Henry Laing: Part 4 Family Man
Henry & Sarah Laing settled into married life along with Sarah's 2 year old son, Henry Thompson from a previous marriage. Her husband had died around the time little Henry was born and Henry Laing would be the only father he knew. [I've been informed this information is incorrect, and that Henry Thompson may have been adopted to the Keens Family, something that will be explored in the Sarah Weatherstone post when I finally get it done ... it's going to be a book!]
Before he had been married 8 months, Henry would have another child, John Henry Laing born 13 July, 1845. (a seperate post will be made)
Site of Family Home in Forbes Street, Liverpool
Henry & Sarah went on to have another 5 children: Elizabeth Martha Laing (1848-1922), Henry Laing (1855-1933), Adam Laing (1855-1855), Sarah Ann Laing (1857-), Samuel Laing (1860-1899).
Little else is really known about Henry apart from the fact that his death certificate shows he died 11 September, 1875, (11 days short of his birthday and 5 months after Sarah's Death) at the Liverpool Benevolant Assylum from senile decay. Though his age was probably 81 going on 82 the certificate states his age as 86.
At the time of his trial his religion had been Protastant, but he was buried as an Anglican, probably in an unmarked grave at St Luke's Liverpool. It's possible that the change in religion was due to location to a church as opposed to any burning desire.
Another change that occured somewhere in his life was the spelling of the family name from Laing to Lang. Convict and marriage records show that Henry was illiterate, so perhaps somewhere he came to the conclusion that the name was spelt with 4 letters. Perhaps others just assumed the spelling for the family. I was once told the "i" was dropped because it was the German spelling ... but I highly doubt that was ever the reason.
All his living children were christened at St Luke's Anglican Church. The first 3 were christened "Laing" but Henry junior was christened "Lang". The daughters were using the name "Laing" when they married, but the sons had taken on the name "Lang" as recorded on their death certificates.
Sometimes convicts changed their names once they became free, however Henry (known as Harry in Liverpool) was still known as "Laing" when the "The Case of Mrs Laing" appeared in the newspapers for a number of weeks. The case helped to change the law, but I think it may have also lead to the change in spelling of the family name.
Before he had been married 8 months, Henry would have another child, John Henry Laing born 13 July, 1845. (a seperate post will be made)
Site of Family Home in Forbes Street, Liverpool
Henry & Sarah went on to have another 5 children: Elizabeth Martha Laing (1848-1922), Henry Laing (1855-1933), Adam Laing (1855-1855), Sarah Ann Laing (1857-), Samuel Laing (1860-1899).
Little else is really known about Henry apart from the fact that his death certificate shows he died 11 September, 1875, (11 days short of his birthday and 5 months after Sarah's Death) at the Liverpool Benevolant Assylum from senile decay. Though his age was probably 81 going on 82 the certificate states his age as 86.
At the time of his trial his religion had been Protastant, but he was buried as an Anglican, probably in an unmarked grave at St Luke's Liverpool. It's possible that the change in religion was due to location to a church as opposed to any burning desire.
Liverpool Assylum
All his living children were christened at St Luke's Anglican Church. The first 3 were christened "Laing" but Henry junior was christened "Lang". The daughters were using the name "Laing" when they married, but the sons had taken on the name "Lang" as recorded on their death certificates.
Sometimes convicts changed their names once they became free, however Henry (known as Harry in Liverpool) was still known as "Laing" when the "The Case of Mrs Laing" appeared in the newspapers for a number of weeks. The case helped to change the law, but I think it may have also lead to the change in spelling of the family name.
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