Lance Corporal Joseph Alfred Holt

(20th March 1888 – 31st October 1915)

Joseph Alfred Holt was born to parents Alfred and Betsey Holt on 20th March 1888. They probably lived in Bradford as Joseph Alfred Holt was baptised at the Otley Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Bradford on 3rd May 1888. Joe Holt is remembered along with his maternal grandfather, John Wheelhouse, on a memorial inscription in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe plot D55 although neither were actually buried there. The inscription reads:-

In loving memory of Ann Wells who died September 5th 1879 aged 77 years.

Also of ELIZA JANE the beloved wife of JOHN WHEELHOUSE of Bailiffe Bridge who died December 15th 1909 Aged 69 years.

Also of the above JOHN WHEELHOUSE who died September 18th 1913 aged 86 years.

Also of JOE HOLT the beloved grandson of the above WHO WAS KILLED in FLANDERS October 31st October 1915 AGED 27 years and is interred at Malakoff.

The grave was owned by John Wheelhouse when Ann Wells was buried, although who she was and what her link to John Wheelhouse was has not been established. Eliza Jane Wheelhouse, a former school mistress, was in fact the second wife of John Wheelhouse and so not Joseph Alfred’s actual maternal grandmother.

The memorial has recently been restored.

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Joseph Alfred Holt was the only surviving child of six born to Alfred Holt and Betsey Wheelhouse by the time of the 1911 census. His parents were married on 21st August 1878 at St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe. At that time Alfred was a 22 year old Clerk as was his father Joseph W Holt; the Holts were from Brighouse. Betsey Wheelhouse was from Lightcliffe, the 21 year old daughter of the above John Wheelhouse, a Currier.

The young couple, with a 6 month old baby Ernest Arthur Holt, were with Alfred’s parents and a sister on the night of the 1881 census at 3 Haigh St., Brighouse. Again both Alfred and his father Joseph were “Commercial Clerks”. Baby Ernest Arthur only survived a year dying at the end of 1881.

Then Constance Wheelhouse Holt was born on 27th October 1882 and baptised on 6th January 1883 again at Otley Road Wesleyan Methodist Church. She was five years old when she died in 1888; by then her brother Joseph Alfred Holt had arrived. Then on 22nd September 1890 Gladys Holt was born and again she was baptised at the Otley Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Bradford on 15th November 1890. She was six months old at the time of the 1891 census when brother Joseph Alfred was three years old. They and their parents lived at 67 Tennyson Road, Bradford with a servant. Alfred Holt was a “Woollen Merchants Clerk”. Sadly Gladys died before she reached her first birthday. This left just thirteen year old Joseph with his parents at the time of the 1901 census. They were still living at 67 Tennyson Road and Alfred was still a “Woollen Merchants Clerk”.

On 16th December 1909 Grandfather John Wheelhouse lost his second wife Eliza Jane Wheelhouse. She was 69 years old and was buried in plot D55 owned by John Wheelhouse at St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe on 18th December 1909.

This no doubt explains why 84 year old John Wheelhouse, a “Retired Tanner” was living with his daughter Betsey Holt, son in law, Alfred, and grandson Joseph Alfred Holt on 2nd April 1911. Although Alfred may well have been in “The Royal Infirmary, Westgate, Bradford” on census night as a 54 year old “Alfred Holt” born Bradford occupation “Wool Warehouseman” was a patient in that hospital then. Husband Alfred Holl [sic] was also recorded as being at 68 Duckworth Terrace, Bradford - occupation “Wool Merchants Clerk” again. Joseph was a “Yarn Merchants Buyer”.

Joseph Alfred Holt married Mary Ann Cryer in 1912. They had no children.

As the inscription above states Grandfather John Wheelhouse died on 18th September 1913 aged 86 years. Where he was buried or cremated is not known and no probate record has been found.

Private Joseph Alfred Holt then joined the West Yorkshire Regiment during WW1.

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By the time he was killed in action on 31st October 1915 he was a Lance Corporal.

