Some notes on distaff ancestry etc. of John Stewart Plant, b.1945, made around the early 1990s.

Chap 1: Tom senior’s wife’s parents: Wright and Franks Chaps 2 and 3: Tom junior’s wife’s parents: Vasey and Sayles Chap 4: JSP’s wife’s parents: Harwood and Sharpe

April 18, 2018 2 Contents

1 Till Rose Bea (1868-34) 5 1.1 WRIGHT - reconstruction at 18.12.1987 ...... 5 1.2 FRANKS - reconstruction at 18.12.1987 ...... 7 1.3 FRANKS - reconstruction at 20.9.91 ...... 9 1.3.1 Robert’s son Robert (1811-) ...... 9 1.3.2 Robert’s son John (1811-) ...... 11 1.3.3 John’s son Thomas (1833-) ...... 12 1.3.4 John’s son Henry (1836-) ...... 15 1.3.5 John’s son John (1837-) ...... 15 1.3.6 John’s daughter Sarah Ann (1842-) ...... 16 1.3.7 John’s son Robert (1846-) ...... 16 1.3.8 John’s daughter Roseanna (1849-) ...... 16 1.3.9 John’s son William (1852-) ...... 17 1.3.10 John’s son Benjamin (1854-) ...... 18

2 Ellen’s stories: Vasey 19 2.1 Inherited information ...... 19 2.1.1 Circa George Vasey, d 1888 ...... 19 2.1.2 Brother William ...... 20 2.1.3 Circa Mary Hanah, d 1897 ...... 21 2.1.4 Circa George Vasey, d 1905 ...... 22 2.1.5 Sister Lilly ...... 22 2.2 Widow Ellen and Lait ...... 23 2.2.1 Daughter Ada ...... 23 2.2.2 Daughter Mary ...... 23 2.2.3 Grandson Louis ...... 24 2.2.4 The Lait family ...... 24 2.3 Genealogical Research ...... 24 2.3.1 Gunn(ee/ey/y) ...... 25

3 Ellen’s stories: Sayles 27 3.1 Inherited information ...... 27 3.1.1 The Family Chemists Shop ...... 27 3.1.2 The Simpson Will ...... 29

3 4 CONTENTS

3.1.3 Edward Sayles’s children ...... 30 3.1.4 Ellen’s sister Ada ...... 30

4 Harwood and Sharpe 33 4.1 Harwood: Inherited Information ...... 33 4.2 Harwood: Genealogical Research ...... 35 4.3 Sharpe: Inherited Information ...... 36 4.4 Sharp(e): Genealogical Research ...... 36 4.4.1 Brackenbury ...... 40

A ‘Sayles’ addresses 43 A.1 The Simpson Trust ...... 43 A.2 Ada Gamble’s Notebook ...... 44 Chapter 1

Till Rose Bea (1868-34)

SOMERECONSTRUCTIONSBYHERGRAND-DAUGHTER Rose Beatrice Wright married Tom Plant (1859-1931) in Sheffield in 1890. These reconstruc- tions are by one of her grand-daughters, Diane Mary Marshall, and are of both the paternal and maternal families of Rose Beatrice, who lived around the general area of Warwickshire.

1.1 WRIGHT - reconstruction at 18.12.1987

Although more common and therefore harder to trace, the Wrights have been traced back to 1799 when James, son of James and Mary Wright, was possibly the first of three children baptised in Warwick. There may have been others baptised between 1800 and 1806 but the last two were certainly Joseph and Elizabeth born in 1807 and 1809. At present, there is no trace of the marriage of Joseph and Emma Elizabeth in about 1830. They may have met as apprentices or employees of Joseph Whitaker a tailor and staymaker of Smith Street Warwick. Joseph Wright was a tailor and his wife Emma a staymaker1 and in 1841 their second child Edward was staying with Joseph and Elizabeth Whitakre whose own children, at least two daughters, had left home. Furthermore, in 1866, one of Joseph and Emma’s grandchildren was baptised Joseph Robert Whitacre Wright. Joseph and Emma had six children. the family tree descends via the fourth, Joseph Alfred, baptised in 1840 who presumably married Sarah Ann Franks in about 1860 but there is no record of this. Most of his siblings followed their parents’ occupations at least temporarily. The eldest Ellen Elizabeth was a milliner and dressmaker living with her parents in 1861, aged 29, while her sister Ann Sophia was a dressmaker. Edward was a tailors apprentice in 1851 but 10 years later was a letter carrier. He may have been apprenticed to Joseph Whitaker who died or left Warwick in the early 1850s before the apprenticeship would have finished. Walter was a page and general servant in 1851 but may have been apprenticed to a tailor later. Only Joseph Alfred clearly broke with the family traditions from the start of his employment. He was a scholar in 1851 and a fishmonger in 1861 but had presumably served an apprenticeship as a woodcarver and french polisher. This would have been completed by his 21st birthday in 1861 which would have allowed him to marry and it is possible that he was working for his neighbour Edam Mitchell, a fish dealer, while looking for employment in his trade.

1They were living in Smith Street in 1832, possibly with the Whitacres

5 6 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34)

James b .2.1799 bap 1.9.1799

Ellen Elizabeth bap 30.4.1832 Edward William Arthur Edwd bap 21.4.1835 1861 m Mary Ann Walter Henry bap 28.9.1838

Sarah Emily bap 21.12.1861 Harriet Hannah bap 27.11.1864 m Johnson Joseph Robert Whitaker Joseph bap 29.8.1866 James b 1807 Wright bap 29.12.1809 Joseph Alfred Ellen Anna m Mary m Emma bap 11.3.1840 1867 Elizabeth m pre 1861 Rose Beatrice b 1810 Sarah Ann b 2.5.1868 Franks m Tom Plant d 15.3.1934 Kate Elizabeth 1870 Alfred Edward bap 29.10.1872 Tom, m Lena 3 daughters

Ann Sophia b 1845 bap 15.8.1848 9.9.1849 Elizabeth bap 29.12.1809

Figure 1.1: Wright ancestry of Rose Bea’s father. 1.2. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 18.12.1987 7

Joseph and Sarah had been childhood friends and the families knew each other, often living in the same area or road. On 15 August 1848, Ann Sophia Wright and Roseanna Franks were both baptised at St Mary’s and both families were living at Emscote. By December 1861, when their first child was baptised, Joseph had found work as a french polisher. Although Warwick was famous for woodcarvers, by 1864 the family had moved to Worcester staying for at least six years before returning to Warwick for a short time and later moving to Sheffield. Of eight children, two were baptised in Warwick, five in Worcester, and the youngest probably in Sheffield. Unfortunately, the 1985 I.G.I. for Yorkshire only covers up to the early 19th century. The fifth child, Rose Beatrice, born in 1868, married Tom Plant. Of her siblings, Harriet married a jeweller, Mr Johnson, and Ellen married Mr DePledge and had a daughter Winnie who married but was childless and a son killed in the first World War. Tom married Lena and had three children, Nellie, Ioy and Isabel.

1.2 FRANKS - reconstruction at 18.12.1987

The late 18th and early 19th century entries are taken from the International Geneological Index (I.G.I.) produced on microfiche by the Mormons for the whole country and have to be checked in the parish registers. Fortunately the surname is uncommon and it is probably safe to trace our family back to the marriage of Elisha Franks and Rebecca Clarke 190 years ago in Birmingham. As neither were born in Warwickshire further research will be difficult; it is possible that Elisha came over from Ireland. He and Rebecca had six children baptised in Birmingham in 14 years from 1799. The fifth, John baptised in 1810, appears to be the John Franks aged 50 recorded in the 1861 census for Warwick, although his place of birth was there stated to be Warwick not Birmingham. He may well have been born in Warwick but baptised in Birmingham especially as it appears they had relatives in Warwick. These were Robert Franks and Hannah nee´ Bone born in Warwick in 1811 and 1806 respectively and married there on 27th April 1830. The link between Robert and John is not yet known. It is unlikely that they were brothers but John may have been involved in and later taken over Robert’s business as a coal dealer on the Saltisford. John is described as a boatman, or even a labourer, in the baptism registers for 1833 to 1842 but as a coal dealer or merchant between 1846 and 1854. However in directories for 1841 and 1851 he described himself as a coal merchant and dealer. John may have increasingly taken over from Robert as the latter branched out into other areas. Robert described himself as a coal merchant and dealer in the directories for 1850 and 1851, as a furniture broker and coal dealer from 1866 to 1872 and in 1880, and as a furniture broker in 1876 and probably died or retired in the early 1880s. John may have been responsible for the canal haulage side of the business which would account for his description as a boatman by the parish clerk until 1842. He also changed his occupation, possibly due to his age, being a dealer in second hand clothes in 1872. His widow Hannah continued this occupation until at least 1884 describing herself rather poshly as a wardrobe dealer in 1880. Unfortunately it has not been possible to trace the marriage of John and his wife Hannah born in Barford, Warwickshire but the Warwick baptism registers record eight children baptised between 1833 and 1854. The family tree descends through the fourth child, the first daughter, Sarah Ann baptised in 1842, who married Joseph Alfred Wright. Of the others Henry, her second eldest brother, and John, the third, were both coal merchants in Warwick in the early 1860s. John stayed in Warwick until at least 1888 but, by 1876, was describing himself as a carrier. The 8 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34)

Ann bap 30.9.1799 Mary Ann bap 21.9.1801 Rebecca bap 20.6.1804 Sarah bap 28.12.1807

Thomas bap 31.12.1833

Henry John bap 4.12.1835 bap 1861 m Ann

John William bap 10.7.1839 Elisha bap 6.12.1863 m Emma Franks m 26.12.1797 Sarah Ann Rebecca bap 24.7.1842 Clarke m Joseph Alfred John Wright bap 17.12.1810 d 1889 m Hannah (see section 1.1) Robert bap 22.11.1846 Roseanna bap 9.9.1849 William b 1852 bap 10.9.1854 d c1930 Benjamin bap 10.9.1854

Joseph bap 19.4.1813

Figure 1.2: Franks ancestry of Rose Bea’s mother (at 18.12.1987). 1.3. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 20.9.91 9 fourth son Robert may have been the Robert Franks described in the directories as a furniture broker and coal dealer in 1866, 1872, and 1880, or furniture broker in 1876, but as there is no trace of the burial of the Robert Franks listed in the 1841 and 1851 census, at least in St Nicholas Warwick 1851 to 1856, this is not certain at present. His younger brother William, born in 1852, was employed as a french polisher in 1872 while living with his parents John and Hannah at 19 Friars Street, and was still living there in 1908. By 1912 he had moved to 3 Warwick Place in nearby Leamington and had expanded his business, having become an antique furniture dealer at Warwick Place, but continuing in french polishing at 2 Brook Street and 1a Wood Lane Street in Leamington. Nine years later he was still running both businesses but was no longer using Brook Street. However, by 1928 his son was working with William and it seems that antique furniture dealing had prospered, with a move to 55 Regent Street, one of the best roads in Leamington, and the abandonment of french polishing. This prosperity was probably ended by the depression as the business is not listed in 1936.

