David’s Family History

Thomas, my paternal grandfather, was born on 24 September 1875 to William and Mary Thompson nee Foster in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. He was the third of their four children with an older brother, William, and sister, Emma, and a younger brother, Emmanuel. Sadly Thomas’s father died when he was just four years old and it would appear that his older brother William also did not live very long as he was not recorded on the 1881 census. By that time Emma, Thomas and Emmanuel are living with their widowed mother and two lodgers at Savells Square, Hoyland Nether, Barnsley.

Thomas’s parents were married on 20 May 1864 at St Pauls Catholic Church, Newton in the district of Ashton under Lyne, which is directly to the east of Manchester, in Lancashire. By the time Thomas was born William and Mary had moved to Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, where William was a Coal Miner. William died in 1880, aged just 45, as a consequence of Bronchitis, not unusual for a coal miner at that time.

Ten years later, in 1891, Thomas is living with his mother, siblings Emma and Emmanuel and their two lodgers. Thomas has already begun to work, aged 15, as a Lamp Cleaner. They are still living in Saville Square.

By 1901 Thomas has moved to work below ground as a Colliery Lamp Cleaner. Mary, Thomas and Emmanuel have moved, with one of their boarders, to 67 Hoyland Road. Mary doesn’t feature in the pictures I have available of Annie and Thomas’s wedding in 1906, although she was still alive at that time. Mary died a couple of years later in February 1908.

Thomas married Annie Ethel Watkinson on 11 August 1906 at the Ebenezer Chapel, Sheffield Road, Barnsley and then all went to the local photographer’s studio for the photographs. Thomas’s brother, Emmanuel, was one of the witnesses at his brother’s wedding.

Thomas and Annie had eight children, William, Nellie, Amy, Joseph, Ann, Sheila, Emma and Wilfred. They were born between 1908 and 1924. Although both Thomas and Annie’s mothers died before 1910, Thomas knew his father in law, Joseph Watkinson for the next twenty five years.

Sadly their sixth child, Sheila, died when just five weeks old and just a few days after the end of World War I. The family were faced with a funeral bill of £3.75. This all took place in Ynysddu, South Wales as the family moved there from Barnsley between the births of Joseph in July 1914 and Ann in January 1916, presumably for Thomas to continue his work as a miner. Below is a picture of Thomas’s miners lamp from his time in South Wales. This lamp still stimulated questions in 2018 when Thomas’s seven year old Great Great Grandson took the lamp into his school as the children were looking at mining as their subject.

The family would be in Ynysddu for more than twenty years before moving to Birmingham in 1937 when my dad, Wilfred was thirteen. It is interesting how much the family moved around, mainly to obtain work – South Yorkshire to South Wales to West Midlands.

Over the years Thomas and Annie’s children gave them eleven grandchildren before Thomas died in 1954, two more followed after his death. Below is a photo of Thomas and Annie with two of their first grandchildren, taken in November 1940.

Thomas and Annie were very involved in the life of Newbridge Baptist Church and Thomas was the first ‘life’ deacon ever appointed at the church. Below are pictures from the weddings of Thomas’s youngest two children, Emma in July 1941 and Wilfred in August 1949. In the first picture Thomas is on the extreme right of the picture and in the second he is central, but where is the bride … ?

Thomas died on 16 July 1954 and his death certificate records that the second cause of his death was Chronic Bronchitus, like his father who died seventy four years earlier. Being a miner was still a dangerous occupation. his funeral cost £15.13. His widow Annie lived for another sixteen years after Thomas’s death until she died in November 1970, aged 90.

The cost of Thomas’s funeral was £15.13. The cost of funerals is an interesting subject when looking at Thomas’s life. Using the average wage information for the years in question Sheila’s funeral in 1918 cost 1.3 weeks pay, Thomas’s in 1954 cost 1.75 weeks pay but someone who died in 2017 would have had to pay 6.5 weeks pay (average cost £3,311, average earnings £26,500).

Charles Jolly is my maternal grandmother’s grandfather.  He was the eleventh of twelve children born to Henry Jolly and Mary Havers in Eye, Suffolk. These twelve children were born between 1827 and 1847. I have not been able to locate precise details of Charles birth and the only Charles Jolly born in the relevant period has different parents.