First Name: J A

Surname: Holt

Nationality: British

Date of Death: 31/10/1915

Rank: Lance Corporal

Service 1727 Number:

His probate reads :-

HOLT Joseph Alfred of 46 Nearcliffe-road Bradford corporal 1/6th battalion West Yorkshire regiment died 31 October 1915 in Belgium Administration (with Will) London 27 April (1916) to Mary Ann Holt widow. Effects £314 15s

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His mother died in 1925 with the following probate:-

HOLT Betsy of 68 Duckworth-terrace Bradford (wife of Alfred Holt) died 2 December 1925 Probate Wakefield 5 January (1926) to the said Alfred Holt shipping merchant’s clerk. Effects £1548 8s 8d

She was not buried at St Matthew’s, Lightcliffe, neither was Joseph Alfred Holt’s father, Alfred Holt for whom neither a death nor probate record has been found.

But various other Holt and Wheelhouse relatives were buried at Lightcliffe.

In order to link them all we need to go back through maternal Grandfather John Wheelhouse’s family and then look at the paternal Grandfather Joseph Holt’s family.

From various sources including Ancestry records, particularly those relating to the West Riding of Yorkshire, the family can be pieced together.

THE WHEELHOUSES

John Wheelhouse was baptised at Ripponden on 3rd June 1827 son of “Wheelhouse” and Lydia Howard. Samuel Wheelhouse, Corn Miller, married a “Lydia Howard alias Halliday” both of Sowerby on 7th June 1829 at the parish church Halifax. They baptised a daughter Jane Wheelhouse (born 15th June 1830, baptised 29th August 1830) and a son Taylor Wheelhouse (born 11th November 1832, baptised 13th January 1833) at St Bartholomew’s Ripponden with Rishworth. When Jane was baptised father Samuel was a “Miller” from Lightcliffe, by the time of Taylor’s baptisms he was a “Corn Miller” from Rishworth. Sarah Wheelhouse daughter of Samuel and Lydia Wheelhouse was baptised in Ripponden on 30th August 1835 although her parents’ address was Brighouse. They then baptised a son Stephen on 12th May 1839 at Mirfield. These five children, John aged 14, Jane aged 11, Taylor aged 8, Sarah aged 6 and two year old Stephen were living at “Folahead, Mirfield” with their Corn Miller father Samuel and mother Lydia in June 1841.

By 1851 John Wheelhouse had left home and was lodging in Clap Lane, Skircoat. He was also then a “Corn Miller”. In fact only 16 year old Sarah, a “Worsted Weaver” and 12 year old Stephen “assisting Corn Miller” were still with their parents at Hill House, Heckmondwike. Jane Wheelhouse had married a William Brook in 1848 and had a daughter Sarah who was with her Wheelhouse grandparents on census night. Granddaughter, Sarah aged 2 years, was amusingly recorded as having been born in “Belly Bridge”! Her father William Brook, a miner, and mother Jane lived in Bailiffe Bridge when Sarah was baptised on 23rd July 1848 at St. Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe. Taylor Wheelhouse has not been found in the 1851 census.

But Taylor Wheelhouse was living in Hipperholme when he married Hannah Collins on 1st May 1854 at the parish church in Wyke. Hannah was a 24 year old “Weaver” from Wyke, the daughter of Christopher Collins, a “Card Maker”. Taylor Wheelhouse was a 21 year old “Currier”.

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Only Samuel and Lydia were at home in Ray St. Heckmondwike for the 1861 census. 22 year old Stephen Wheelhouse was boarding in Cumberland working as a Stone Mason. John Whitehouse had a wife “Lea Hannah” and two daughters Sarah Ellen, 9, and 5 year old Betsey, the mother of the soldier Joseph Alfred Holt. But no marriage information has been found. The family lived in “Jackson’s Buildings”, Skircoat and John was a “Corn Miller” again.

Taylor Wheelhouse and his family, wife Hannah and three daughters; 6 year old Sarah Alice, 4 year old Lydia Ann and one year old Mary were living at Lane Ends, Hipperholme in 1861. Taylor was a “Currier Employ 1 boy”. Two daughters, Sarah Alice and Lydia Ann were baptised at St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe on 22 February 1857. No baptism has been found for Mary. In 1867 Taylor Wheelhouse was initiated into the St. James Lodge, Halifax according to the England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers 1751 – 1921.

