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COX (née BENNETT), Sarah – emigrated 1906

Sarah Bennett was born at Offenham, Worcestershire, on 21st February 1880, the eldest of four daughters of Walter Bennett and his wife, Ellen (née Warmington); she also had an older half-sister, Gertrude Warmington.

In about the late 1880s, the family moved to Evesham where they were living at 1 Trumpet Court at the time of the 1881 census.  Sarah’s father died in 1898.  In 1901, Sarah was working as a general domestic servant at The Volunteer Inn, High Street, Evesham.

In May 1903, Sarah married Charles William Cox in the Evesham area.  They moved to Wickhamford where the rest of Charles’ family was now living.  A daughter, Inez Rose, was born on 2nd March 1904, and was baptized at Wickhamford on 25th September 1904.

On 29th March 1906, Sarah, Charles and their two-year-old daughter set sail on the Dominion Line from Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia, bound for a new life in Canada.  Four more daughters were born in Canada:  Lillian Stella (1907-2001), Constance Ada (1912), Clarice (1914-1914) and Almedia Maude (1915).  At the time of the 1911 census they were living in Alberta and Charles was a farmer. 

In 1916 the Cox family was living at 527 Sarcee Camp, 3rd Avenue West, Calgary East, Alberta.  Charles was now described as a soldier, having joined the Canadian Army a few months earlier.  At the time of the 1921 census, the family lived at Vimy, Bow River, Alberta.

Sarah died at Calgary, Alberta, on 29th September 1962, pre-deceasing Charles by four years.  The following obituary appeared in "The Calgary Herald" of 2nd October 1962:

COX – September 29, 1962, Sarah Alberta, aged 82 years, beloved wife of Mr. Charles Cox R.R. No. 4, Calgary. Born at Offenham, England, she came to the Rumsey district in 1906 where she and her husband homesteaded until coming to Calgary in 1928. Member of the Anglican Church. She took a keen interest in the dairy business. Mr. and Mrs. Cox would have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary May of 1963. Besides her husband she is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Ivar (Inez) Sjøgren, Calgary, Mrs. Robert (Stella) Richmond, Acme, Mrs. Louis (Ada) Attridge, Salmon Arm, B.C., Mrs. Andrew (Aledia) Jackson, Calgary, 12 grandchildren and twenty three great grandchildren. Services at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. S. Ellis officiating. Interment Queen’s Park. Foster’s Garden Chapel, directors.

Some years after the death of both Sarah and Charles, their eldest daughter, Inez, related memories of the pioneering days in Canada for an article in a publication called “Pioneer Days”.