1.3 FRANKS - reconstruction at 20.9.91

Although the surname is fairly uncommon it is difficult to trace the family back with any certainty beyond the mid l9th century. While the I.G.I. is generally accurate, this surname is associated with several omissions which limited earlier research. Even after the examination of several parish registers more information is needed. However, it is almost certain that the family can be traced back to Robert Franks, a woolcomber, born in 1774. By 1814 he, and his wife Susan were living on Saltisford, Warwick. The parish register records a daughter, Ann, baptised 2 October of that year and a son, Benjamin, 8 October of the next. As John, from whom “our” line is known to have descended, and Robert, who appears to have been his brother, were both said to have been born in Warwick in about 1810 - 12 which fits precisely with this family, the names are used in other generations and there were no alternatives it is probably safe to assume that Robert and Susan were their parents. The two boys may have been baptised in their mother’s parish of birth as this was a common practice then especially with the first born. The ages given in the censuses vary but it seems that Robert may have been a year older or they may even have been twins. Furthermore, it is possible that there were other children in the family. In particular there was a Thomas Franks in Birmingham of about the same age who followed the identical trades, furniture broking and coal dealing, in 1851 and 1862. The family may have been related to some of the many Franks in Birmingham. It is known that there were other concentrations of Franks in West Bromwich, Staffordshire and in Tipperary, Ireland. Unfortunatly Robert died in 1816 and his widow probably left Warwick before the mid 19th century censuses which record places of birth.

1.3.1 Robert’s son Robert (1811-) The first members of the family positively identified in Warwick at present are Robert Franks and Hannah nee´ Bone, born there in about 1811 and 1806 respectively and married there on 27th April 1830. Although, as already discussed, evidence is limited it is probably safe to assume that Robert and John were brothers. Robert and his wife were witnesses at John’s wedding in 1832. Furthermore, as will become clear later, the two followed similar occupations and may have 10 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34)

Robert b 1810/11

Susannah, bap 14.1.1853 and 22.8.1862 Mary Ann, bap 12.1.1856, m 4.7.1872 Wm Stock Thomas, bap 10.1.1858 George, b 1862 Thomas bap 31.12.1833 Emma, bap 16.3.1863 m Emma William, bap 26.12.1864 b 1836 Elizabeth Ann, bap 4.3.1866 Louisa, bap 17.2.1868 Theodore, bap 6.4.1870 Lucy, bap 1.9.1872

John, b 1860 Henry Ellen, b 1861 bap 4.12.1836 Ann, b 1863 m Ann b 1838 Henry Robert, b 1865 Winifred, b 1871

Caroline, b 1863 william, bap 6.12.1863 John Roseanna, b 1867, bap 21.1.1872 b ?1837 bap 10.1.1839 Sarah Emily, b 1869, bur 14.12.1871 John m Emma Lucy, bap 29.1.1872, bur 30.3.1872 b 1836 b ?1811 John, bap 1.11.1873, bur 6.11.1873 Robert m 5.3.1832 Franks Hannah Ernest, bap 30.1.1873 b 1774 Tarplin Sarah Ann bur 10.5.1816 b 1812 m Susan bap 24.7.1842 d 1889 m 1861 Joseph Alfred Wright (see section 1.1) Robert bap 22.11.1846

Roseanna Florence, b 1869 bap 9.9.1849 m 29.7.1867 Amy, b 1870 John Newman Biny Elizabeth, bap 21.1.1872 m 6.8.1883 Beatrice Hannah, bap 5.1.1873 Charles Sparket William Lillie Hannah, bap 16.3.1873 b 1852 bap 10.9.1854 Benjamin, b 1875 d c1930 Lavinia Rose, b 1875, bap 18.1.1880 m Emma William, bap 4.7.1880 b 1850 Harry, bap 18.1.1880 Benjamin Nellie, bap 16.10.1881 bap 10.9.1854 Benjamin, b 1883, bur 12.12.1885 m Eva bur 24.11.1896 John, bap 25.1.1886, bur 30.1.1886 Daisy, bap 2.10.1887

Ann bap 2.10.1814 Benjamin bap 8.10.1815

Figure 1.3: Franks ancestry of Rose Bea’s mother (at 20.9.1991). 1.3. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 20.9.91 11 worked together. In 1841 Robert was described as a labourer but, sometime during the next decade, became a coal merchant and dealer. By 1862 he had diversified, possibly as John took over the canal based part of the business, and was also a furniture broker. He still had this dual-occupation in 1880 and continued to live on the Saltisford near the canal. Several members of the family could be considered “colourful characters” in mid-nineteenth- century Warwick, making numerous appearances in the local paper, the Warwick and Warwick- shire Advertiser and Leamington Gazette, usually under the Police Intelligence section, during the 1860s. Robert only made two appearances in court during the decade. In May 1865 he was charged with being drunk and indecent behaviour in Milverton Street. He was dismissed with costs of 4s 9d but his promise not to offend again was soon broken. A year later he was charged with assaulting a neighbour, Henry Banbury, a baker. Banbury had lived in the house for over 50 years and was in the closet which was shared with other houses. He did not defend himself against an unprovoked attack by Robert striking him on the cheek and the back of the head. Robert said that Banbury was a “perfect nuisance” to the neighbourhood, didn’t know what he was about half of the time and he had only pulled his nose. Harriet Maycock, a neighbour, from her door saw Robert go to the closet and ask Banbury if he had still got his nightcap on but there was no reply. Robert then told her “Me and Henry have been having some words.” Although Maycock advised him to take no notice because Banbury was odd, Robert said he wouldn’t be humbugged and would kick him for half a farthing. Robert claimed that he kicked and struck Banbury twice following provocation but was told by the bench that he had no right to take the law into his own hands. He was fined 6s with costs 14s and Banbury requested a transfer to the county court to consider compensation.

1.3.2 Robert’s son John (1811-) John senior was probably a relatively respectable small tradesman gaining a fairly honest living from a variety of occupations. He is described as a boatman or even a labourer in the baptism registers for the nine years to 1842, as a coal merchant or dealer for the next three decades, as a grocer in the 1871 census and as a dealer in second-hand clothes the following year. Furthermore, he was able to combine coal dealing with night-soil collection employing the cart, if not the horse, during the hours of darkness when by-laws allowed the closets to be emptied. John say also have been increasingly involved in canal haulage, probably bringing coal to Warwick from the Black Country, taking over from Robert as he developed other interests. In 1832 he married Hannah Tarplin, born in the nearby village of Barford, and during the next 22 years they had eight children. Not surprisingly John and his family lived near the canal for many years. For about 10 years, while John was a boatman, they were in Brookhouse or Commercial Buildings beside the present Dun Cow on the Saltisford to the north-west of the town by an arm of the canal leading to the gas works. Originally known as New Buildings, the 42 dwellings, including 36 back-to-back houses, built in about 1813, condemned by the inspector of health in 1849 and demolished during the 1960s. By the mid 1840s John had become a coal-dealer and moved to better accommodation in houses to the east of Warwick near or adjoining the Grand Union Canal but apparently retained a link with the Saltisford, possibly having his own wharf or one shared with Robert Franks there. The family lived at The Hop Pole, Emscote in 1846, on Emscote in 1849 and on the newly built Pickard Street two years later before moving to Wharf Street in the early 1850s. They stayed there for over ten years and it is possible that Sarah Ann’s memory of workmen riding the carthorses 12 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34) ducking their heads under an archway and laughing when she copied them unnecessarily refers to this address as the buildings on the surviving wharf have an arch which may require this. Following another change of occupation the family moved again. In 1871 John, Hannah and their youngest sons, William aged 19, a French polisher, and Benjamin aged 16, a labourer, were living in the recently built Friars Street to the south-west of Warwick. John was described in the census as a grocer but the following year was a dealer in second-hand clothes. Following John’s death, in May 1875 aged 63, his widow continued the business from 19, Friars Street for over ten years although she was described rather grandly as a wardrobe dealer in Stevens directory for 1880. The following year she, her son William, his wife and their four children were living at number 19 and her youngest son Benjamin, now also a French polisher, his wife and their son were next door at 17. John appeared in court at least twice, both times concerning cruelty to horses. On Tuesday 31st December 1861 Mr John Gibbs of Leamington, an acting honourary secretary for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, applied for “as brutal a case of cruelty as had ever come under his notice.” The previous day P.C. Woodward, in Smith Street, saw a horse hooked to a cart loaded with nightsoil to be taken by the boy with it about three miles to Barford. The horse appeared very weak and had a sore place on it’s right shoulder where the end of the shaft rubbed when it put it’s near fore to the ground. At the police station it was also found to have a discharging sore eye which the blinker rubbed and several sores on it’s back. The police took possession of the horse and cart. There had been frequent complaints about the bad treatment of the horse, which frequently fell due to exhaustion. Mr Gibbs had cautioned the boy several times in Leamington and was “ashamed that anyone should be so lost to feelings of humanity.” John maintained that the horse was fed as well, if not better, than most others and the sores were due to it trying to get out of the stable. Following a fine of 1 for the clear case of cruelty, costs of 10s 9d and a caution about using horses in future John said that he would take care that Mr Gibbs did not see him in future. However, only five days later, John was charged with causing a horse to be ill-treated on the day of his first case. Due to information received P.S. Webb and P.C. Woodward went along the canal towards Hatton and found a horse in “a very bad state” drawing a boat in charge of his son. It had several sores, including a large one on it’s eye and a raw, bleeding one due to the friction of the harness on it’s shoulder. The son, probably Thomas, threatened to kill the horse with the knife that he was using to remove blood from the sores if the police tried to remove it. At the hearing John claimed that he had lent his son the horse because he thought that the journey to the Black Country would do it good. He and his witness, Cattel, claimed that he gave the horse plenty of food and did not ill-treat it. The vet reported that the roan horse was emaciated, weak, reeled as it walked, had wounds and was unfit to take even an empty boat but was not subjected to great cruelty. John was fined 30s plus costs.

