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Wednesday 9 July 2014

The family bible of Thomas and Sarah Rutter, who married at St Dunstan and All Saints church in Stepney, London in September 1801



This post is a bit different from my others. When my grandparents passed away, I inherited an old, heavily-worn bible from them. The central page, between the Old and New Testaments, has the family history of the Rutters written down and I really wanted to make sure that it is online, as it seems a great shame for their descendants to be unable to see it.


I don't know if the Rutters were my ancestors or how the bible came into my grandparent's possession, although I certainly had family in nearby Whitechapel at that time. I do know that people called Rutter emigrated to America after these words were written in the book. Hopefully, now that this is here, any of their descendants will be able to read it.

The entries read:

Thomas and Sarah Rutter
Maried  Septbr the 13: 1801

Sarah Susanah Rutter
Born Octobr 11: 1802
day (word I can't read)

MaryAnn Rutter
Born August 21st 1804
at half past five morn

Elinor Francis Rutter
Born October 13 1807
02 minutes past twelve
at Noon

Thomas Rutter Died
May 27 118019 (sic)

Sara (unfinished) Sarah Suanah (unfinished)
Rutter Died

Sar (Jan?) (unfinished)


Since starting this post, I've done a bit more research into the family. Thomas Rutter was a mariner by trade and was a widower when he married Sarah Milburn on the 13th September 1801 at St Dunstan and All Saints

There is a Thomas Rutter recorded as dying at the age of 70 on the 4th July 1819 and being buried at the church in Plot 4. His abode is given as Ratcliff. This date of death differs, however, from the one given in the bible record.

Sarah Susanna Rutter was baptised on the 21 November 1802 at St Dunstans. Interestingly, her mother's name is also given as Sarah Susanna Rutter. Mary Ann was baptised on the 2nd June 1805 and Eleanor Frances Azela Rennison Rutter was baptised on the 13th October 1807 at the same church.

I wonder if the Sarah Susanna Rutter listed as dying in the last entry in the bible was the first-born daughter, or the mother herself?

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