Born in Tottenham.1

From the Parish Register :-
"Sarah Davis / Daughter of Charles and Mary Pratt - born April 30th privately Baptis'd June 21st - received into the congregation March 26 1806"

Baptised in Tottenham, All Hallows.1

Private baptism
Father - Charles Pratt
Mother - Mary Pratt

Received in to the church congregation in Tottenham, All Hallows.1

Mentioned in Will.2

of Charles Pratt
Described as - "my daughter Sarah Davis Pratt"

Guardian and Trustee.2

Charles Pratt, her father, in his will probated on 20 April 1818, appointed the following as her Guardians and Trustees :-
Mary Pratt
John Alfred Wigan
Charles Druce
Charles Catfield

Research Note :-
The will also contained the following clause :-
"interest dividends and annual produce may be for her sole and separate use and benefit independant of any husband she may happen to marry and not subject to his debts (?) contracts or engagements"

Licence obtained for marriage to Thomas Hougham SPARKS.9

Groom - Tho's H Sparks
Bride - Sarah Davis Pratt

Married Thomas Hougham SPARKS in Tottenham, All Hallows.31,32,33,34,35,10

Groom - Thomas Hougham Sparks, bachelor, of this parish
Bride - Sarah Davis Pratt, minor of this parish, with the consent of the lawful appropriate guardian
By licence

From :-
The Times
The Morning Post
"On the 11th inst., by the Rev. George Hodgson Thompson, Thomas Hougham Sparks, Esq., of Tottenham, to Sarah Davis Pratt, only daughter of the late Charles Pratt, Esq., of Tottenham."

From Jackson's Oxford Journal :-
"Thos. Hougham Sparks, Esq., of Tottenham, to Sarah Davis, only daughter of the late J. Pratt, Esq., of the same place."

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks, 1840 :-
Sarah was married with the consent of :-
Mary Pratt - widow the natural and lawful mother
John Alfred Wigan - guardian appointed by her father's will
Charles Druce - ditto
Charles Garfield - ditto

Birth of daughter Sarah Pratt SPARKS in Woodford.13,14

Birth of daughter Mary Ann SPARKS in Hunters Hall.15

Birth of son Charles Pratt SPARKS in Woodford.17

Birth of daughter Laura Sibella SPARKS in Woodford.20

Birth of daughter Adelaide SPARKS in Woodford.23,24,25

Death of daughter Adelaide SPARKS in Woodford.21,22

Birth of daughter Ellen SPARKS in Woodford.26

Birth of daughter Annette SPARKS in Woodford.27

Mentioned in Will.3

Of Mary Pratt
Described as :- "my daughter Sarah Davis Pratt"

Mentioned in Codicil to Will.3

Of Mary Pratt
Described as :- "my daughter Sarah David Sparks"

Birth of son Thomas Harry SPARKS in Ramsgate.28

Birth of son Ernest Algernon SPARKS in Portman Square.29,30

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
Thomas Hougham Sparks and Sarah David Sparks, formerly Pratt, lived together until this date.
Before this date Thomas Hougham Sparks "had a lewd and adulterous connection" with Amelia Box who lived next door to the Sparks family in Ramsgate. Amelia Box already had a family of many daughters.
After this date Thomas Hougham Sparks left his wife and continued to live with Amelia Box

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks versus Sparks - 1840 :-
Thomas Hougham Sparks wrote a letter to his brother Robert Harry Sparks. This letter enclosed a letter to Sarah Davis Sparks, telling her that he had left.
Thomas Hougham Sparks asked Robert Harry Sparks to deliver the enclosed letter to Sarah and "to console her".
Robert Harry Sparks sometime afterwards left for Van Diemen's Land.

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
Prior to this date Thomas Hougham Sparks and Amelia Box called themselves Mr. & Mrs. Seymour and lived together at Cumberland Terrace

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
Thomas Hougham Sparks and Amelia Box had a child sometime in August 1838. They both acknowledged the child as their own.

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
They still passed themselves off as Mr. & Mrs Seymour, with a child of about 9 weeks. They lodged in Chester Street, Grosvenor Place.