1.3.3 John’s son Thomas (1833-) Thomas, the eldest son, like his father, was involved in night-soil removal, having his own cart with his name on it in 1863, and various other occupations. These included coal dealing while living with his parents at Wharf Street in the early 1850s. Following his marriage he is stated to be a labourer but may have continued to work for his father as in 1862 he was said to be a boatman, two years later he was a higgler and in 1872 a hawker. With the exception of 1865 when Thomas was 1.3. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 20.9.91 13 again at Wharf Street, possibly with his parents, he, and his growing family, lived on the Saltisford for at least 10 years before becoming more mobile, living nearby in Pigwell Lane, now Albert Street, and Pepper Alley or Union Row, a mid 19th century terrace replaced by Lammas Walk, in 1868, Stand Street two years later and Linen Street and Union Buildings in 1872. Thomas appears to have been the most “troublesome” of the Franks. He, his wife and one of their daughters were even sent to gaol. Thomas, described as “the greatest brute to dumb creatures I ever saw in my life”, was charged with cruelty to horses on several occasions. He seems to have been the son involved in the case discussed above and, only a week later, was charged with cruelly ill-treating a horse which had strayed at Hatton. Despite the prosecution’s comment he was just warned and dismissed. Three months later he was fined 10s plus 29s expenses or, in default, given a month in the House of Correction with hard labour, for ill-treating a mare in Milverton, near Leamington. Similarly, he was charged on 7th April 1861 after John Stiff, hotel keeper in Bath Street, Leamington reported to the police at 7.15 pm that the horse that he first saw in the lane of nearby Regent Place at 1.15 pm was still there. P.C. Glenn found the horse, attached to a cart, had a wound under the crupper between the saddle and tail oozing blood and matter and a raw, hand sized one under the saddle. While taking the horse to the Town Hall he met Thomas who asked “What are you going to do with that horse?” and was told that it was unfit for work and therefore being taken in charge. Thomas replied “It’s my horse and I’ll be d— if you shall take it” and tried to take it from Glenn. Thomas and his companion Chambers, tried to get the horse away and Thomas kicked it repeatedly. They struggled until P.C. Heeler arrived. Mr Gibbs found blood and matter on the harness, wounds nearly all along the horse’s back, an old one on the withers and a long-established raw one the size of a half-crown on a shoulder. Thomas was fined 2 5s plus 15s costs with two months hard labour in default. He was fined a further 12s 6d with 7s 6d costs, or 14 days in default, for assaulting Heeler. Thomas also frequently “interfered with the police” when they were clearing the streets of disorderly characters on Saturday nights. On Saturday 3rd June 1865 he tried to pick a fight with some boatmen at the corner of Wharf Street where his parents then lived. P.C. Waters told him to go home quietly and the boatmen said they did not want to fight. Thomas, who was drunk, noisy and riotous, used very bad language stating that he didn’t care a b—r for any policeman and, having been threatened with being taken into custody, that no policeman would take him and, if Waters would go onto the bridge, he would knock his head “as big as a bucket”. The mayor stated that Thomas must be punished for defying authority and imposed a fine of 2 with costs of 15s 6d to be paid immediately or his goods distrained and, if not enough raised to cover the fine, imprisonment. Thomas was also convicted for theft. He may have been the “Thomas Franks of Warwick” sentenced, in January 1852, to 21 days in the House of Correction for stealing a victorine from the daughter of James Kibler of Wellesbourne Hastings. Certainly the following year Thomas, probably while working for his father, was sentenced to six months in gaol for feloniously forging an order for payment of 10s 5d for 25 cwt. of coal with intent to defraud Elizabeth Lee of Leam- ington Priors. Furthermore, in June 1862 Thomas stole a lead mallet which he claimed to have found amongst the ashes while emptying a dust hole for William Branston, carpenter and joiner, of Guy Street. He sold it to Mr Russell, a marine store dealer of the Saltisford, who had often bought things from him and considered him an honest man. Thomas was sent to gaol for 28 days with hard labour. This did not deter him as only a year later he was charged and remanded for removing night-soil worth ls without permission in a cart with his name on it from the house of 14 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34)

Mrs Pearson, Emscote Road. Thomas claimed that he paid a man named Hodgson for locating night-soil and had paid him ls 3d for it. As Hodgson could not be found the case was dismissed. Similarly, in September 1865, probably while living with, and working for, his father, Thomas, then a remover of night-soil of Wharf Street, was charged with stealing a piece of wrappering, value 6d, while emptying the hole at Alfred Egerton’s, a grocer of Victoria Terrace, Leamington, without permission. Thomas somehow heard that the robbery had been discovered and, not for the first time, returned the stolen property. He narrowly escaped committal being dismissed with a caution. However, in January 1868 Thomas was convicted of stealing a pair of boots from the stable of James Colledge, a coal dealer in Castle Street while emptying the dust hole. When P.S. Maycock went to Thomas’s house he claimed that he had bought the boots, which he was wearing, with another pair and a child’s petticoat, from a woman who came to the door. As Thomas had several previous convictions the mayor inflicted the heaviest punishment in his power - six months in gaol with hard labour. Emma, the wife of Thomas Franks, was also charged or involved in several offenses. She, like many other women of her status, often visited the local public houses and drink may have led to most of her offenses. In May 1862 Edwin Lewis was charged with stealing a coat worth 1. Emma was called as a witness and stated that she saw Lewis in the White Lion, Saltisford and accepted his offer of buying the coat for 5s. However, Lewis denied this and claimed to have sold it to a woman with a baby in her arms who bought half a gallon of beer. This could have been Emma as George was born that year and, if so, she appears to have been a hard drinker. This appears to be the case as, three months later, she was charged with being drunk and disorderly in the streets. At 11 pm on 9th September she came out of the Black Horse in Saltisford and began to fight with a woman called Hodson. P.C. Elvins was attempting to persuade her to 90 home when her husband came up and she started to abuse and fight him. She was then locked up. Emma was ordered to pay a fine of 7s plus costs or serve 14 days in gaol and, as she did not pay, was sent to gaol until she was able to. A little over a year later she was accused of being drunk and disorderly and causing a disturbance in the White Lion and in March 1867 was summoned for using very violent and obscene language on the Saltisford. Similarly in January 1868 she was charged on remand with assaulting Matilda Whitehead, a domestic servant employed by Mr Davies of the Black Horse Inn, Saltisford. Since the previous hearing Emma had given birth to Louisa and was unable to attend. Whitehead withdrew the summons due to this and because Emma had admitted the offence and expressed contrition. The case was dismissed after her husband promised to pay the expenses of 1 9s 6d within a fortnight. Four years later Emma, with Lucy in her arms, was in the dock again. Humphrey Wilkins, coachman to Mr T.B. Dale of Guy Street, went to the Dolphin Inn, Emscote to see a Mr Ashmore on business. He left his umbrella, worth 3s, on the back of his chair while he saw Mr Ashmore in the kitchen but when he came out both it and Emma had gone. He went with P.C. Ruane to Union Buildings and saw the umbrella inside the door. Emma offered no defence and was given 14 days in gaol although liable for up to three months with hard labour. Thomas and Emma’s eldest child also appeared in court. Susannah, a rag and bone collector, was only 15 when she stole two pieces of lamb left hanging under a projection outside the kitchen door at Mr Batchelor’s in Emscote Place. Amelia Scarrote, servant to Mr Cardell, his neighbour, saw the meat in her basket when selling Susan rags and bones. She pleaded guilty and, having a previous conviction for stealing geese in Leamington, was sentenced to three months in prison with hard labour to be followed by five years in a reformatory in Ipswich. Later in the year her father 1.3. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 20.9.91 15 was summoned under the Reformatory Act and ordered to pay 1s a week towards her maintenance. However, the following year he was in arrears with this.

1.3.4 John’s son Henry (1836-) In contrast with Thomas the second son, Henry, seems to have been quite law abiding. He was probably the most intelligent and best educated being described as a scholar in the 1851 census although he was then 15. By that age his younger brother, Robert, was already working as a labourer on a coal wharf. This may have been because his father intended Henry to inherit the business instead of his rather “wild” elder brother, Thomas. Like his father, Henry may have started his career in coal dealing by working on the barges. His eldest son John was born in 1860 at Ringswood, near Lapworth, an important basin on the Birmingham-Stratford Canal where the majority of barges off-loaded their cargoes. The following year Henry, was employed as a coal dealer and living with his wife and their son at 162, Pigswell Lane, now Albert Street. This may have been short-lived as, only four years later, he was described as a labourer and lived on Saltisford. By then he, like his father and brother, was a scavenger. This may have been a temporary decline as by 1871 he was working as a baker and living with his wife and their five children, none of whom were baptised in Warwick, in a relatively new terrace at 23, Crompton Street. Ten years later he had reverted to his original trade, coal dealing, and was living at Joyce Pool, behind Barrack Street, under the present library. The eldest son, John, may have continued the trade into the present century as an elderly former resident of Warwick remembers a canal boatman known as Jack Franks. Uniquely, in October 1865 Henry, a “quiet respectable man” appeared in court as the victim of threatening language. He was employed in getting night-soil at about 3am on Northgate Street when Henry Banbury, aged 70, a baker of Saltisford threatened him with bodily harm. According to the prosecution, Banbury frequently made foolish complaints against people. He accused Henry of disturbing him in his slumbers and had previously falsely charged him with having six militia men dancing in the house. Banbury promised not to repeat the offence and was discharged and, only eight months later, was the victim of an assault by Robert Franks as already discussed. Henry, then a labourer of Saltisford, and Edward Treadwell of Brook Street, were charged with theft in August 1867. The housekeeper to Mr Tibbits, a solicitor of Church Street, left a message with Henry’s wife asking him to arrange to empty the ash pit as he had for the last four years. Henry and Treadwell, also a scavenger, who had not worked for him before, arrived at 1.30 am., did the job and were paid 5s of which Treadwell received 6d or 1s. Henry claimed that a bag on the barrow which they used contained cinders and coals that a servant gave them but it was alleged that it was full of large pieces and cobbles of coal. Tibbitts admitted that he had never heard anything bad about either man and they were eventually acquitted.

1.3.5 John’s son John (1837-) John, then aged 13, was not at the family home in Pickard Street on the night of the 1851 census but the one ten years later records that he was there, still single and worked as a coal dealer. He married a year or two later but continued to live in Wharf Street, possibly with his parents, until after the christening of their first child. By 1871 he was living with his wife and their four children 16 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34) at 34, Friar Street near his parents at number 19. During the next decade he changed his occupation to carrier and, in 1875, moved the short distance to 6, Market Street, where he remained for at least nine years. By 1896 William, his eldest son, had taken over both the premises and the business but is not recorded in the directories after 1900. In addition to being a coal dealer John was also involved in night-soil removal. On 6th April 1872 he pleaded guilty to allowing certain night-soil to remain in All Saints Road, Emscote, be- tween 11pm and 9am on 28th March. P.C. Ruane saw John and a cart up the road towards All Saints Church, since demolished, at 5pm. The stench from the cart was “very great” and some of the contents had fallen onto the road. Removing night-soil at that time contravened the by-law as John should have known having been “in work for all of his life time”. He explained that there had been two deaths, Sarah buried 14th December and Lucy 30th March, and one birth, presumably Lucy’s, in his family in the last three months and was ordered to pay costs of 8s 6d.