We have visited Eye in the last few years and the picture below shows the church that was there in 1846.

In the census return from 1851 Henry was an Agricultural Labourer aged 49 and he and Mary were living with eight of their children. Two of Henry’s older sons, Robert aged 24 and John aged 20, two of Charles older brothers, were also Agricultural Workers.

Ten years later, at the time of the 1861 census, Charles was no longer living with his parents but in Castle Street in Eye as a servant for Thomas French who was aged 75, a magistrate, alderman and solicitor. Thomas also had a butler, John Creasy, and two other servants, Ann Hunt and Charlotte Rayson, so Charles was now part of a well to do household. Charles’s father, Henry, was now living alone with just his thirteen old daughter Hannah as his wife died in 1852.

Charles married Harriet Tindale on 13 December 1863 and they had six children Frederick, born in 1864, Catherine, born 19 October 1868, my Great Grandmother, Alice M, born 1871, Annie J, born 1873, David, born 1875, and Herbert, born in 1878.

By the time their first daughter was born Charles and Harriet had moved to Birmingham and were living at 5 Farquhar Road in Moseley. Charles’s occupation was a gardener although we can see below that his brush making business was established in 1868. By 1871 the family lived at 1 back of 48, Edgbaston Street, St Martin, Birmingham.  Charles had taken up the trade of Feather Brush Maker.  Ten years later, with all his children born, Charles and Harriet and their six children had moved to 2 Bishop Street in Birmingham where Charles continues his trade.

By the 1891 census we can see that Charles and Harriet have moved from Bishop Street to School Lane in Edgbaston.  Frederick, born in 1864, is no longer with them but there is a new child, Frederick Charles aged 3.  Is this really a child of Charles and Harriet as recorded on the census? The birth certificate of Frederick reveals that this is the son of Frederick Jolly, born 1864, and his wife Jane nee Hollick who were married in 1886 Q4 in Kings Norton, Birmingham.

By 1901, Charles is living with two of his daughters, Catherine and Annie, and Catherine’s daughter, Doris, my grandmother. Much credit must be given to Charles who cares for his granddaughter in the absence of her father. They are now living at 2, Oak Mount, Tyndall Street, Kings Norton. Although I do not have a photo of Charles, below are three generations of his descendants.

My grandmother remembers her grandfather owning a factory in Bishop Street, manufacturing feather brushes and it is likely that this is why the family moved to School Lane.  Doris also remembered the pleasure of throwing feathers out of an upstairs window in Bishop Street and watching them float to the ground. I have consulted a number of Kelly’s Directories of Birmingham and confirmed that the factory was in Bishop Street for a number of years.  43 Bishop Street (1896 p.38), (1900 p.47), (1904 p.49), (1908 p.50) and (1912 p.66).  The business then transferred to 30 Bishop Street (1916 p.67) with no entry at all for No. 43 and several surrounding properties.  Damaged during the war or demolished for other building?  Although Charles died in 1909 his business survived for many years at No. 30 as recorded in Kelly’s (1920 p.69), (1925 p.76) and (1928 p.78).  By 1932, Kelly’s p.77, the business at No. 30 is being run by Arthur Edward Brownlee, perhaps a relative of Henry Archibald Brownlee who married Charles and Harriet’s third daughter Annie Jolly.  Henry and Annie were the two witnesses at my grandmother’s wedding Doris Kate Jolly and Percy Harper Corbett on 26 January 1924.

I have not been able to trace a date of death for Harriet. Charles died in Q2 of 1909.

Although Charles died in 1909 his name still appeared on the headings of bills of sale in the 1930s, see adjacent bill of sale.  This shows that the business was established in 1868 was still going in the 1930s under the brand name “The Reliable”, with ostrich feather dusters as their speciality. 

Joseph Watkinson is my Great Grandfather, my paternal Grandmother’s father.  He married Mary Rodgers on 3 October 1860 and they had twelve children.  Amy (born 14 February 1861), Mary Maria (born 2 November 1862), Bertha (born 6 April 1865), William (born 10 June 1866), Joseph (born 21 August 1868), Harriet (born 15 February 1871), John (born 27 March 1873), Herbert (born 27 March 1875), Edgar (born 7 March 1877), Annie (born 6 February 1880) my grandmother, Thomas (born 31 January 1883) and Ann (born 21August 1889).

