KATE LOUISA SANDS was born in September
quarter 1874 in Hastings, Sussex (Free BMD – district Hastings volume 2b page 20).
She was christened on 11th October 1874 in All Saints Church, Hastings, Sussex
(source : IGI batch C135711 and BVRI 2d edition). On the 1881 census, she is a scholar,
age 6, living with her parents at 6 Zuriel Place, Hastings, Sussex.
On the 1891 census she is a 16-year-old general domestic servant at the home of James(?) and Jane ALBERT
(?) (from Sheffield) at 6 Castle Hill, Hastings, Sussex.
She married JESSE HESELDEN in December quarter
1894, in Hastings, Sussex (Free BMD – district Hastings, vol 2b page 78). The marriage took place
on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1894 at Christchurch, Ore, Sussex (source : wedding certificate).
It was a wedding after banns, carried out by the vicar Charles Ough (source : wedding certificate).
The witnesses were Joseph Sands (the bride's father, her brother Joseph was only 4 years old!) and
Hester Maria Heselden (the groom's sister) (source : wedding certificate). Jesse
was a 22 year old Bachelor and a Labourer, son of Jesse Heselden, Bricklayer and
Kate Louisa was a 20 year old Spinster, daughter of Joseph Sands, Carman
(same as on her sister Edith Grace Sands' marriage certificate) (source : wedding certificate).
Both were resident at 1 Willow Cottages, Ore, Sussex (source : wedding certificate). They all signed their names
(source : wedding certificate).
JESSE HESELDEN was born in September quarter 1872 in Hastings, Sussex (Free BMD – district Hastings
volume 2b page 15). On the 1881 census, he was a scholar, age 8, living with his parents
JESSE (bricklayer) and MARIA JANE HESELDEN and their other children at Red Lake, 2
Toronto Terrace, Ore, Hastings, Sussex.
He was a plasterer (source : Hastings cemetery).
There are a number of Heselden babies who died in Hastings, Sussex between 1894 (when they married) and 1901 (the birth of
Alice), so it is possible that some of these were Kate and Jesse's children. Notably there is a listing for
HORACE JESSE HESELDEN (born in June quarter 1895 and died in September quarter 1895 - source : Free BMD)
and JESSE/JESSIE HESELDEN (born and died in December quarter 1896 - source : Free BMD).
On the 1901 census, KATE HESELDEN (nee SANDS), married, age 26, is living at 1 Rose Cottages, Oakfield Road,
St Helens, Hastings, Sussex with ALICE K HESELDEN, her 4 month old daughter (born Ore, St Helens, Hastings, Sussex),
PHILIP B MAYERS, nephew, age 2, born Broadstairs,
Kent and Emma Heselden, age 13, sister-in-law. Jesse is listed as a cousin (28, married,
plasterer, born Hastings Sussex) at "Strachny" (?) in Footscray, Kent.
Jesse died (or was buried), aged 65, on 25th January 1938 in Hastings, Sussex
(source : Hastings cemetery).
In September 1940, Kate, Elsie (her daughter) and Joan (her granddaughter) had moved to Somerset
(between Frome and Bath) on voluntary evacuation (source : family letters).
KATE LOUISA HESELDEN, a widow aged 80 years, died in April 1957 (source : Hastings cemetery).
She was buried in the same grave as her husband JESSE HESELDEN, plot ME H27,
on 9th April 1957 (source : Hastings cemetery). This is confirmed in a family letter, which states :
“Auntie Kate passed away at 9.10am on April 5th 1957. The burial is on Tuesday 9th April.”
The Children of KATE LOUISA SANDS and JESSE HESELDEN:
ALICE KATE ELSIE HESELDEN (or ELSIE) was born in December quarter
1900 in Hastings, Sussex (Free BMD - district Hastings volume
2b page 13). ALICE went by the name of ELSIE HESELDEN (her second middle name), and she was
living at 26 Bourn Walk, High Street, Hastings, Sussex, some years later (source : address on an envelope).
(There is also a letter adressed to Kate Heselden (her mother) at 6 Providence Row, Bourne Walk so this is
presumably the same house.) She married JACK BURGESS before 1942
(she was already using her married name at FREDERICK WALTER ALBERT BOURNE (Edith Grace Sands’ son) and BARBARA JOYCE BOOTH’s
wedding on 1st August 1942,
where Alice Kate Elsie Burgess was one of the witnesses – source : wedding certificate).
They had a daughter JOAN BURGESS (also known as Girlie)
(source - family letters). In 1940, Elsie and Joan (with Kate)
went to Somerset (between Bath and Frome) on voluntary evacuation (source : family letters).
Census entries for KATE LOUISA SANDS and JESSE HESELDEN
1881 census for Kate – (FHL Film 1341242 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 1023 Folio 103 Page 53)
address : 6 Zuriel Place (St Clement, Hastings)
Joseph SANDS, head, 28, M, born Hastings, foundry labourer
Mary A. SANDS, wife, 30, F, born Hastings
Kate L SANDS, daughter, 6, F, born Hastings, scholar
Louise M. Sands, daughter, 4, F, born Hastings
Alice A. SANDS, daughter, 2, F, born Hastings
Frances A. SANDS, daughter, 8 months, F, born Hastings
1881 census for Jesse
address : Red Lake 2 Toronto Ter, Ore, Sussex
Jesse HESELDEN Head M Male 27 Ore, Sussex, England Bricklayer
Maria Jane HESELDEN Wife M Female 31 Hastings, Sussex, England
Jesse HESELDEN Son Male 8 Ore, Sussex, England Scholar
Esther M. HESELDEN Daur Female 6 Hastings, Sussex, England Scholar
Rosina HESELDEN Daur Female 3 Hastings, Sussex, England Scholar
Naomi HESELDEN Daur Female 1 Ore, Sussex, England
1891 census for Kate ( fiche of enumerator’s script - RG12 0759 Folio 52(1) )
address : 5 Providence Row, Hastings (All Saints)
Joseph SANDS, head, married, 37, ironmonger's porter, employed
Mary A SANDS, wife, married, 39
Alice SANDS, dau, single, 12
Amy SANDS, dau, 10, scholar
Edith SANDS, dau, 2
Joseph SANDS, son, 7 months
All born Hastings
1901 census for Kate :
Address : 1 Rose Cottages, Oakfield Road, Hastings (civil parish : St Helens; ecclesiastical parish :
Christchurch, Ore)
Kate HESELDEN, wife, M, 26, born All Saints, Ore, Sussex
Alice K HESELDEN, daur, S, 4 months, born St Helens, Ore, Sussex
Phillip B MAYERS, nephew, S, 2, born Broadstairs, Kent
Emma HESELDEN, sister-in-law, S, 13, born Ore, Hastings