1.3.6 John’s daughter Sarah Ann (1842-) Sarah Ann was the fourth child but first daughter and it is through her that our family descends. She seems to have been rather strong willed. When her childhood friend Joseph Alfred Wright, an apprentice French polisher, lost his position following the death of his master in December 1859 and was therefore forced to go on the tramp in search of work she probably followed him. While it is known that they did marry there is no record of the ceremony in Warwick. This apparently secret marriage may have been against the wishes of her father. He seems to have disowned her. In October 1861 her husband was unable to support her having accepted an offer to complete his apprenticeship. As he did not receive wages, and was therefore unable to support her, Joseph went to see her father at his house, Emscote. He refused to consent to any arrangement to maintain her and said that she must become chargeable to the union. As he thereby condemned his daughter, who was due to have her first baby shortly, to remain in the workhouse it appears that relations between them were not good. This may be because of her marriage. Fortunately Joseph’s father offered to guarantee her maintenance. This arrangement only lasted for about four weeks before she left home, was disowned by her husband and appeared in court for breaking five panes of glass in her father-in-law’s shop, due to aggravation and a request with regard to her husband not being complied with immediately. The case was dismissed when her solicitor promised that there would not be a repetition and agreement was reached on where she should collect her husband’s money.

1.3.7 John’s son Robert (1846-) Little is known about Robert. The last record of him is the 1861 census which records that he was 15, living with his parents on Wharf Street and working as a labourer on a coal wharf. He presumably left Warwick as he is not listed in any later censuses.

1.3.8 John’s daughter Roseanna (1849-) Roseanna, as the only other daughter, appears to have been close to her sister although about seven years younger, being the Aunt Newman who wrote saying that the streets of Sheffield were “paved with gold.” By the time she was 19 she had left home and was living on the eastern side of 1.3. FRANKS - RECONSTRUCTION AT 20.9.91 17 neighbouring Leamington where she met and married her future husband. On 29th July 1867, aged 19, she married John Newman, a Leamington upholsterer, who was about nine years older than her. It is possible that her father did not attend the ceremony as the witnesses, John and Emma Franks, were probably her brother and his wife. Interestingly, while Emma could at least sign her name, John was totally illiterate. However, by 1871 the Newmans were living in half of her parent’s house at 19, Friar Street with their daughters Amy, two, and Florence, nine months both of whom had been born in Warwick. They left Friar Street before the christening of their third child, Biny Elizabeth, in January the following year, moving to nearby West Street where they stayed for at least a year. The family may then have left Warwick, possibly to visit or even live in the Sheffield area as John’s mother was born at Thornor, Yorkshire. Certainly the family were absent for the 1881 census but Rosanna returned, probably after the death of John. She returned to Friars Street and probably her parent’s house as she, like her father, was a furniture broker. On 6th August 1883 Rose Newman, then 33, married Charles Sparket who was five years younger and a porter living with his father on the same street. She, and presumably her husband and children, later moved to Sheffield where she was known as Aunt Newman to the end of her days despite her remarriage.

1.3.9 John’s son William (1852-)

William was perhaps the most successful member of the family. He is the first one to have been apprenticed to a trade as he became a French polisher. This was a common occupation in War- wick which was noted for it’s woodcarvers and cabinet makers, but was subject to fluctuations in demand and therefore in wages. William was living at home in 1871. He probably finished his apprenticeship at the age of 21 but continued to live at 19, Friars Street after his marriage to Emma, a lacemaker. He was still living there in l9O8 but then expanded his business and moved to nearby Leamington. In 1912 he had moved to 3, Warwick Place where he had a business as an antique furniture dealer in addition to operating as a French polisher at 2, Brook Street and 1a, Wood Lane Street. This may even have been a continuation and relocation of his Uncle’s furniture broking. Nine years later William was still running both businesses but was no longer using the Brook Street premises. By 1928 the antique furniture business had prospered and French polishing was no longer important or had been abandoned. William had been joined by his son and relocated the business at 55, Regent Street, one of the best roads in the commercial heart of Leamington. However this prosperity was probably ended by the depression as the business is not listed in the 1936 directory. William was also unusual in appearing in court as a witness rather than the defendent. At 5pm on one Saturday in May 1868 William, apprentice to Mr Storrey of Leamington, was passing the haberdashery shop in Coton End Warwick kept by George Edward Ives. He saw a man, later identified as Walter Clarke of Quebec, a steward on a ship, steal a pair of boots from the window of the shop. William then followed Clarke and waited outside the Welch Harp on Smith Street until he came out. He then continued to follow Clarke until he met a P.C. walking down the street and was able to tell him about the theft. 18 CHAPTER 1. TILL ROSE BEA (1868-34)

1.3.10 John’s son Benjamin (1854-) As in many families the youngest son was named Benjamin. He, like William, became a French polisher and he may have worked for his brother as there is no evidence that Benjamin set up on his own. He, and William, were part of a close knit family. Even after his marriage to Eva he only moved next door to 17 Friars Street and remained there until at least 1896 when his wife was buried. Chapter 2

Ellen’s stories: Vasey

SOME NOTES RELATING TO HER COLLECTIONOF PAPERS1 When about 8 years old I remember my grandmother, who lived with us, to tell me stories of the old times. With help from others, such as my older cousin Louis, some of these stories survive.

2.1 Inherited information

The father of George Vasey2 was probably called George and so on, it is said, so on before him. It is accordingly unclear whether an envelope addressed:-

Mr G Vasey, Decorator, 27 Randall St, Highfield, Sheffield is to father or son, but such an envelope is handwritten on the back with notes about Alexander the Great, which start:-

Sudenly (sic) taken ill after a Banquet and died 11 days after

The postmark on the envelope has the date ‘MR 88’. A few days later, on the 7th April 1888, the firm of ARMSTEADAND VASEY Joiners, Builders, Contractors and General Undertakers of 95 Sharrow Lane Sheffield bore their own late departed George Vasey in one of their own coffins to his newly-dug grave in Ecclesall Church Yard. A bible has writing inside which reads G Vasey, a present from Edward Snaith, Newcastle on Tyne 1838 and elsewhere George Vasey 1841 and George Vasey 1876.

2.1.1 Circa George Vasey, d 1888 A notebook (containing the date 1857) shows, George Vasey was a member of the local Cricket XI. Also written there are the lengths of local railway tunnels, quantities of house building materials used, bets placed (with him) with odds for the Lincoln Handicap, and:-

1Made by her grandson, John Stewart Plant, in 1990 with added recollections by another grandson Louis Lait (and a daughter Ada Plant aged 87). 2According to The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames, Vaisey (or Vaizey) is an old french nickname meaning ‘play- ful’.

19 20 CHAPTER 2. ELLEN’S STORIES: VASEY

Mary Ellen George Louis b 4.9.1893 b 30.11.1914 d 26.3.1975 m Betty Hooke George m Clement Pierre Lait b 22.10.1918 b 20.5.1868 Sheffield b 24.1.1892 d 26.8.1980 d aged 37 (9c 252) d 28.12.1969 (no children) bur 31.8.1905 m 1891.3qtr (9c 757) Joseph Edward Ellen Sayles d aged 1 (9c 223) George (see Figure 3.1) bur 24.2.1897 b ?1830 d aged 58 (9c 198) Ada bur 7.4.1888 b 13.3.1903 m Mary Hannah Gunnee m Tom Plant b ?1829 Charlie ? d aged 68 (9c 239) bur 27.2.1897 m Marretta George son (adopted) m Janie Mercer Lilly Ada m Mr Graham b 1897 approx d 1927 approx Vasey bachelor d 1930 approx

William boy, d young m(1) Annie Dinnin Canada John, b 1857 approx

m(2) ? in USA 2 children by 1865

Figure 2.1: Vasey family tree

Independ Order Druids, Old Crown Lodge. The first grand dinner of the above Lodge and Concert will be held at the Old Crown Inn, London Rd Mr J M Needham on Wed March 14th at 7 O’clock. Tickets for dinner 2/-.

This is followed by the names of people paying 2/- and the formative plans for a Programme of events. His President’s sash has been handed down through the family and has the emblems ‘Sheffield Equalized Independent Druids Friendly Society’ and ‘Equality, Truth and Fidelity’. A badge of the same Friendly Society is engraved on the back:-

Presented to Bro.G.Vasey by the members of the Old Crown Lodge March 20th 1892

and this would have been to George (jnr). There is also an undated document entitled ‘Specification for a house to be Built at Heeley Bank By Joseph Taylor for George Vasey’ for 117-0-0, though Joseph Taylor’s signature to ‘Received on account the Sum of thirty Pounds’ is, at the end, crossed out.

2.1.2 Brother William

The George Vasey (b 1830) of ARMSTEADAND VASEY had a brother3 called William, who was living with his wife Annie Dinnin in Canada with her parents around 1855. William Vasey went to Detroit USA to work in the summer and returned to Annie in Canada in the winter. William and Annie had two sons; the first died young. Since Annie would not go to Detroit Michigan with her husband in the spring, he went alone and by around 1865 he was twice married, with

3It may also be noted that, in the early part of the 20th century, there was a gable end of a building at Lowfields painted with the words ‘Vasey’ and ‘saws’ but it is not known that this was a relative. 2.1. INHERITED INFORMATION 21

another two children by his USA wife, and running a Building Contractors business in Detroit. This information is given in a letter dated 22nd Dec 1879 from Annie’s brother Wm Dinnin, who was the postmaster of Lumley PO Huron Ontario. Postmaster Dinnin writes:-

Owing to the way Wm Vasey acted; leaving his wife and family. Marring (sic) another, his first wife still living we never corresponded, his Son John has Been well cared for by his Uncle Joseph Dinnin.

John was born around 1857; his mother Annie died around 1870. In 1879 John Vasey was planning to move to Manitoba to take up 320 acres of land. It is not clear whether this is the same John D Vasey whose address is noted in family papers, on the back of a compliment slip of THE INSPECTOR,POLICE STATION,HIGHFIELDS as 295 Lafayette Avenue, Buffalo, New York, USA.

2.1.3 Circa Mary Hanah, d 1897

It seems that George Vasey (d 1883) of ARMSTEADAND VASEY lived rather more conventionally than his brother William and left his one wife, Mary Hannah, only for the grave. The remnants of a Prayer Book suggest that Mary Hannah Gunnee came from Thorne in Yorkshire though the significance of an accompanying date, 18th Dec 1852, is unknown. Various papers, including ones of the Sheffield solicitors Alfred Taylor & Co., indicate that she was living with her husband at 27 Randall Street in 1887 and, by 1895, was still in the neighbour- hood at 15 Batt Street, Highfield.

Personal Estate The solicitors papers relate mostly to George Vasey’s personal estate following his funeral in April 1888. Thus, for example, the solicitors refer to actions in June 1888 that include:-

• Notice to creditors to send in their claims ...... in London Gazette ...... in Sheffield papers

• Attendances on you and your eldest son in reference to loans to enable you to carry on your business ...... until probate ......

This bill from the solicitors was for 56-15-6d.

