Who do I think I am ? [13 ~ Part 2] ~ the family at 151 Coggins Row, Hodthorpe ...

Following on from yesterday's blog here are details of who sat on the front row in the photo below. Most of the information in italics came from a deceased uncle [and I apologise if what he says seems inappropriate. He was a straight speaking man] ...

 

NANCY [on the left at the front] ~ "skivvying all her life - spinster until she was 60, then she married Joe Colclough. She was always a bit slow" [I told you he could be straight speaking but what do I do for the sake of family history ? Fudge it ... or report what he told me ?] Nancy doesn't appear in the 1911 Census Return with the rest of the family.

LILY [second from the left] ~ "the domineering one ~ bright girl ~ worked at the George Inn, Whitwell, then head housekeeper at Epsom College, Epsom. Didn't marry. Lived at Whitwell ~ her and Nancy fought like mad. Wordly, intelligent, a bit of a snob ~ died 1975 [ish]" According to the 1911 Census Return Lily [or Lilian as she is called in the Census] was single, aged 26, and a Cook's assistant at a hotel in Chollerford, Northumberland. Her birthplace was given as 'Yorks. Harthill'.

HENRY [third from the left and my great grandfather] ~ "went to work on a farm at Belph Grange [part of the Welbeck Estate] when he was 10. In the 1871 census [when he was 14] he was an Indoor Domestic Servant at Belph Grange - as soon as he could get away from Belph [he was "tied" there] - he went to Wraighton Farm the other side of Worksop [where he worked for the Mellish family and others]. He subsequently became the farm bailiff at Hall Leys Farm, Hodthorpe [where my grandad was born]. [My late uncle also made some mention of Sammy Booth at Bonder Farm ~ did Henry work for him too ?] Henry was a very strong character. He was 96 when he died in 1947 [or thereabouts]. He worked into his 70s. For many years he wouldn't speak to his mother. He was brought up by David F......" There's a mystery as regards Henry ~ who were his mother and father ? In the 1861 Census Return his parents are named as David [61] and Sarah [62]. Henry was only 4 at the time so this would have meant his parents would have been in their late 50s when he was born ... Henry is named as their son. More likely their grandson I suspect.

  SARAH ANN [nee White] [fourth from the left and my great grandmother] ~ "came from Barlborough and St. Helens [or even Wigan]. Sarah was a servant girl at Springfield Farm [owned by Mellish]. Her father before working in the pit was a clogmaker. Died about 1926."  Did she have some connection with Hebden Bridge ? My grandad, Albert had two aunts there ~ one had a pie shop where the millworkers bought their pies. One of Fred's daughters lived there on an isolated farm ... back in the 1980s/1990s this was.

 ALICE [second from the right] ~ "married Bill Atkins from Whitwell She was [had been ?] in service and had four sons by Bill Atkins but left him and supported herself. Bill Atkins wouldn't work." According to my late uncle Bill Atkins wasn't very pleasant. I apologise for any descendants of Bill Atkins who read this !

Finally, RUTH [on the right] ~ "lived in Sheffield. Went to work the other side of Sheffield. Met and married Edwin Smith ~ he wouldn't work either. She had six children and was always on the breadline."  ]. According to the 1911 Census Return Ruth was Anice Ruth ...

Some of the women in the family don't seem to have fared quite as well as the men ... or was it always thus ? Or was it my uncle who had some fairly jaundiced views ?

I could have posted this a few hours ago but I kept looking up different things. Once you start ...