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
Thomas Hougham Sparks and Amelia Box moved to the Continent

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS.10

From Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks - 1840 :-
Thomas Hougham Sparks and Amelia Box returned from the Continent. They stayed at the Somerset Hotel, still as Mr. & Mrs Seymour.
Then they left for the Continent

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Witness - Sarah White, spinster, servant.
Worked in a household that let rooms. Two rooms were let to Thomas Hougham Sparks and a female in October 1837.
"the gentleman appeared to be older than the lady who seemed to be about eight and twenty or thirty."
The witness also mentioned Robert Harry Sparks of St John Street

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Witness - Charles Druce of Billiter Square, Esquire.
Sarah's father lived in Tottenham, he had acquired a fortune. He (Charles Druce) was one of the Executors of Mr. Pratt's will and also guardian of Sarah and Charles Pratt, the brother of Sarah. Sarah was a minor at the time of her marriage - about 19.
The father of Thomas Hougham Sparks also lived at Tottenham. Thomas Hougham Sparks was carrying on the business of Distiller and Druggist at St Johns Street Smithfield but lived with his father in Tottenham.
The marriage took place in Tottenham on 11 November 1824 by licence. There was a large company of people present.
They lived in Woodford Essex and Willington Place Ramsgate. They had 9 children.

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Witness - Charles Claridge Druce
Witness - Mary Middleton, spinster, housekeeper
Housekeeper to the Sparks family of 3 Oriental Terrace, Brighton. Started work with Sarah 4th November 1824, one week before the marriage

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Witness - William Foster White, 134 St John Street, Distiller's chemist, aged 29.
"Mr Sparks for some years after his marriage continued in the business and then retired"
He visited Thomas Hougham Sparks in a lodgings/hotel.
"I have no doubt that a lady was residing with him there and that they had a child"

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Witness - Ann Ede, spinster, housemaid, Somerset Hotel Strand
Witness - Sarah Elizabeth Lewis, spinster, cook, Southampton

Divorced from Thomas Hougham SPARKS in London, Consistory Court (Court of the Arches).10

Judgment in Matrimonial Cause : Sparks against Sparks :-
1) Complaint brought by the wife.
2) The marriage between Thomas Hougham Sparks and Sarah Davis Pratt was lawful. They had 9 children and lived at Woodford, Ramsgate, Regent Street & Seymour Street. They lived together until 21 November 1837 when Thomas Hougham Sparks left his wife.
3) Thomas Hougham Sparks had been "seduced by the Devil".
4) Thomas Hougham Sparks had committed "the foul crime of adultery".
5) It was declared that "the said Sarah Davis Sparks ought by law be divorced and separated from Bed Board and mutual Cohabitation with the said Thomas Hougham Sparks her husband until they be reconciled to each other. And we do by these Present divorce and separate them accordingly."
6) Neither can remarry while the other still alive.

Occupation Independant.4

Recorded in census in Brighthelmstone (Brighton, Kings Road, Oriental Terrace).4

Sarah Davis Sparks - 30 - Independant,
Charles Pratt Sparks - 15
Ellen Sparks - 9
Annette Sparks - 8
Thomas Harry Sparks - 4
Staff x 5

Death of daughter Sarah Pratt SPARKS in Brighton.11,12

Death of son Charles Pratt SPARKS in Australia, Melbourne.16

Death of daughter Laura Sibella SPARKS in France, Paris.18,19,5

Resident in France, Paris (Rue de la Ferme de Mathurins, 9).5

Buried in Tottenham.8

Inscription :-
"Wife of Thomas Hougham Sparks and Daughter of Charles and Mary Pratt.
Born 30 Apr 1805; died in Paris"

Died in France, Paris (Rue de Rivoli, Windsor Hotel).6,7

From the Morning Post :-
"On the 9th inst., at the Hotel Windsor, Rue de Rivoli, Paris, Mrs. S. D. Sparks."

Probate in Principal Registry.7

of the estate of Sarah David Sparks, wife of Thomas Hougham Sparks, formerly of Oriental-place Brighton, afterwards of the Cavendish Hotel Jermyn-street St James, late of the Hotel Windsor Rue de Rivoli Paris.
Joint executors :-
Thomas Harry Sparks, of Maison-Dieu-road Dover, son
Ernest Algernon Sparks, of 1 Hare-court Temple, son
Alexander Devas Druce, of 10 Billiter-square,
Effects - under GBP 30,000.