| Notes |
- Folk Lore says that Durrance was a French man and had a twin brother but there is no evidence of this to date.His wife had a Scottish mother and an Irish father. Her father was a horse trader and died when the TAY bridge collapsed. This was the grandfather of Edith Clarke my grandmother.
Charles Durrance was born illegitimate to Harriet Durrance on the 17th June 1851. Harriet was still living with her parents in Burton Lazars during the 1851 Census so must have gone to the workhouse shortly afterwards. The birth was registered by John Williams Master of the Workhouse on the 23rd June 1851.
A copy of the birth certificate is on file.
Charles was married to Sarah Fitken on 11th July 1878 at St. Andrews Church, Great Grimsby. At the time they were both living at 40 Charles St., New Clee and he was a Fisherman. He puts his age at 22 but it should have been 27( perhaps the 7 looked like a 2 on the original cert.) He was a batchelor at the time and put his father down as Edward Durrance(deceased) who was actually his grandfather. Charles had been brought up by his grandparents so perhaps he hadn't been told that his real mother was Harriet. Another strange thing from the marriage certificate is that Edward Durrance was down as a miner when all the census had shown him as an agricultural labourer.
Sarah was 26 and a spinster and her father was George Fitkin(deceased) occupation Ostler(a stable hand at an inn) Working with horses would tie in with the folk lore that said he died on the Tay Bridge disaster while trading horses. However, the wedding was 1878 when George was seemingly dead and the Tay Bridge disaster was the following year in 1879. The story also goes that Charles remarried so perhaps it was his second wife's father who died on the Tay Bridge.
Later investigation provided a list of victims form the Tay Bridge disaster, which is contained in the scrapbook. This was combined with a second list which now contains 72 of the 75 people believed to have lost their lives on that fateful night 28th December 1879.
There was no George Fitkin listed or any horse dealer, which there wouldn't have been if he died before Sarah married. There are 3 names still unaccounted for but where a family new their relative was a victim the rail authority would have been advised. This folk law is still a mystery unless there was another marriage.
The marriage was witnessed by Robert Ward and Jane Heusman. All signed with their mark x except for Sarah, so apparently Charles couldn't write.
1881 Census
Dwelling - 1 Charles Street Bests Bldgs.
Census Place - Clee with Weelsby, Greater Grimsby
Head Charles Durrance Aged 28 Fisherman Born Melton Mowbray
Son Edward Durrance Aged 4 Born Doncaster,Lincoln
Daug Jane Durrance Aged 2 Born Grimbsby,Lincoln
Wife Sarah Durrance Aged 29 Born Liverpool, Lancs
Edward Durrance was born in 1877 prior to Charles and Sarah's marriage in 1878.
Also on 1881 was the Vessel "Excelsior", Great Grimsby, Lincoln
Benjamin Wells Married Aged 27 Master Born Yarmouth, Norfolk
ROBERT DURRANCE Married Aged 26 Mate Born Burton Lazers
George Little U/M Aged 20 Fisherman Born Lewisham, Kent
John Manning U/M Aged 20 Fisherman Born Plymouth, Devon
Charles Keal U/M Aged 15 Apprentice Born Grimsby, Lincs.
The fact that Robert Durrance and Charles Durrance were both brought up in Burton Lazers and were both fishermen in Grimbsby in 1881cant be coincidence. It is probable that they both worked together on the Excelsoir but on the night of the Census Charles was at home with his family. This is also probably where the story came from that Charles had a twin and they were both fishermen out of Grimsby. They were almost certainly related but not twins and probably not brothers but possibly cousins.
1881 Census:- Great Grimsby, Lincoln, England
54 Albert St. Great Grimsby
Elizabeth Durance Wife(Head) Married Aged 20 Born Dublin, Ireland
Nobody else was recorded in the house on that night.
Could this have been the wife of Robert Durrance who was on board the Excelsoir?
If so was Elizabeth and Sarah related as they were both born in Dublin?
An Elizabeth Durrance aged 48yrs, died Grimsby J/F/M 1918, 7a 755
1891 Census
Civil Parish & Village of West Keal. District Spilsby, Palimentary District of Horncastle.
Dwelling - Keal Bank. House contained 3 Rooms only.
Charles Durrance Head Aged 35 Agricultural Laborer Born Leics Burton Lazerous
Sarah Durrance Wife Aged 35 Born Dublin, Ireland
Edith Durrance Daug Aged 6 Born Yorkshire, Slaithwaite
Charles Durrance Son Aged 4 Born Lincolnshire, Horncastle
No sign of Edward who was then 14 years old. Jane Elizabeth was found in Spilsby in Service as a live in General Servant at the age of 12 years.
1901 Census
Address - Keal bank, West Keal, Lincolnshire.
Census Place - Parish of St Helen, Division of Horncastle, County of Lindsy Lincolnshire
Position Name Marital Age Occupation Emp Status Where Born
Head Chal Durance Married Aged 51 Ordinary Agricultural Working Leicester, Burton Lazars
Laborer
Daug Edith Durance Single Aged 17 Housekeeper Domestic Undefined
Yorks Slaithwaite
No mention is made of Sarah Durrance, Charles Wife. The surname was recorded as Durance with one r.
Also there is no mention of their son Charles who would have been 14 years old in 1901.
Death source: GRO Index
Death record:
Charles Durrance, 75yrs old, died Boston, J/A/S 1925, 7a 402.
(years 1916 to 1924 where searched but Sarah wasn't found)
Death Source: Death Certificate
Death Record:-
Date: Twenty Fifth September 1925
Where: 52 Argyle Street, Boston, Lincolnshire
Name; Charles Durrance
Sex: Male
Age: 75 years
Occupation: General Labourer
Cause of Death: Cerebral Haemourage 3 days
Informant: C R Durrance, son, present at the death. Resident - 52 Argyle Street Boston.
Registered: Twenty Sixth September 1925
Occupation: 1878, Fisherman
Residence: 1861, Burton Lazers, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
- Marriage Notes for CHARLES DURRANCE and SARAH FITKIN:
Charles and Sarah married J/A/S 1878 ( 7a 982 ) at Caistor near Grimsby.
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Main & Clarke Families 
1851 - 1925 (74 years)