27 Randall Street Four years later, there is another bill for 32-3-4d; in April 1892 there are actions in connection with the property of Mary Hannah’s Randall Street address, such as:-

• Instructions for ...... completing Assignment of leasehold Beerhouse and Shop ...... to you, subject to Mortgage to Court Mathews Friendly Society to secure 350

• Instructions for ...... Mortgage of leasehold Beerhouse and Shop ...... from you to Mrs Graham4 to secure 89 ...... subject to prior mortgage 4This is presumably Mary Hannah’s daughter Lilly Graham. 22 CHAPTER 2. ELLEN’S STORIES: VASEY

Sale of 27 Randall Street Just two years later still, the sale of the ‘Beerhouse and shop’ (occasionally termed ‘Public House’) of the Randall Street address was the subject of still further legal dealings extending from 19th July 1894 to 2nd Aug 1895. Initially 800 was offered for the property on behalf of Mr Greenwood of ‘Spring lane Brewery’; there was also an offer from someone else but a tenant, Mrs West, kept until the end changing her terms for departure. The original offer was eventually withdrawn on the technical pretext that rights existed to build a wall in front of the Randall Hotel (next door at 29 Randall Street) and the formal removal of such rights depended on the agreement of ‘a Lunatic .... and other of them .... all over the world’. When the beerhouse was eventually sold by auction, for 700, the solicitor’s fees had reached 50-1-2d. The balance left for Mary Hannah was 129-9-2d.

Mary Hannah’s death When Mary Hannah died, the undertaker’s bill for her funeral on the 27th Feb 1897 had the Vasey of ARMSTEADAND VASEY crossed out in ink as so also was the main address of 146 Club Garden Road, leaving only that of the original ‘YARD’ at 95 Sharrow Lane. Mary Hannah was borne to the same grave as her husband in Ecclesall Church Yard.

2.1.4 Circa George Vasey, d 1905

Only a few months later, son George was billed again by ARMSTEAD, this time for a ‘small coffin’ and ‘funeral bus to Ecclesall’, presumably for his and his wife Ellen’s son, who is believed to have died soon after birth; it is thought that he was called George (or, perhaps, was a second son called Joseph with both dying very young). Ellen often used to have to fetch ice from local butchers and fishmongers (on medical advice) to place on the chest (to ease the suffering) of her husband George’s TB; somtimes, this would be in the middle of the night. For George’s funeral, on 31st August 1905, the undertaker’s bill is not on print-headed paper but hand-written:-

Mrs Vasey Dr To J Armstead

This Mrs Vasey would be his widow Ellen, who was (in 1903) living with her husband and two daughters at 11 Crowther Place5 Highfield Sheffield, just opposite from her former mother-in law’s Batt Street address.

2.1.5 Sister Lilly Ellen’s husband George Vasey had a sister Lilly Graham who lived in Cheltenham Street, Black- burn with three sons and daughter (see Figure 2.1). Lilly Graham’s eldest son Charlie was wounded in the first world war with a bullet left lodged dangerously close to his spine; his wife Marretta worked on the weaving looms and went to live in Loughborough after being widowed with no

5It is said that, at some stage, Ellen’s husband George had lived on the then adjoining Mount Pleasant Road. 2.2. WIDOW ELLEN AND LAIT 23 children. George Graham worked for the Gas Board and married Janie Mercer, who wore size 9 shoes and worked in her family’s toy shop; she was later widowed with one adopted son and living at Darwen near Blackburn. Ada Graham was awarded books for Attendance at Blackburn Public Higher Grade (Girls) Evening Continuation Schools in 1908 and 1910 but died aged around 30, after a long illness, in about 1927. Vasey Graham died a few years later from a heart attack; he was a bachelor and a salesman in a shoe shop.

2.2 Widow Ellen and Lait

Edward Sayles’s daughter Ellen is said to have had a hard life after the death of her husband George Vasey when she was 35, leaving her with two daughters Mary Ellen (aged 9) and Ada (then aged 2). She is said to have commented that there was plenty of work in Sheffield but her husband had gone to do a job in Blackpool shortly before his death; she also commented on some property at ‘Skulls Coppice’ (believed to be in the general direction of Rotherham or Barnsley)6 which she said ‘really belonged to us’. Ellen went to live at 91 Meersbrook Bank Road, subsequently renamed Meersbrook Avenue, where she lived with her two daughters and, in time, Mary Ellen’s husband and son also lived with them. During the day, she charred for such people as the builders Hattons (at the corner of Norton Lees Road and Derbyshire Lane) who had a lot of children and Miss Pilley, the Headmistress of Meersbrook Bank School. At night she washed beer glasses, such as at ‘Wirrals’ which is believed to have been in the area of The Moor Sheffield.

2.2.1 Daughter Ada When Ellen’s daughter Ada married Tom Plant in 1934, she went to live with them, first at 30 Meersbrook Avenue7 and, for her last year, at 11 The Meads Norton. Ellen was buried (1960) in the same grave as her husband and his parents (cf the 1888 funeral on page 19) though the headstone was removed and the area grassed over only a few years later in 1972 whilst daughter Ada was visiting, each with their spouses, her son (JSP) in Australia. Prior to her marriage at the age of 31, Ada had worked at the cycle shop Ebdens and at the florists shop Denniffs in Chapel Walk, Sheffield.

2.2.2 Daughter Mary Ellen’s older daughter Mary Ellen (see Figure 2.1) was left after 1934 in Ellen’s house at 91 Meers- brook Avenue; she had worked for Cobbs the silversmiths and had married Clement Pierre Lait. She was fond of appearing in Operatic Society productions; eventually she died at the house of her only son George Louis Lait at 7 The Meads, next door but one to her mother’s final home.

6This is probably, in fact, Scholes Coppice which is just off the Rotherham-Chapeltown road (A629) about half way between the two. It is noted for the monument Keppel’s Column. 7Louis Lait recalls that during the Sheffield blitz of the Second World War, Betty, Ada Plant, and baby Austin were in the air-raid shelter at 30 Meersbrook Avenue whilst Louis’s father and grandmother were at 91 Meersbrook Avenue; Tom Plant and Mary Lait were missing but they eventually managed to complete their journey back home from work in other parts of Sheffield the following day. 24 CHAPTER 2. ELLEN’S STORIES: VASEY

Clement Pierre George Louis b 24.1.1892 b 30.11.1914 m Mary Ellen Vasey (no children) Louis Cavalier m Kate Arthur d quite young son d aged 2 approx

Figure 2.2: Lait family tree

2.2.3 Grandson Louis

Louis Lait married Betty Hooke who died childless; she was born in Leicester and lost her mother at the age of 4. Her father was in the army and she was brought up by her grandfather, loosing almost all contact with her brother Dennis (RAF) and three sisters. Louis Lait had been brought up partly by his grandmother Ellen Vasey (nee´ Sayles). He had obtained his first (temporary) job through the influence of his aunt Ada Vasey who was already working at Ebdens cycle shop; he lost his next job after a fight in which the boss’s son went through a door; he was also quite severely injured in a motor bike accident. From 1934 until 1984 he worked for the Engineering firm of Becket and Garner, first at Union Lane and then Hodgson Street Sheffield. Around the 1960s he quite frequently appeared in BBC television sports programmes, participating as the passenger to the driver Loll Hurt in Motorcross Hill Climb championships.

2.2.4 The Lait family

Louis Lait’s father Clement Pierre (Figure 2.2) had a brother Arthur who died quite young and a younger brother who drowned in a pond when aged about 2. Their father Louis Cavalier Lait was a coach and tram painter from a family of coach-buiders in Lincolnshire. Their mother was called Kate and had sisters Ada and Florie, who had a son Lesley, who married Eunice and had a daughter Betty Brothwell who lived at Wetherby. Some of these relatives, such as Betty Brothwell, used to attend Christmas parties at Mary and Clement Lait’s house (91 Meersbrook Avenue) with others, such as Ellen and daughter Ada, Tom, Austin and Stewart Plant (from 30 Meersbrook Avenue), in the 1950’s.

2.3 Genealogical Research

On the birth certificate (20 May 1868) of George, son of George Vasey Painter and Paper Hanger and Mary Hannah (formerly Gunnee), the address is given as 52 Broomhall Street, Sheffield. In the 1871 Census for that address, there appears George Vasey (aged 39 from Newcastle) decorator and his wife Mary Hannah (42 from Thorne) with their Sheffield born children Amelia (8), Alfred (4) and George (3). 2.3. GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 25

William, bap 3.1.1781 C Thomas, bap 20.9.1782 C John, bap 16.11.1784 C

George, bap 21.1.1844 T George bap 19.3.1818 T Sarah Elizth,bap 25.11.1844 T ?m Jane Mary Ann, bap 1.10.1848 T

Thomas, bap 7.4.1820 T Jonathan, bap 31.5.1822 T Emma, bap 23.11.1823 T

Ann Caroline Marie, bap 10.7.1856 T George bap 27.12.1826 T bap 10.12.1786 S Wm Amelia, b ?1863 Sh m Hannah m Elizth Mary Hanh. Alfred, b ?1867 Sh bap 21.9.1828 T George m George Vasey b 20.5.1868 Sh m Ellen Sayles

Saml Ingmire, bap 4.4.1830 T Willm Thos, bap 15.11.1831 T Edward, bap 10.8.1834 T Thos Patrick, bap 22.8.1841 T

Samuel, bap 10.10.1788 S Emmy, bap 10.11.1790 S Hannah, bap 20.6.1797 S Maria, bap 30.4.1800 S

Figure 2.3: Ancestry of Mary Hannah Gunnee (C=Cottingham, S=Sculcoates, T=Thorne, Sh=Sheffield)

2.3.1 Gunn(ee/ey/y) From the 1988 IGI, the family tree of Mary Hannah Gunnee can be pieced together as shown in Figure 2.3; Cottingham and Sculcoats are both near Kingston upon Hull. 26 CHAPTER 2. ELLEN’S STORIES: VASEY Chapter 3

Ellen’s stories: Sayles

SOME NOTES RELATING TO HER COLLECTIONOF PAPERS1 When about 8 years old I remember asking my grandmother, who lived with us, to tell me stories of the old times. With the help of others, such as my older cousin Louis, some of these stories survive.

3.1 Inherited information

On Ellen Vasey’s birth certificate of 1870, her father Edward Sayles of 122 Brammal Lane, Sheffield is said to be a Table knife grinder; it was generally said by the family that Edward had been brought up as a ‘gentleman’ and that daughter Ellen and her siblings had been brought up very strictly in a Beerhouse.

3.1.1 The Family Chemists Shop The name Sayles, though rare, has long associations with Sheffield and in particular with early medical practise there. For example, in the IGI a marriage is recorded between Henry Sales and Agnes Joans on 2 Jun 1580 and Mary Walton (1948) writes in ‘Sheffield Its Story and Its Achievements’:-

(By 1740) there had been a distinct rise in the general level of social rank in the grow- ing town. John Fisher, son of the ejected minister, was probably the first medical man to practise regularly there, and he was followed by Robert Drake, son of a late Vicar, John Pearson, Thomas Stacye, Andrew Sayles, Richard Handley and Robert Lee; some of these, as Handley certainly was, may have been apothecaries all seem by their names to have been of local origin, and they did not grow rich. The lawyers were more fortunate.

This reference to the possibility of Andrew Sayles’s being an apothecary (circa 1750) may be related to an old family story from Ellen that a chemists shop was passed down the family; it is thought that it went through Ellen’s uncle Henry Sayles (see Figure 3.1) to her cousin Joseph who

1Made by her grandson, John Stewart Plant, in 1990 with added recollections by another grandson Louis Lait (and a daughter Ada Plant aged 87).