Forty four year old John Wheelhouse, grandfather of WW1 soldier Joseph Alfred Holt, had become a “Tanner & Currier” in Bailiffe Bridge by 1871 living with a wife and his two daughters, Sarah Ellen aged 18 and Betsey, a 14 year old Scholar. Did he work for or with his Tanner, Currier, Farmer brother Taylor Wheelhouse? It also seems that his first wife Lea Hannah and mother of his two daughters had died although no record of her death has been found. He must have remarried as an Eliza Jane, a thirty five (possibly eight) year old “School Mistress” born in Boston, Lincolnshire, appeared as his wife on the 1871 census return. There was a marriage of a John Wheelhouse to an Elizabeth Jane Lambert Q4 1863 in Pateley Bridge.

Not far away in Birkby Lane, Clifton brother Taylor Wheelhouse was a “Tanner, Currier Farming 18 acres” at the time of the 1871 census. Also boarding with Taylor, his wife and their children was Taylor and John’s bachelor brother Stephen Wheelhouse, a Stone Mason. The Taylor Wheelhouse family had increased in size, four more children having been born but sadly two had died. Three year old Mary Wheelhouse died on 1st February 1864 and was buried in St Matthew’s Churchyard on 4th February 1864. Ada was born on 20th June 1863, Annie on 1st August 1865, Samuel in 1868 and Rosalind in 1870. Both Ada and Annie baptisms were on 19th May 1867 as listed on the West Yorkshire Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985. For Samuel and Rosalind’s baptisms Taylor and Hannah went back to St Matthew’s Church on 15th May 1870. Sadly Rosalind also died just a few months later on 2nd September 1870. She was buried in St Matthew’s Churchyard on 5th September in plot HH11 along with her sister Mary and a young niece who died later.

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The memorial inscription reads:-

In remembrance of Mary the daughter of Taylor and Hannah Wheelhouse of Birkby Lane who died 1st February 1864 in the 4th year of her age.

Also of Rosalind Wheelhouse their daughter who died Sept 2nd 1870 aged 6 months.

Also of Mabel the daughter of Charles and Sarah Alice Holt and granddaughter of the above Born October 12th 1883 Died October 31st 1884

SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME ONTO ME

At this point we need to catch up with the Holt family again.

The HOLTS

Alfred Holt, the father of soldier Joseph Alfred Holt, was the son of Joseph Holt and Hannah Cockcroft Farrar. They married on 4th March 1851 at the parish church in Bradford. Joseph was a 25 year old “Bookkeeper” from Horton. His father Robert Holt was a “Manufacturer”. Although when Joseph was baptised on 22nd January 1826 his father Robert was a “Bookkeeper” from Clayton. Hannah‘s father Squire Farrah was a Clerk and the Farrar family were from Bradford.

Newlyweds Joseph and Hannah Cockcroft Holt appeared on the 1851 census aged 25 and 22 respectively living in the West End Buildings, Horton, Bradford. Joseph was a “Clerk to Worsted Manufacturer”. Later that year on 2nd March 1851 Charles Edward Holt was born in Bradford. He was baptised on 10th March 1852. Alfred followed in 1856 and Bertha was born in 1858 but no exact dates can be given as no baptism records have been found.

All three children – Charles Edward aged 9, Alfred aged 4 and 2 year old Bertha - were on the 1861 census living in Waring Green, Hipperholme with their parents, Joseph was again a “Bookkeeper & Clerk”. By 1871 they had moved to 6 Hampton Terrace, Brighouse. Joseph was a 45 year old “Clerk Silk Spinning”. Charles Edward Holt, aged 19, was working as a “Clerk Stuff Merchant” but Alfred, aged 14, and 12 year old Bertha were presumably still at school.

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The HOLTS and WHEELHOUSES

During 1878 two marriages took place that brought the Holt and Wheelhouse families together.

Charles Edward Holt, the eldest son of Joseph and Hannah Cockcroft Holt, married Sarah Alice Wheelhouse, the eldest child of Taylor and Hannah Wheelhouse early in 1878. The registration district was Ormskirk, Lancashire but no other details have been found. Why Ormskirk? Was there a connection with Ormskirk? Was there a big wedding venue there – but this was 1878 not 1978!?

