The remarkable story of a grieving Sunderland widow who rowed out to sea in a tiny boat to keep her family fed

A remarkable tale of resilience against the odds has been revealed and it involves a Sunderland woman.
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Rebecca Samuel was a widow by the time she was 34.

To make money, she set herself up as a fishmonger and made sure she got the best fish possible – by rowing out to sea to meet the boats even if it meant almost drowning.

And when her second husband died, she went into business once more.

Rebecca Samuel who survived the deaths of two husbands and almost drowning to bring up her five children.Rebecca Samuel who survived the deaths of two husbands and almost drowning to bring up her five children.
Rebecca Samuel who survived the deaths of two husbands and almost drowning to bring up her five children.

Beverley Ruffell takes up the story.

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A Sunderland mum called Rebecca Samuel may not be a household name. She deserves to be.

Rebecca, one of 12 children, was born in Burleigh Street in November 1808, to Isaac, a silversmith, and Martha.

But the story does not start in England.

Rebecca Samuel. Photo courtesy of Ian Charlton.Rebecca Samuel. Photo courtesy of Ian Charlton.
Rebecca Samuel. Photo courtesy of Ian Charlton.

Rebecca’s family – including Rebecca’s grandfather, and his brother Abraham – left Holland in around 1768.

They settled in Sunderland, set up a silversmith business on the corner of High Street and Burleigh Street and are considered to be the first Jewish settlers in the North.

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"Rebecca lived through the times of the Napoleonic wars," said Beverley, a member of the Sunderland Antiquarian Society.

One of her most vivid childhood memories was the bonfire on the Town Moor to celebrate victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 when she was seven.

Malings Rigg where Rebecca Samuel lived with husband Henry and their five children. Photo courtesy of Sunderland Antiquarian Society.Malings Rigg where Rebecca Samuel lived with husband Henry and their five children. Photo courtesy of Sunderland Antiquarian Society.
Malings Rigg where Rebecca Samuel lived with husband Henry and their five children. Photo courtesy of Sunderland Antiquarian Society.

When Rebecca was 23 she married Henry Burnham - a potter by trade.

They had five children and lived in Hope Street in the Malings Rigg area of town, which was known for its deprivation. Sadly Henry died of typhus fever in 1842, leaving Rebecca a widow at the age of just 34.

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With five small mouths to feed she had no choice but to find work.

Rebecca became a fishmonger, but not content with buying fish from the fish quay, she got a small boat and rowed offshore to the cobles on their way back to harbour and bought direct from the fishermen.

Burleigh Street.Burleigh Street.
Burleigh Street.

She would then return and carry the fish in large baskets to the marketplace.

“It was a dangerous occupation - on one occasion she almost drowned when her boat overturned," said Beverley.

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Two years after Henry’s death, Rebecca married again to blacksmith John Bennett. They had a son together but Rebecca was widowed again and had to return to work once more.

By 1881 she was selling old clothes from a property in Hinds Bridge.

"Rebecca was a survivor, " Beverley said. "She did all she could to raise her children, struggling on despite the devastating heartache that life threw at her."

Rebecca died February 2, 1906, aged 97. She is buried in Grangetown cemetery.

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Beverley added: "I am very proud to be able to say that I am descended from such an incredible and inspirational woman.

“And I have a feeling those genes have been passed on through the other strong women in my family.”

Anyone who thinks they may also be related to Beverley can contact her at [email protected].

To find out more about the history of Sunderland, visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

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If you’ve got memories of Sunderland’s past, or you have researched your ancestry and found some fascinating tales, contact Chris Cordner by emailing [email protected]

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