Who do I think I am ? [13] ~ a photograph taken circa 1913 ...

Whilst my father's family originally come from Over Haddon in what is now the Peak District my mother's family were [at least at the beginning of the 20th century] living at 151 Coggins Row, Hodthorpe, near Whitwell, on the other side of Derbyshire.

Here they are, my grandfather, his parents and his siblings. 

 

That's my grandad, Albert, on the back row.

My grandparents, Henry [seated] and Sarah Ann, the matriarch, next to him. Henry would have been about 53 in his photo and Sarah Ann five years younger. I always think Henry looks less than healthy in the photos I see of him but as I understand it he lived into his 90s. Sarah Ann fared less well, dying in 1929 aged 65 or so.

This photo dates from the year 1913 or thereabouts.

According to the 1911 census return Henry was "cartering coal". He was born at Belph a hamlet near Hodthorpe. Sarah Ann was born Sarah Ann White in "St. Elones" [corrected to St. Helens, Lancashire, subsequently]. They had been married for 29 years in 1911 and 12 children "had been born alive" though 2 of them had died by 1911.

It looks like a couple of them on the back row may have been to a wedding ~ they are wearing buttonholes.

To say the photo is a century old we know quite a bit about this family.

HARRY WHITE [on the left at the back] was "born out of wedlock to Sarah Ann  and probably not the son of Henry. He was a brass bandsman and played trombone ..." 

FRED [second from the left] was the eldest son. "He was in the army and had fought in the Khyber Pass and right through the First World War. He was a standard bearer for the Old Comrades [Sherwood Foresters] and went annually to the memorial service at Crich Stand near Crich, Matlock."

JOHN WILLIAM [third from the left] "was called Jack and was probably in the army during the First World War. Later he worked down the pit at both Whitwell and Manton ..." He was referred to in the 1911 Census Return as follows "Pit Boy Collier Pony Driver Below".

ALBERT [third from the right] [my grandad]. "He was aged 18 or 19 in this photo and was in the Navy, mainly on destroyers and minesweepers. He was a leading stoker. When he left the Navy he went back down the pit where he was an underground enginewright eventually [in charge of the underground machinery etc.]" In the 1911 Census Return Grandad was living at home [aged 15]. He was a Pit Boy Pony Driver (Below).

HAROLD [second from the right] ~ "he was also in the pit. His wife was from Huddersfield so eventually they moved there and he worked for the Corporation and the Electricity Board before returning to the pit at Whitwell ..."

LEN [on the right] ~ "farmer and collier. He grew a moustache because of scarring due to a bad accident. After the accident he was an engine driver and on-setter [the man underground sorting out the cage]." He was still living at home in 1911 [aged 21] and at that time he was described as a Collier Below Ground (Hewer). He was born at Belph.

 The information about the family members referred to above comes from an uncle [now deceased].

If this proves to be of sufficient interest to people I will post information about the six people on the front row.