In those days brides usually got married in their parish church which was exactly what Sarah Alice’s cousin Betsey Wheelhouse did when she married Charles Edward Holt’s brother Alfred. The ceremony was held on the 21st April 1878 at St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe. The witnesses were Joseph and Elizabeth Wheelhouse, the bride’s father and step mother and Joseph and Hannah Cockcroft Holt the bridegroom’s parents.

Charles and Sarah Alice Holt did return to St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe for the baptisms of their daughters, Gertrude and Lilian. Gertrude was baptised there on 22nd January 1879, having been born on 16th December 1878, But although Lillian was born on the 1st July 1880 it took her parents Charles Edward and Sarah Alice Holt until 19th April 1885 to have her baptised at St Matthew’s. Meanwhile her cousin Ernest Arthur Holt was born to Alfred and Betsey late in 1880 but no baptism record has been found.

All three children appeared with their parents in the 1881 census. Ernest Arthur Holt and his parents were with his paternal grandparents at 3 Haigh St., Brighouse as already detailed. Meanwhile Charles Edward and Sarah Alice Holt and daughters were living in Bailiffe Bridge and Charles was a “Clerk Leather Work”. John Wheelhouse and his wife, Eliza, were also living in “Bailiffe Brige Liglet” and he was a “Tanner & Currier”.

Was Charles Edward Holt working for his brother’s father in law, John Wheelhouse, or did they both work for his own father in law, Taylor Wheelhouse? The latter seems the more likely as by then the “Tanner & Currier (Mailer)” Taylor Wheelhouse was renting a “House, Shop & Land” from the Low Moor Iron Company in Clifton and owned three cottages in Bailiff Bridge which he rented out. The Taylor Wheelhouse family themselves lived in Hart Moor Road, Clifton in 1881.

Various newspaper articles suggest that Taylor Wheelhouse was running a successful leather business possibly with his brother John Wheelhouse, son Samuel and son in law Charles Edward Holt working for him.

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From the BRADFORD OBSERVER 27th June 1874

LOCAL PATENTS

GRANTS OF PROVISIONAL PROTECTION FOR SIX MONTHS

To Taylor Wheelhouse, of Clifton-on-Brighouse (currier), for the invention of improved machinery for cutting and paring leather for driving belts or bands or for other purposes.

Then from the LEEDS MERCURY 26th April 1883

HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A letter was read from Mr. Taylor Wheelhouse, of Bailiffe Bridge, who does a good business with France, calling attention to the fact that two bales of leather sent by him had been detained by the French Custom House officers, the reason assigned being that they were of American origin – the goods therefore subject to more duty, whilst he was fined 500 francs. He had sworn before the French Consul at Braford that the goods were not as reported, but the experts engaged held that they were.—As the matter is in the hands of the Foreign Office, action was deferred until a reply has been received; but the Chamber thought the experts should be both English and French.

Happily, the LEEDS MERCURY reported on 29th June 1883.

HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

At the monthly meeting of the council, Mr T.S. Scarborough the president, in the chair, a letter was read from the Paris Chamber, stating that in consideration of their representation the fine of 500 francs imposed upon Mr Taylor Wheelhouse, of Bailiffe Bridge, had been reduced to 1?0 (difficult to read). Mr Wheelhouse sent some leather goods to France which the authorities would not accept as English-made. The goods were liable to confiscation and Mr. Wheelhouse to a very heavy fine for wrong deceleration and a fine of 500 francs was imposed. The Chamber had done good service in the matter, and a letter was read from Mr. Wheelhouse thanking them for their kind intercession. On the motion of the President, seconded by Mr. Davis, the best thanks of this Chamber were sent to the British Chamber in Paris for their politeness and assistance in the matter.

Then from the HUDDERSFIELD ECHO of 30th July 1886

PATENTS ,----- BRIERLEY’S LIST

….. ; Taylor Wheelhouse, Bailiffe Bridge, Halifax, improvements in belts of leather for gill boxes, preparing machinery, and for transmitting power;

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Over the next three decades Taylor Woodhouse continued to rent from the Low Moor Iron Company as well as renting out his own cottages. During this period his tenants included :-

J. Collins Ernest Hoyle* Jonathan Hoyle Timothy Hoyle* Squire Ingham * William Lund* Mrs Schofield Josh Schofield William Schofield* Jas Wilkinson*

* possibly buried in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe

Taylor Wheelhouse was still a “Tanner & Currier” in 1891. He, his wife and family had moved again to Birkby Lane, Clifton. His brother John Wheelhouse had become a “Leather Belt Maker”, presumably for his brother’s company, with his wife Eliza being a “Draper”. John and Eliza lived by themselves in Sackville Terrace, Hipperholme cum Brighouse.