27 28 CHAPTER 3. ELLEN’S STORIES: SAYLES

Henry Joseph

Mary m Mr Ward son Anne Elizabeth ‘AnnieLizzy’ Dolly Emma m Mr Hinsley b 14.4. m (?James) Gamble m Mr Wells Alice m Mr Hardisty Mabel m Mr Wain

?Elizabeth

Eric Mr H O (Sayles) 2 daughters 3 daughters m Margaret

Anne (‘Annie’) ‘Freddy’ b ? 6.8.1858 m Mr Osborne Mr E Elsie Edward d? 1983 d before 1927 m Bertram Bailey ? m Elizabeth Smith Teresa son, d young Mary Ellen George Louis b 4.9.1893 b 30.11.1914 Ellen m Clement Pierre Lait b 27.4.1870 bur 13.4.1960 son, d young m George Vasey George Austin (see Figure 2.1) Ada b 17.1.1939 b 13.3.1903 m Tom Plant John Stewart b 27.9.1945

Ada b 4.12.1875 d 10.11.1969 m 23.11.1927 William Gamble (see Figure 3.3) Edward Edward (‘Fred’)

Elizabeth d .2.1923 m Mr Simpson d before 1918

Figure 3.1: Sayles family tree

Elizabeth m Edward Sayles (see Figure 3.1)

Florie Kitty Violet m Mr Johnson Herbert Elijah Polly ? d before 1918 d before 1918 m Mr Nixon m Ada A Nellie m Mr Wilson

Samuel Herbert ? Mr F m ?

Figure 3.2: Smith family tree 3.1. INHERITED INFORMATION 29 moved from Sheffield and bought another chemists shop, perhaps near Bridlington, where Ellen and her sisters often used to visit. Ellen’s family were known to use regularly such pharmaceutical sayings as ‘purple for poison’ perhaps because of this former connection.

3.1.2 The Simpson Will Ellen’s father’s sister Elizabeth Simpson (nee´ Sayles) (see Figure 3.1) had been active in the hiring out of washing items such as mangles, dolly tubs, scrubbing boards and maidens, which were five legged wooden devices for agitating the washing by hand. Her husband Mr Simpson was dead at the inception (12th Nov 1918) of her will, which helps make clear several family relationships including some of those of Ellen’s mother Elizabeth (nee´ Smith) (see Figure 3.2). The will, with its codicil of 12th Nov 1923, was proved on the 25th April 1924 and its clauses can be summarized as follows:-

1. 100 to each of the trustees of the will; viz retired grocer Thomas Coates (Queens Road), spinster neighbour Fanny Thompson (602 Shoreham St), the solicitor William Tudor Fernell

2. 200 Imperial Tobacco shares to her niece Elizabeth Sayles

3. 10 to Louisa Jones (5 Sorrel Hill, Birley Carr) and 5 to widow Priscilla Ellen Sharpe2 of 8 Club Street

4. The above 3 items to be paid duty free

5. Money to be accrued by the trustees from ‘all my real, and the residue of my personal estate .... income arising from investments’ and essentially to be divided equally between the following...

6. her nephew Joseph Sayles (son of Henry Sayles), each of the seven children of her brother Edward Sayles, Herbert son of her brother-in-law Samuel Smith, Ada widow of Herbert son of her late brother-in-law Elijah Smith, the said Ada Smith’s daughter Florie Johnson

7. (to 11.) The contingencies arising upon prior death of those named above; the powers of the trustees over ‘my property .... houses and buildings .... tenants’, and further legal details codicil Tenancy rights and 400 mortgage of 222 Psalter Lane (occupied) to her nephews Walter, William and George Brittain3

It may be that the Elizabeth Sayles (mentioned in clause 2.) was a sister of Ellen Vasey (nee´ Sayles). If so, it seems that the other five of Edward Sayles’s seven children (mentioned in clause 6.) can be identified as Emma Gamble, Anne (Annie) Osborne, Teresa, Ada Gamble and Edward (apparently sometimes colloquially called ‘Fred’) (cf Figure 3.1).

2By coincidence, it appears that this may be a great grandmother Ellen Priscilla Sharpe (d 30.5.1936) of Denise Margaret Plant (nee´ Harwood) (see Figure 4.4) mentioned in this will of a great great aunt of her husband. 3It seems that, by the time Elizabeth Simpson died in Feb 1927, her spinster neighbour Fanny (of clause 1.) had changed her name to Brittain. 30 CHAPTER 3. ELLEN’S STORIES: SAYLES

3.1.3 Edward Sayles’s children A bible was presented to Teresa Sayles for ‘Best Mark’ and has the date 12th Sept 1873. Anne Sayles’s copy of The New Testament is written inside to be ‘The Gift of the Sheffield Bible Society’ and has the added date 6th Aug 1858, which is quite likely her date of birth. This is presumably ‘Annie’ Osbourne (nee´ Sayles) who was living with her sister Ada Gamble at 112 Lancing Road Highfield near the time of her death around 19504; her four children included Mr.F.Osborne (usually called ‘Freddy’) and Elsie Bailey (nee´ Osborne)5 (some further details are given in Figure 3.1 and in an Appendix). Around 1925, the then young Louis Lait (Figure 3.1) recalls being taken to the home in Sum- merfield Street of the (eldest?) sister, Emma, by Ellen (his grandmother) and her daughters Ada (his aunt) and Mary Ellen (his mother), typically on Sunday evenings. Often there also, was Emma’s and Ellen’s only brother ‘Fred’ (Edward) who had a large cancerous growth on his neck, from which he died shortly afterwards. There, they used to pass round a common jug of beer and keep a look out for Emma’s younger sister Ada who objected on religious grounds. Emma‘s four daughters included ‘AnnieLizzy’ (presumably Anne Elizabeth) Hinsley and Mrs.Mabel Wain. ‘AnnieLizzy’ Hinsley lived in Sitwell Place Highfield and had a (son and a) good-looking daughter called Mrs.Dolly Wells who was living at (192) Edmund Road (a few houses from the junction with Queens Road Sheffield) around 1938. Emma’s daughter Mabel Wain lived at 43 Argyle Road next door to the music teacher Eva Farrar LRAM, who gave Ellen’s grandson Austin Plant and then his brother Stewart (from 1949) piano and singing lessons. It is thought that ‘Jim’ (James ? ) was Emma Gamble’s husband (or son-in-law) and he is remembered for having lost some of the fingers on his left hand, which he kept covered with a black glove. Jim had the job of pushing in shoddy clothes very expensive silver-ware though the streets (e.g. Charles Street in the centre of Sheffield) in an old wicker-work trolley from one manufacturing process to a finishing process; Ellen (told how Emma) used to remark on what might happen if anyone realised that this was really a consignment of ‘hundreds of pounds worth of silver’.

3.1.4 Ellen’s sister Ada Ellen’s sister Ada Gamble was 51 when she became the second wife of William Gamble6 (see Figure 3.3) a corkscrew and tin-opener manufacturer shortly after the death in 1926 of his first wife Lily. The witnesses at the marriage at St Mary’s Sheffield were Arthur Gamble, Ada Vasey and Thomas Robinson; Ada Sayles’s residence was given as 1 Montgomery Road. Ada Sayles had been the maid and Nanny of the Oakes family in Montgomery Road (Nether Edge, Sheffield) bringing up their children almost as her own; these children later did much to look after her and, still by the 1960s, she visited one of them, called Bobby Oakes, in Wallasey where by then he lived with his wife and children. Ada normally called her husband ‘Billy love’ and they were known for being religious and were always, for example, very insistent on saying grace before meals. Both

4Ada Gamble’s husband William was living at this address when his first wife died in 1926 and until his death in 1943. 5This (aged) Elsie was living in the 1960s (it is thought childless) at 11 Homesdale Close Dronfield near Sheffield, where Ellen’s daughter Ada (and Tom) Plant used to visit her. 6A book was presented to William Gambles (sic) in April 1890 for punctual attendance at Heeley Bank School. 3.1. INHERITED INFORMATION 31

Joseph b? 1875 bur 11.11.1949 age 74 William b? 1879 d 6.8.1943 age 63 Joseph m(1) Lily d before 1927 b? 1881 bur 26.10.1926 age 45 m(2) 23.11.1927 Ada Sayles b 4.12.1875 d 10.11.1969 age 93 bur 17.11.1969

Figure 3.3: Gamble family tree

William Gamble’s father and elder brother were called Joseph and examples of their cutlery still survive stamped with their trade-mark:-

JOSEPH GAMBLE SHEFFIELD Firth Stainless

The childless Ada Gamble was looked after by her sister Ellen Vasey’s daughter Ada Plant shortly after Ellen’s death in 1960 and, eventually she died, in November 1969, after a brief stay in Nether Edge Hospital whilst her niece Ada (and Tom) Plant were visiting their son (JSP) and his wife in Abingdon (near Oxford UK)7. Like Ellen, Ada Gamble used to recall the ‘old times’; one of her earliest memories, she said, was visiting an old (chemists) shop with (in her memories) large dark wooden panels in front of the counter and bottles on shelves high up the wall. She has passed down the family two large volumes of the eighth edition8 of Johnson’s Dictionary, in archaic text fonts, which includes for example An Essay of the Life and Genius of Samuel Johnson LL.D. (1709-84). Also from her are two medals and a badge marked CETS or Church of England Temperence Society, one (possibly her husband’s) marked Superintendent on the medal ribbon bar and one displaying for Long & Faithful service on its reverse.

