Martin, Sarah

Residence of. Beach Road, Caister. Philanthropist, prison visitor and good Christian woman.

Sarah Martin was born in Caister in 1791. Her father was a village tradesman, who died when Sarah was very young. Her mother died when Sarah was eleven and she went to live with her grandmother, a glove and bonnet maker and a devout Christian, who lived in Beach Road in Caister. Sarah attended the village dame school and in 1805 trained as a seamstress with a local dressmaker. After this initial training, sewing became her major source of income for the rest of her life. By the age of 18 years, Sarah had set up her own business as a seamstress.

She taught children at Sunday School, became a visitor at the workhouse and devoted a day each week to teaching children of the destitute. She also helped to instruct young silk factory girls in reading and writing at an evening school at St. Nicholas’ Church. In 1819, Sarah first visited a prisoner at the Tolhouse and was soon visiting prisoners regularly, walking from Caister. She read to prisoners from the Bible and taught the male prisoners to make straw hats and caps, and how to carve spoons, seals and apple scoops from mutton bones. Her aim was to make employment a privilege and to be kept idle a punishment. She was not content with just helping prisoners in the gaol, but continued to help them after their release; finding accommodation, work and clothing for them.

 In 1840, a small legacy from her grandmother enabled her to move to rooms in Row 57 in Great Yarmouth, where at night she maintained her prison journal. In 1841, well-wishers raised a testimonial to provide her, much against her will, with £12 per annum as a supplement to her income.

By 1842, Sarah’s devotion to others had taken its toll and her health began to suffer. She continued with her work, but by the spring of 1843 she was seriously ill and she died on the 15^th October. She was buried next to her mother in the churchyard at Caister.

Sarah Martin in the prison

Sarah Martin's grave in the churchyard at Caister, 2020