Meanwhile by 1891 the Holt parents Joseph and Hannah Cockcroft Holt had got their daughter Bertha married off to Arthur Bottomley. So instead of having son Alfred and family residing with them, as they had in 1881, living with them on census night 1891 were daughter Bertha and son in law Arthur, an “Ironmongers Clerk”, plus grandson Lancelot Bottomley, aged 7. The address is probably - difficult to read - , 238 Salisbury Terrace, Calverley cum Farsley, Bradford. Son Arthur Holt and family were at 67 Tennyson Terrace, Bradford.

But eldest son Charles Edward Holt and family were still in Bailiff Bridge at 2 Branksholme Cottage in 1891. Charles was a “Clerk to Tanner, Currier & Leather Merchant” which sounds like his father in law. Another daughter, Mabel Holt had been born on 12th October 1883 to “Tanner and Currier” Charles Edward Holt and his wife Sarah Alice. Mabel was baptised at St Matthew;s Church, Lightcliffe on 23rd October 1884 just before she died on 31st October 1884. She was buried on 4th November 1884 in plot HH11 of St Matthew’s churchyard, Lightcliffe with the inscription above.

Birkby Hall was the final residence of Taylor Wheelhouse and his family including daughter and son in law, Sarah Alice and Charles Edward Holt, and their daughters, Gertrude and Lilian. All of the family were there on census night 1901 except Sarah Alice Holt. She was at an address in Cullingworth looking after her brother, Samuel’s, young daughters Mabel, aged 8, and Marguerite Rosalind, aged 6. Taylor Wheelhouse’s 74 year old brother John Wheelhouse was in West Street, Hipperholme “Living on own Means” with his wife Eliza J. Wheelhouse. This may well have been because he was the owner of a string of houses in West Street, Hipperholme.

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Seventy year old Taylor Wheelhouse died on 28th February 1903 in Lancashire but was buried in St Matthew’s churchyard on 4th March 1903 in plot L68. His probate reads:-

WHEELHOUSE Taylor of Bailiffe Bridge Yorkshire died 28 February 1903 at Grange over Sands Lancashire Administration Wakefield to Hannah Wheelhouse widow Effects £891 4s 6d

Lilian Holt, the youngest daughter of Charles Edward and Sarah Alice Holt – and so the first cousin of soldier Joseph Alfred Holt - got married at St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe on 2nd June 1904. She married Ernest Brown, a 27 year old “Stuff Merchant” of Whitehall Villas, Lightcliffe, the son of Dougald McLaurin Brown, another Merchant.

Her sister Gertrude Holt also got married at St Matthew’s Church, Lightcliffe on 28th December 1905. The groom was a 27 year old “Cabinet Maker” from Leeds called Percy Taylor Pollard. In 1910 Gertrude and Percy travelled to Canada thus missing the 1911 census.

As already noted Eliza Jane Wheelhouse died on16th December 1909 aged 69 and was also buried in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe in plot D55, owned by her husband John Wheelhouse, on 18th December 1909. Sometime before the 1911 census John Wheelhouse went to live with his daughter Betsey Holt and family at 68 Duckworth Terrace, Bradford.

This explains the West Yorkshire, England, Tax Valuations 1910 which recorded that John Wheelhouse of (16 West Street, Bailiff Bridge crossed out and replaced with) 68 Duckworth Terrace, Duckworth Lane, Bradford owned properties numbered 8 – 22 West Street, Hipperholme. On this 1910 list John Wheelhouse was said to be the occupier of 16, West Street. John Wheelhouse’s tenants were:-

Edwin Rushworth* number 8 Harriet Sheard number 15 Jas Wadsworth * number 9 Geo. Hy. Fawcett* number 17 Geo Littlewood * number 10 Johnny Brook * number 18 Edwin Wood number 11 Joseph Blakely *14 number 19 Wm. Booth * number 12 Sarah Benn* number 20 Wm. Byrom number 13 Fred Nicholson* number 21 Tom Reeds *16 number 14 Jonathan Brook number 22

The tenants asterisked were still in the same house or had moved just a few doors along this street of two roomed houses on 2nd April 1911. Again it is possible that a number of these tenants were buried in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe.