7Ada Gamble was burried (1965) in grave 5235, section C4, 6th Row, 1 right, No.4SS of City Road Cemetry, Sheffield, in the same grave as William’s first wife Lily (1926), William (1943) and his brother Joseph who died (1949) at 2 Herries Place, Sheffield. 8The dictionary had run to four editions by 1784. 32 CHAPTER 3. ELLEN’S STORIES: SAYLES Chapter 4

Harwood and Sharpe

SOMENOTESCONCERNINGMYWIFE’S FAMILY1

4.1 Harwood: Inherited Information

On the birth certificate of Frank Harwood (1887), his father Harry is recorded as being a silver- smith sets maker of 17 Pembroke Street, Sheffield; Pembroke Street lies off Cemetery Road near the General Cemetery (opened in 1836) and nearly opposite the end of Washington Road. Though the birth certificate of this Frank’s father Harry has not (yet) been traced, Harry is said to have been born (30.11.1860) at the Stag Hotel, Psalter Lane, Sheffield2. Harry died in 1924 at his home (41 Glover Road); he is described by his grandson Eric to have been ‘clean living and a good citizen’ and ‘liked walking and a drink of beer before Sunday lunch’. Harry’s wife (Frank’s mother) (see Figure 4.1) is believed to have been the younger sister of Joseph Stead (1850-3.1917). She is said by her grandson Eric to have ‘loved baking bread, etc.’ and she died (aged 69) in the Sheffield Royal Infirmary. Frank himself is recorded to be a projectile examiner on his marriage certificate of 1916 and, later, was a silversmith for the company Mappin & Webb; his address (41 Glover Road3) was that of his parents in 1916 but had become 27 Woodhead Road in 1917, 1926 and at his death, in his sleep, in 1958. Frank’s daughter Nora was still living with her father at Woodhead Road4 in 1958; her mother had died earlier there (aged 50) in 1936. Frank’s sister, Emily B, is recorded to be at her parent’s address (41 Glover Road) in 1924, 1931, 1936, and 1958. Frank’s younger brother Harry (jnr) served in the Royal Artillery during the 1914-18 war and died suddenly in 1963 aged 68 years; Hugh, the son of Harry (jnr), was born

1Including information from Eric Harwood passed on by his grand-daughter Glenna Kerrigan, with additional information from Winifred Brown. Genealogical research by John Stewart Plant. 2The Stag Hotel derived its name from the Stag’s head in the MacKenzie family crest; the Reverend Alexander MacKenzie, Vicar of St Pauls, Pinstone Street (on the site of the present Peace Gardens by the Town Hall), had inherited the nearby Sharrow Head House from his wife’s family, called Battie, in 1789 (his second wife belonged to the Wilsons of the nearby snuff mill). 3Glover Road is on the opposite side of Wolsey Road from the ‘Harwood Works (Cutlery)’ that are marked on a 1903 map as being on land between Staveley Road and Abbeydale Road; adjoining the Harwood Works was the Atlas Foundry. 4Woodhead Road is the next road but one to Harwood Street.

33 34 CHAPTER 4. HARWOOD AND SHARPE

Nellie m Ernest Bates

Emmie Reginald m Ernest Evans Kenneth George (jnr) army 1914-18 d aged 24 yrs

James (jnr) George James m(1) Mabel Jackson Mark b 1859 m Annie d 1965 d 27.1.1924 m(2) 1966 Heather m Emily Memmott Edith Rene m Wilfred Westnidge Audrey

Edith b 7.7.1904 d 27.02.1984 spinster Harry b .8.1906 m 1944 Kathleen

Alice Vera m ? and brother Alice William William (jnr) Frank m ? m ? Doreen ? (details of parentage of children not known) Douglas

Pauline Valerie Glenna b 24.1.1938 b 19.12.1959 m 14.9.1957 Tracy Eric Leslie Kerrigan b 7.7.1917 b 23.12.1961 Frank b 7.11.1929 m Robert Allan b 23.3.1887 d 22.12.1989 d 18.8.1958 m 31.7.1937 Denise Margaret m 6.5.1916 Edna Sharpe b 1.5.1946 Robert Stephen Seney Barratt (see Figure 4.4) b 12.1.1973 Harry m 15.6.1968 Bradbury b 30.11.1860 John Stewart David Andrew (see Figure 4.2) d 26.12.1924 Plant b 22.9.1974 m Emily Bertha b 27.9.1945 Stead Nora b 15.12.1862 b 28.2.1919 d 24.12.1931 spinster

?Emily B b 4.12.1893

Elizabeth Harry (jnr) 3 children b 7.1.1895 Hugh m ? d 28.10.1963 m Rita Peace Robert 2 children m Nellie m ?

Elizabeth spinster

Figure 4.1: Inherited Harwood Family Tree 4.2. HARWOOD: GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 35

Francis Barrat b 15.1.1886 ?d at birth or ?m Sam twin of... Seney Barrat Arthur Mann b 15.1.1886 b 22.5.1864 d 7.6.1936 m Mary E Barrat m Frank Harwood b 15.11.1865 (see Figure 4.1) Charles William b 11.10.1887 May b 2.8.1898 ?m George

Figure 4.2: Inherited Bradbury Family Tree

at the same Glover Road address and he served in the RAF Coastal Command during the Second World War 1939-45. Frank’s wife Seney Barrat Bradbury was the twin of Francis Barratt Bradbury who died at birth. She was born (5.1.1886) at 23 Malvern Road, Darnall, Sheffield and was married (6.5.1916) at St Barbabas Church, Highfield. She is described by her son Eric as ‘a good lady who loved her faith and family’ and ‘a good cook and baker’; she was employed as a Doctor’s Cook and House- keeper. Her mother Mary E Barrat was the daughter of Charles Barratt (23.7.1841-3.5.1914). Seney’s address is given on her marriage certificate of 1916 as still being 23 Malvern Road, Sheffield and this was presumably the address of her father Arthur Mann Bradbury (see Figure 4.2) who was a printer.

4.2 Harwood: Genealogical Research

On the 1859 birth certificate of George Harwood, his father is described as William Harwood licensed victualler of Sharrow Head, Ecclesall Bierlow and his mother as Hannah Harwood, formerly Mount. In the 1881 Census for 26 Thorp Road5, widow Hannah Harwood is recorded (aged 45) as having been born at Brampton in Yorkshire; living with her are her unmarried sons William (23) cab driver, George (22) engraver, Harry (20) silversmith and Frank (18) printer, as well as daughter Elizabeth (16) and neice Elizabeth Brodie (aged 1). The resulting tree in Figure 4.3 accords well with the inherited information in Figure 4.1. 36 CHAPTER 4. HARWOOD AND SHARPE

William, b ?1857/8 George b 27.3.1859 William (Ecclesall B 9c 237) m Hannah Mount Harry b ?1835/6 b ?1860/1 Frank, b ?1862/3 Elizabeth, b 1864/5

Figure 4.3: Harwood Ancestry

4.3 Sharpe: Inherited Information

A piece of paper lists the marriage of W m and Elizabeth (see Figure 4.4) and the dates of birth of their children, apart from Betsey who is mentioned merely with a question mark. The father of Priscila (see Figure 4.4) was a rock maker from Wragby in Lincolnshire. She owned three Public Houses (beerhouses) in Sheffield which included the Rising Sun in Pumona Street and the Red Lion in Holly Street; the latter was taken over by Gus Platts6 the Boxer. She may be the same Priscilla Ellen Sharpe of 8 Club Street, Highfield, who in 1924 was left money in the will of Elizabeth Simpson (nee´ Sayles) (cf page 29). Priscil(l)a’s daughter Florence married George Hibberd, who was a Tobaconist in Union Street Sheffield, and she died in 1911 without children when she fell down the cellar steps. Priscil(l)a’s son Charles Albert worked for Vickers Steel and was fond of buying and selling old furniture, such that the furniture in his and his wife Lucy’s house was rarely for long the same. His eldest daughter Winifred was born in Portland Street, Hillsborough and married Charles Brown who worked for Jonas & Colver (Steel) Mill Department.

4.4 Sharp(e): Genealogical Research

On the birth certificate of Charles Albert Sharpe (27 Nov 1881) his place of birth is given as 190 South Street, Sheffield and his parents as Charles Sharpe publican and Ellen Priscilla Sharpe, formerly Harthurs; the informant was Mary Mills of Court 22, South Street, who was present at the birth. In the 1881 Census for 190 and 192 South Street, in the Park district of Sheffield, Charles (aged 33) and Priscillar (aged 34) are listed with children William R (11), Mary F (8) and George E (4); all are stated to have been born in Sheffield except that the eldest child, William, and his father were born in Lincolnshire, at ?Thiskerton and Thornton respectively. On the marriage certificate of bachelor William Sharp labourer of Thornton (near Horncas- tle in Lincolnshire) on 17 May 1842, at Horncastle after banns, his father is given as Richard Sharp cottager and the father of his spinster bride, Elizabeth Brackenbury servant of Horncas- tle, is given as Nutt Brackenbury farmer; the witnesses were Thomas Smith Friskney and Louisa

5Thorp Road runs parallel to, and lies between, Woodhead Road and Harwood Street 6There was (also?) a Speedway motorcycle rider called Gus Platts. 4.4. SHARP(E): GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 37

?Betsey Mary b 26.6.1843 George b 14.3.1846

William R b ?1870 d 15.7.1947 William m Violetta d 26.12.1907 Mary Florence b 1872.3qtr Ecclesall B 9c 295 d 11.6.1911 Sheffield 2qtr 9c 273 aged 38 m George Hibberd (no children) George E b ?1877 bachelor Winifred b 17.7.1905 m Charles Brown b 11.5. d ? (no children) Charles b 17.5.1848 Florie m Ellen d aged 7 Priscila William Harthurs Susan 2 boys d 30.5.1936 m 17.5.1842 Elsie Jean m Garry Powel 1 girl Elizabeth m Herbert Cutts m Eddie Osborne Brackenbury Russel Charles Albert m ? b 26.11.1881 d 23.7.1961 George Harold m Lucy Goddard d 29.5.1972 David George b .2.1878 m(1) Reney b 22.8.1959 d 10.11.1974 (no children) Janet m(2) Norah Aldridge

Darren Amy Malcolm Ronald adopted b 9.8. b 15.1. Janine m Ronald Gladwin m Patricia Barret adopted b 19.8.1978

boy Edna b 10.7.1919 m Eric Harwood (see Figure 4.1)

Isaac b 4.2.1850 Richard Wm b 6.5.1852 Jason b 18.7.1854 USA Sarah L E b 2.4.1857 Eliza. Anna b 28.1.1859

Figure 4.4: Sharp(e) Family Tree 38 CHAPTER 4. HARWOOD AND SHARPE

Figure 4.5: Charles Albert Sharpe (1881-1961) circa 1910 4.4. SHARP(E): GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 39

John, bap 2.4.1763 F Benjamin, bap 9.3.1765 F Benjamin, bap 13.2.1767 F

Sarah, bap ?.?.1812 W John, bap 2.10.1814 W ?Isaac, bap 5.1.1815 W

Betsy (Brackenbury or Sharpe) bap 20.8.1837 W Henry, b 1843.2qtr XIV 413 H George, b 1846.2qtr XIV 459 H Elizabeth Charles bap 22.3.1816 W b 1848.2qtr XIV 466 H m 17.5.1842 H see Figure 4.4 William Sharp Nut Isaac, b 1850.1qtr XIV ?46 H John bap 4.3.1770 W William, b 1852.2qtr 7a 462 H m 19.5.1762 F m Mary Elizabeth Ancell Jason, b 1854.3qtr 7a 444 H Sarah A, b 1857.2qtr 7a 481 H Eliza H, b 1859.1qtr 7a 487 H

Isaac, bap 17.7.1817 W Matthew, bap 18.7.1820 W Nutt, bap 2.6.1822 W Isaac, bap 4.1.1824 W

Mary George, bap 5.5.1851 W bap 25.9.1825 W George, bap 24.2.1828 W Thomas, bap 6.12.1829 W

Matthew, bap 19.5.1771 W Mary, bap 17.9.1775 W Mary, bap ?.?.1777 F Isaac, bap 2.2.1783 W

Figure 4.6: A scheme of Brackenburys at Freiston (F), Wilksby (W) and Horncastle (H) 40 CHAPTER 4. HARWOOD AND SHARPE

Dawson; the bride and groom are both merely stated to be ‘of full age’.

