Howard and Birt Families

Researching:
Sarah Howard is a mystery (with a lot of rumours). She married Thomas Birt in 1833 at St Dunstan, Stepney, England. Thomas was born in Middlesex in 1800. (His parents were Thomas and Grace Birt).
Thomas became the master and Sarah the matron of the Biggleswade Union Workhouse and they had 9 children. In 1855 they immigrated to Adelaide, South Australia.

1. Peter Howard married Sarah Denby in 1874 (9 children)
2. William Howard married Ann Coombe in 1865 (7 children)
3. George Howard married Ellen Coombe in 1862 (4 children)
4. Margaret Howard married William Andrew Trevenen in 1862 (8 children)
5. Mary Forster Howard did not marry
6. Henry Howard married Helen (Ellen) Wiliams in 1880 (4 children)
7. Gibson Howard died in England as a child
8. Charles Howard died in England as a child
9. Sarah Howard married Samuel Vernell (no children)

Mine is the family of Margaret Howard Birt and William Andrew Trevenen (see Trevenen Family).

I would like to track information on Sarah Birt (nee Howard) and Thomas Birt further. In particular to research various family myths/stories about the family of Sarah (and the reputed Howards of Effingham links).

In Adelaide Thomas worked in a bank.

Sarah became the matron of the first women's refuge (corner William and Sydenham Sts, Norwood) and later of the first children's home established by the Church of England (Carrington St).

Thomas died in 1880 and Sarah died in 1890 - both in Adelaide.