We know the size of these West St. houses – pictured right in 2014 - because in the 1911 census there were instructions to :- “Write down the Number of Rooms in the Dwelling House (House, Tenement, or Apartment). Count the kitchen as a room but do not count scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom; nor warehouse, office, shop”.

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In contrast Birkby Hall was a nine roomed dwelling according to the 1911 census. At that time it was occupied by eighty one year old widow Hannah Wheelhouse, her two unmarried daughters Lydia Ann and Annie, a widowed daughter Ada Sharp and married daughter Sarah Alice Holt and husband. Charles Edward Holt had signed the census return on behalf of his mother in law. He was a “Clerk Carpet Manufacturer” so perhaps the Taylor Wheelhouse’s leather business had been sold.

Taylor Wheelhouse’s son Samuel had married Fanny Maria Hopkinson on 30th September 1891 in Doncaster. On the night of the 1901 census he and his wife were with his widowed mother in law in the 1901 census at Wheatley when he was a “Tanner”. His sister Sarah Alice Holt was with his two young daughters Mabel aged 9 and Rosalind Marguerite aged 6 at an address in Cullingworth - their home? But by 1911 he had moved his family to 23 Westminster Avenue, Holderness Road, Hull where he was a “Leather Belting, Hose & Lace Cutter” working for a manufacturer. The family consisted of two teenage daughters Mabel, an 18 year old Clerk, Marguerite Rosalind, a 16 year old “Student Teacher”, then Reginald aged just 4 and finally one year old Joan. Samuel and Fanny had previously lost a baby son Arthur in 1905.

Mother, Hannah, and daughter, Lydia Ann Wheelhouse passed away within a couple of weeks of each other in March 1913 and were buried in the family grave plot L68 in St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe. Another spinster daughter Annie Wheelhouse was buried in the same plot on 21st February 1920.

In loving memory of Taylor Wheelhouse of Birkby Hall Bailiffe Bridge Born November 30th 1832 Died February 28th 1903

Also Hannah Wheelhouse widow of the above Born January 6th 1830 Died March 28th 1913

Also of Annie Wheelhouse their daughter Born August 1865 Died February 18th 1920

Also of Lydia Ann daughter of Taylor and Hannah Wheelhouse Born December 6th 1856 Died March 10th 1913

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Hannah’s probate reads:-

WHEELHOUSE Hannah of Birkby Hall Bailiffe Bridge Brighouse Yorkshire died 28 March 1913 probate Wakefield 21 July to Charles Edward Holt commercial clerk and Samuel Wheelhouse leather currier. Effects £1005 5s 3d

Presumably the son in law Charles Edward Holt stayed on at Birkby Hall. The only son, Samuel Wheelhouse, had already moved to Hull where he seems to have stayed. The memorial inscription on Charles E Holt’s grave in St Matthew’s Churchyard would appear to confirm this.

Charles Edward Holt died on 18th August 1927 and was buried in plot T63 of St Matthew’s Churchyard, Lightcliffe on 22nd August 1927. His wife lived until 1949 by which time she was 94 years old and living with her eldest daughter, Gertrude, and son in law Percy Taylor Pollard at 1 Broomfield, Adel, Leeds. She was buried alongside her husband on 26th July 1949. No probate has been found for Charles Edward Holt but there is a probate record for his wife.

HOLT Sarah Alice of 1 Broomfield Adel Leeds widow died 23 July 1949 Administration (with Will) Wakefield 31 October to Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Company Limited. Effects £523 0s 9d

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There is also a probate record for her brother, Samuel Wheelhouse.