4.4.1 Brackenbury The 1988 IGI lists a child called Betsy of William Sharpe and Elizabeth Brackenbury baptised (20.8.1837) at Wilksby in Lincolnshire and this is, no doubt, the (first) child ‘Betsey’, of William and Elizabeth, that is mentioned in family papers (cf Figure 4.4). The parish of Wilksby is roughly between Wood Enderby and Moorby and at a distance of only 3 small parishes (5 miles) from Horncastle, which lies to the NNW. In the St Catherines House Index, some corresponding births have been found for Horncatle and, apart from some slight variations in the names (such that Richard Wm in family papers becomes William in the Index and Mary appears to be a mis-reading of Henry), there is good agreement for the children of William and Elizabeth between Figure 4.4 and the information from the Index which is included in Figure 4.6. Most of the information in Figure 4.6 comes from 1988 IGI entries for Wilksby, which Wilson’s Gazateer states to be a parish of 670 acres in Horncastle district, with 11 houses and a population of 57; the manor belongs to J.B.Stanhope Esq, the living is a rectory in the diocese of Lincoln and the church is good. A serach for all children of ‘John and Elizabeth Brackenbury7’, in the Lincolnshire IGI, reveals 3 or 4 such (concurrent) families including 9 children (baptised at nearby Spilsby between 1763 and 1781) that are all presumably children of the John who married Elizabeth Buff (27.7.1762) at Spilsby. However, it seems that the grandfather of the Elizabeth Brackenbury that married William Sharpe could be the one that married Elizabeth Ancell (19.5.1762) at Freiston and had some of his children baptised there; Freiston is about 15 miles SSE of Wilksby near Boston near the coast; other children of ‘John and Elizabeth’ were baptised at Wilksby, as indicated in Figure 4.6, such that it may be the same ‘John and Elizabeth’ were at Freiston in 1762-9 and 1777 but at Wilksby in 1770-5 and 1783. It seems most likely that the ancestry back to this stage remains at Wilksby such that the correct John is the one baptised to Matthew and Mary of Wilksby in 1735 (Figure 4.7). Before this date, however, the family appears to have been in a different parish. Thus, if this John’s father Matthew were the one who married Mary Parkinson (3.5.1731) at Irnham, the appropriate Matthew could be the one who was baptised to John and Ann of Edenham (near Irnham) as indicated in Figure 4.8; Edenham, Irnham and Kirkby Underwood are all perhaps a little far away for those times, however, at about 28 miles SW of Wilksby. Perhaps more likely, the correct Matthew could be the one baptised to ‘Isack’ (27.2.1708) at East Kirkby, which is only 3 miles E of Wilksby and his agnate ancestry could then involve, as indicated in Figure 4.7, a succession of Roberts at Belchford, which is 10 miles NNW of East Kirkby; this would take the ancestral line back to 1560. Thus, from 1735 until 1842, when Elizabeth Brackenbury married William Sharp at Horncastle, the relevant line of Brackenburys appears to have been in the small parish of Wilksby and, before that since 1669, they appear to have been at East Kirkby which is only 3 miles to the east. It is hence of some interest to note that Cromwells have been linked with Tattershall, just 6 miles SW of Wilksby, since the 14th century and that Tattershall Castle and the adjacent Church of the Holy Trinity were both built by Ralph Cromwell (d 1456) who was the Lord high Treasurer of England under Henry VI. The castle at Old Bollingbroke, which is just 2 miles north of East

7and the variant spellings of Brackenbury 4.4. SHARP(E): GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH 41

Robert, bap 6.9.1696 EK Robte Alice, bap 19.10.1701 EK bap 14.11.1596 B John, bap 31.1.1702 EK . Willm John, bap 17.2.1705 EK . . . . Jno. . . Isaac bap 3.7.1735 W . . bap 11.3.1671 EK see Figure 4.6 Robt . m Eliz Matthew bap 7.9.1634 B Matthew, bap 22.4.1738 W Robert bap 2.2.1708 EK m(1) 1669 EK bap 12.2.1560 B m Mary Wm, bap 5.10.1742 W Ellin Holgate Isaac, bap 27.1.1745 W m(2) 22.6.1671 EK Alice Lajfeild Elizabeth, bap 7.1.1749 W Robt, bap 4.5.1712 EK

Figure 4.7: Brackenbury scheme for Belchford (B), East Kirkby (EK) and Wilksby (W)

Mathew John bap 26.2.1698 E Ann, bap 30.9.1733 KU m Ann m 3.5.1731 I John, bap 26.1.1734 KU Mary Parkinson

Figure 4.8: Another Mathew Brackenbury of Edenham (E), Irnham (I) and Kirkby Underwood (KU)

Kirkby, fell into ruin after being captured in the Civil War by Oliver Cromwell and his troops who, despite being outnumbered, defeated Royalist forces in 1643 at the Battle of Winceby near by — it was at this battle that Cromwell’s horse was killed beneath him. Revesby, which is just 1 mile south of Wilksby, was the home of one of England’s greatest naturalists, Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyage around the world between 1768 and 1771. 42 CHAPTER 4. HARWOOD AND SHARPE Appendix A

‘Sayles’ addresses

A.1 The Simpson Trust

Following the death of Ada Gamble (nee´ Sayles), who was the last surviving Life Tennant of the will of Elizabeth Simpson (nee´ Sayles) (see page 29), the remaining estate was divided between the children of the Life Tennants (with the exception of Joseph Sayles). The associated Legal Papers of 29 April 1970 contain the following addresses. 1. Exors of Mrs Mary Ward c/o Francis Parkes 1 Station Road, Reading

2. Mrs Annie E Hinsley 23 Woodseats House Road, Sheffield 8

3. Mrs Alice Hardisty’s Rep Mr F Hardisty 12 Gordon Road, Sheffield 11

4. Mrs Mabel Wain 43 Argyl Road, Sheffield 8

5. Rep of H O Sayles c/o Eric Sayles 24 Huntley Road, Sheffield 11

6. Mr F Osborne, 57 Smalldale Road, Frecheville, Sheffield

7. Mr E Osborne, 138 Fox Lane, Gleadless, Sheffield 12

8. Mrs Elsie Bailey, ‘Torholme’ 11 Holmesdale Road, Dronfield

9. Mrs Plant 11 The Meads, Norton, Sheffield 8

10. Mrs M E Lait 91 Meersbrook Avenue, Sheffield 8

11. Children of Mrs Ada A Smith; (a) Mrs F Johnson’s Rep; (b) Mrs Polly Nixon, 5 Wasdale Av- enue, Halfway, Sheffield S19 5HB; (c) Mrs Nellie Wilson, 23 Manor Park Centre, Sheffield 2

12. Child of Mrs F Johnson; Mrs Violet Kitty Johnson, 6 Fydell Crescent, Boston, Lincs

13. Child of Mr H Smith; Mr F Smith, 209 Low Edges Crescent, Sheffield 8

14. Child of Mr Edward Sayles; Mr Edward Sayles, 148 Dagnam Road, Sheffield 2

43 44 APPENDIX A. ‘SAYLES’ ADDRESSES A.2 Ada Gamble’s Notebook

It is thought that these addresses were noted by Ada Gamble between about 1930 and 1960.

1. Mrs Gamble 112 Lancing Rd, Sheffield

2. Miss Cecily M Gamble (altered to Mr & Mrs R Watson) “Huthwaite”, Machon Bank, Nether Edge, Sheffield 7

3. Mrs D Sayles 75 Carwood Rd, Sheffield 4

4. Miss J Griffin 58 Swaledale Rd

5. Mr H Sayles 46 Cawthorne Grove, Millhouses, Sheffield 8

6. Mrs M Wilds 34 Wheatfield Crescent, Shiregreen, Sheffield 5

7. Mr E Osborne 89 Hopedale Rd, Frecheville, Sheffield

8. Miss Watkin 471 Queens Rd, Sheffield

9. Spencer 99 Harrington

10. Mr F Osborne 57 Smalldale Rd, Frecheville, Sheffield

11. Mrs A Wilson, c/o Miss Tyzack 27 Barkers Rd, Nether Edge, Sheffield; c/o Mrs Ellis, Manor Croft, Gosforth Lane, Dronfield, Nr Sheffield

12. Mrs S Needham, c/o Mrs Beal 22 Fir Street, Walkley 6

13. Mrs Wells 48 Richard Rd, Heeley, Sheffield (altered to 192 Edmund Rd)

14. Mrs (P?) Cooke 162 Ecclesall Rd, Sheffield

15. (Ms?) A Gamble 52 Machon Bank, Nether Edge, Sheffield

16. Mrs Nicholson 92 Bocking Lane, Beauchief

17. Mr J G Dakin 79 Firth Park Rd, Sheffield

18. G Collins 169 Southey Hall Rd, Southey, Sheffield

19. Miss S Watkins 47 Queens Rd, Sheffield (5 May)

20. Mrs B Kirk 41 Priestley St, Sheffield

21. (Miss A Dow crossed out) c/o 19 Wilson Road, Westcliff on Sea, Essex

22. Mrs Gibbons (2525?) Cromford St, Sheffield (Aug 11)

23. Trevor Higginbottom 118 Lancing Rd (same) A.2. ADA GAMBLE’S NOTEBOOK 45

24. David Foster (126?) Lancing Rd (July 26)

25. George 9th Sept Edith 18 Nov

26. Mr (F?) Braddock 93 Alderson Rd North, Sheffield

27. Mrs C Storf 49 Washington Rd

28. (crossed out) Mrs (Watson?), c/o Mrs Needham, 4 Foulds (Drive?), Beauchief, Sheffield

29. Mr E Sayles, 88 Murray Rd, Ecclesall, Sheffield (Jennifer)

30. Mr W 27 June; Mrs W 19 Sep; Woodward 89 Lancing Rd, Sheffield

31. Stewart 27 Sep; Rita 24 Sep; Nellie Lait 4 Sept; Elsie 14 Sept

32. Mrs Cooke, 70 birthday on 15 June, 162 Ecclesall Rd

33. Mrs (W?) Hinsley 40 Reney Avenue, Greenhill, Sheffield 8

34. Dolly Wells B, 18 Nov

35. Mrs C Herrod 116 Tupton Rd, Greenhill, Sheffield 8

36. Mr & Mrs A Coleman 177 Upper Hanover St, Sheffield 3

37. 202 Edmund Rd

38. Mrs Critchlow 135 Charlotte Rd, Sheffield

39. Spendown House 15 Fredrick St, Cleethorps

40. Mrs S Moore (50?5A) Brum St, Brumswick

41. Now A Gamble, Ada Sayles, born Dec 4th 1875

42. Mrs (Wills?) Birthday, 14 April

43. Harry Oakes, Newland Drive, Wallasey, Cheshire

44. Mrs Milner 7 Pembrooke Avenue, Bridlington

45. Mrs H Wood 74 Marshall Avenue, Bridlington

46. Stewart Birthday 27 Sep, Austin Jan 17