consented and they hurried home to prepare for the long and perilous journey. By great sacrifice and hard work they were ready in two weeks and boarded the ship Horizon on Friday, 23 May 1856, at Liverpool Wharf, bound for Boston. They had to wait for a favorable trade wind and finally set sail on Sunday, 25 May 1856. Edward MARTIN, Jesse HAVEN, and George P. WAUGH were in charge of the company of 856 Saints on board. The Steward was John THOMPSON; Cooks were Henry HAMILTON and Joseph JACKSON; Historian was John JACQUES; and Sergeant of the Guard was Elder F.C. ROBINSON. Most of the Saints were poor. The Perpetual Emigrating Fund financed passage for 635 of them. Sarah Ann WRIGHT, her three children, and her mother would never see their beloved homeland again, and probably never dreamed of the hardship, sacrifice and suffering that awaited them on this long, sad journey. Their certificates read: Sarah ALCOCK, age 66, of 48 Chancery Lane, Ardwick, Manchester; Sarah Ann WRIGHT, age 29, wife, from 98 Chancery Lane, Ardwick, Manchester; and three children, James B. age 11, Thomas age 4, and Emma age 2. Their notification number was 183. The vessel Horizon had been built in 1854, displaced 1,775 tons, was 220 feet long, 42 feet at midships, and a large ship for her time, even though small in comparison to later ships. She had three masts, three decks, a square stern, and a figurehead. Captain REED was from Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a mariner of considerable experience as well as being part owner of the vessel. From her bow a glassy-eyed eagle with a long orange beak spread its painted wings for flight. The ship lay anchored in Bramley Moore Dock, in Liverpool. Elder Silas H. WHEELOCK had hastily composed a few lines entitled "Farewell, our Native Land, Farewell" for the departing Saints to sing on leaving England. It was but a few lines that ran as follows: Our gallant ship is underway to bear me out to sea, And yonder floats the steamer gay that says she waits for me. The seamen dip their ready oars as ebbing waves oft tell, To bear us swiftly from the shore, my native land farewell. As the gay decorated steamer towed the Horizon the sound was heard above all other noise and din "My native land farewell." On Fri, 23 May 1856, (about midday,) the ship Horizon was tugged out into the River Mersey (and cast anchor in the river). Soon after leaving the dock a disagreement occurred between the mates and some of the crew who had declined to obey orders, and a regular fistfight took place. Two or three bloody faces figured in the scene. The first mate paced the deck, flourishing a Colt revolver, and swearing and threatening grandly, but did not use the weapon. Several of the crew were sent ashore, and other men came on board in their place. The mate complained that the troublemakers had come on board to plunder the passengers and the rest of the crew. On board ship, there were nine wards with a president over each ward. Presidents were Elders John ENNIOR, 1st; Thomas B. BRODERICK, 2nd; Robert HOLT, 3rd; Henry A. SQUIRES, 4th; Thomas LEAH, 5th; James STONE, 6th; John JACQUES, 7th; Peter MAYOR, 8th; and Robert EVANS, 9th. John TOONE was clerk. Rising in the morning was scheduled for 6 a.m. and clearing of the deck by passengers was to be not later than 9 p.m. The food consisted of salt beef, salt pork and vegetables with sea biscuits by way of bread (and peas, rice, sugar, tea and some dried fruits sometimes ). The cook would generally have some kind of pudding as a side dish. Sometimes the drinking water would stink so they could hardly use it for two or three days, then it would be good again. The passengers likely slept anywhere there was room to make a bed. The bunks were along the two sides of the hold--three tiers of wooden boxlike spaces. They were close enough together that when occupants sat up, they bumped their heads. The family likely spread straw on the bunks and rolled out their quilts on top, then hung tin cups on nails in the bunk partitions and tied down pans and jugs with twine. The berths for two passengers were about six feet long and four feet four inches wide. The ends were to the side of the vessel. As the ship made its way down the river Mersey on her way to the Irish Channel and, ultimately America, the passengers stood on the main deck in a drizzling rain, clutching their cloaks about them, as they strained for one last glimpse of their homeland before it gradually disappeared into the mist. The ship's course was