WHEELHOUSE Samuel of 29 St. Columbus-road Bridlington Yorkshire died 11 October 1953 at The War Memorial Cottage Hospital Hornsea Yorkshire Probate London 19 November to Reginald Wheelhouse bank accountant and James Albert Iveson solicitor. Effects £698 10s

And then this for Samuel’s wife:-

WHEELHOUSE Fanny Maria of 38 Castle Square Caernavon widow who died 25 September 1958 at 257 Belle Grove Road Welling Kent Probate London 28 october to Reginald Wheelhouse bank manager and James Albert Iveson solicitor, Effects £449 8s 11d

The SHARPS of Shirley Manor, Wyke

Ada Wheelhouse, a daughter of Taylor Wheelhouse, had married a chap with the rather splendid name, Lionel Cicero Gaunt Sharp, on 15th September 1894 at Hartshead Church. He was the 3rd son of Hannah and James Sharp, a dye manufacturer who lived at Shirley Manor, Wyke. In the 1901 census Lionel and Ada lived at Wyke Hall. They had lost one daughter by then according to Lionel’s memorial inscription below. Lionel Sharp died in Westmorland 31st October 1905 – was this why his father in law, Taylor Wheelhouse, was at Grange over Sands when he died? - but was buried at St Mary’s Wyke on 2nd November 1905 next to his mother and then in time his father. Their memorial inscriptions give more information:- In ever loving memory of HANNAH the dearly beloved wife of JAMES SHARP F.C.S., M.S.A. re. of Shirley Manor who died October 30 1903 aged 74 years. She spoke of Heaven and led the way Also of the above JAMES SHARP who died May 11 1911 aged 82 years.

In loving memory of LIONEL the third son of JAMES and HANNAH SHARP of Shirley Manor born April 27 1866 fell asleep October 31 1905. Until the day break and the shadows flee away GWENDOLINE MAY infant daughter of LIONEL and ADA SHARP born May 29 1898 died July 24 1898.

Lionel Sharp’s probate record reads:-

SHARP Lionel Cicero Gaunt of “Friar Cote” Sanside near Milnthorpe Westmorland died 31th October 1905 Probate London 3 January to Annie Alboni Moore widow and Benjamin Casson dyer’s-traveller. Effects £11 054 11s 9d.

NB Annie Alboni Moore was his widowed sister who lived at Shirley Manor, Wyke, not Lionel’s widow, Ada.

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This explains why the widow Ada Sharp nee Wheelhouse was back at Birkby Hall by the 1911 census. She appears to have remained there as her probate reads:-

SHARP Ada of Birkby Hall Bailiffe Bridge Brighouse Yorkshire widow died 7 March 1936 Administration Wakefield 13 June to Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Company Limited. Effects £33637 17s 7d

She too was buried at St Mary’s Wyke on 10th March 1936 presumably with her husband and baby daughter. Although the ceremony was held at St Mary’s Wyke it was conducted by the Vicar of Lightcliffe, Rev H.L.Taylor.

Sir Milton Sheridan Sharp

Lionel’s eldest brother was called Milton Sheridan Sharp. He was also a dyer like his father James. For his chairmanship of the Bradford Dyer’s association from 1898 until his death he was made Sir Milton Sheridan Sharp, 1st Baronet of Heckmondwike in the 1920 Birthday Honours. He died on 22nd May 1924 and was buried on 24th May 1924 again in St Mary’s churchyard, Wyke. His memorial reads:-

In loving memory of ANNIE the wife of MILTON S. SHARP of Spring House Heckmondwike who died November 22nd 1919 in her 64th year.

Also LUCY only daughter of MILTON S. and ANNIE SHARP who died January 17 1921 in her 39th year.

Also MILTON SHERIDAN SHARP lst Bart. who died May 22nd 1924 aged 68 years

His probate reads:- SHARP sir Milton Sheridan (baronet) of Spring House Liversedge Yorkshire died 22 May 1924 Probate London 5 September to sir Milton Sharp baronet Reginald Sharp textile printer and Henry Edward Sharp dyer. Effects £219 528 12s 3d.

So although the soldier Joseph Alfred Holt does not appear to have had much of a connection with Lightcliffe, apart from his name appearing on the memorial along with his grandfather’s name, many of his extended family did. The connections are sometimes complex but many of his relations – great uncle, great aunt, step grandmother, uncle, aunt, first cousins, second cousins and cousins a generation removed – were actually buried in St Matthew’s church yard not to mention the tenants of his grandfather and his great uncle.

D,M.Barker January 2016

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