planned to take her around Cape Clear on the western tip of Ireland, and out into the Atlantic toward her 3,000-mile-distant destination. On Sunday, 25 May, about 9 a.m., the steamship Great Conquest came alongside bringing the captain and others. It took the Horizon out into the Irish Sea about 20 miles, and left in the afternoon, taking back those who had come to see off the emigrants, plus the river pilot. On the same day, 25 May, they came in sight of the Welsh hills, which view lingered into the evening due to sailing into a head wind. The second day out (in St. George's Channel) they encountered a gale that came nearly capsizing the ship. Precautions had been taken to avoid such a disaster as this, but it happened nevertheless. They had lashed their loose belongings and supposed they were safe, but the storm was a hard one. It came near being fatal in some instances as not only goods turned topsy turvy, but some of the old and feeble people were felled to the deck with such violence that they were rendered helpless for a few days and this proved to be the first day of a much talked of seasickness which also proved very injurious to the greater number on board. However, even the very sick could render service to others afflicted, and what made the case more pitiable, horrible dysentery attacked the majority of the passengers. Medicines were plenty but they seemed to have no affect. This state of things made it hard on the few who were not afflicted to such an extent. This state of affairs lasted for about eight days when it grew less severe, but it stayed with a few until arrival at the port of Boston. On Thursday, 29 May, they were in sight of the land of Murphies, (near Cork, Ireland) and the pilot left the vessel. On Friday, 30 May, Kinsale barracks were still in sight (in County Cork, on the southwest shore of Ireland). Sarah Upstone ALCOCK was very sick, but gradually got even worse. She said, "If you will just send for the Elders, I know I will get better." But the Captain insisted on the doctor treating her. She became worse and passed away. Sister Sarah ALLCOCK from Manchester Branch, died Saturday, 31 May, at 12:30 a.m., just after midnight, of the flux (diarrhea), age 66 (probably near Cape Clear, the extreme southwest point of Ireland). A baby was born later in the morning to Sister Eliza PEARS, of Bradford, and lived only a few minutes. The Counselor to Edward MARTIN reported Sarah ALLCOCK was buried at sea about 8:00 a.m., on Saturday, 31 May 1856. This was just one day short of a week since they boarded the ship. The journal of Joseph BEECROFT contained the following entry. “During the day (30 May) the wind gradually rose till night when [p.13] it blew quite a gale which made the ship heave very much and brought on much sickness; so much so that so that [SIC] an aged sister died about 2 o’clock (a.m.). Just as I was going to bed I felt sick and in vomiting my throat became very sore, which caused me much misery. This day weak. We left the dock and we were only so far that I could see the land in Ireland up to 6 o’clock p.m. (Saturday 31) I awoke about 2 o’clock (a.m.) and the ship was rocking, heaving in a very unpleasant manner. I heard much crying which caused me to think that someone was dead. I got up about six, but felt free from sickness, but had a deal of pain in my throat. I found that the wind had abated but the sea was still on motion with the force that it had acquired.....During the morning Sister Eliza Pears was confined, gave birth to a daughter, which makes the 3rd birth on ship board.” A later entry dated 1 Jun, stated “Yesterday about 7 o’clock Sister Eliza Pear’s child died and the old woman who died in the morning was launched into the deep through the porthole without any ceremony.” To prepare Sarah for burial they strapped her to a big board with weights on it. She was put on a long plank and after a short service the plank was raised and she slid down it into the sea. Her grandson, James Brigham WRIGHT, was heart broken and he said it was one of the hardest things he ever had to bear, to see his beloved grandmother buried in a watery grave, and he never forgot the sad experience. The only child of James BRETT and Sarah UPSTONE about whom any subsequent information is known is Sarah Ann Brett Wright Corbett PHILIPS, who emigrated to Utah. She first lived in Payson, married to Thomas CORBETT, but later moved to Nephi, Utah, and married Samuel PHILIPS. She died in 1894.
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