Joseph was born in Wollaton, Nottingham on 19 August 1842 the youngest child of Henry Watkinson and Amy Paling.  Sadly his mother Amy died when Joseph was only three and his obituary records that his oldest sister, Ann who was only nine herself when her mother died, looked after her younger siblings following her mother’s death.

The census return in 1851 reveals that Joseph was living with his father and two younger siblings, Mary and William, at Wollaton Hall.  By this time his father’s occupation is recorded as a Farm Labourer.  It is possible that by this time Joseph and his family were living in a tied property on the estate of Wollaton Hall which was occupied because of his father’s work.  Joseph’s older sister, Ann, was by the time of this census living with Mr Crescent Jeffs and his wife Mrs Frances Jeffs as their servant at 24 Long Row, Radford in Nottinghamshire. 

By the time of the 1861 census Joseph and Mary were married and living at Cinder Hill, Basford, Nottinghamshire.  Their first child Amy is just two months old, although her name on the 1861 census is recorded as Emma.  At this time Joseph’s occupation is recorded as a Coal Miner. Married in Nottingham, the family moved to Barnsley in South Yorkshire by 1865 where the ten younger children were born and in the next census of 1871 we still have Joseph as a Coal Miner but now living at 102 Pilley Colliery, Wortley.  Also in the census are his wife Mary and four of their six children born by this time, Amy, Maria, William and one month old Harriet.  Joseph, aged 2, was with his aunt and uncle Martha & George Slater at Wellington Street, Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.  Martha was Mary’s younger sister.  Bertha died in the first few weeks of her life.

Fifty years after the following event, this is an extract from an article in the local Barnsley newspaper:

Exactly 50 years ago, Mr Joseph Watkinson, of Pilley, was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s medal for saving two youths from drowning.  The two boys, Joseph Yeardley and Shadrach Illsby, both of Wharncliffe Silkstone were sporting on the frozen brickworks pond.  Venturing too far both were immersed in deep water.  Several people attempted to rescue the lads and ran to neighbouring houses for ropes and ladders.  One man, Enoch Meades, ran past Mr Watkinson’s house shouting for a rope.  Mr Watkinson had just returned from the pit and immediately ran to the pond, jumped into the ice-cold water, and rescued the boys.  He says he will never forget the despairing look on the face of the second boy to be saved when he was taking the first one out.  The boys recovered in a few days.

In 1879 Joseph was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for saving two youths from drowning (Royal Humane Society case reference 20835-1880).

Mr Watkinson is still alive, in his 88th year, hale and hearty.  Residing with his daughter, Mrs Carter at Sheffield Road, Birdwell, he can be seen every day, wet or fine, taking a walk with a vigorous stride that puts many a younger man to shame.  He was born at Wollaton, near Nottingham on Lord Middleton’s estate.  For a time he was a gardener’s apprentice, but left at the age of 14 to work in a coal mine, eventually settling at Wharncliffe Silkstone, 61 years ago.  He held the position of deputy there for about 40 years.  Mr Watkinson has ten children living, the youngest being 49 and 90 grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Nearly all his life he has been a non-smoker and teetotaller and was a Sunday School teacher and superintendent for over 66 years.  Always a keen lover of his garden, he still cultivates nearly 1000 square yards.  Mr Watkinson attributes his health and longevity to early rising and retiring, plain living and plenty of rational exercise. 

By the time we come to the next census in 1881 another four children have been born and the census records the parents living with eight of their ten children.  Helpful aunt and uncle Martha and George Slater this time have Harriet with them, still at Wellington Street, but Harriet is recorded as fourteen when she was only ten.  By this time Joseph has been promoted and is now recorded as Overman in Coal Pit.  Three of his children are also working – Maria as a dressmaker, William as a Horse Driver in Coal Pit and Joseph as a Lamp Cleaner Colliery.  The family have also moved house to 11 Pilley Colliery.

By the time of the 1891 census Joseph and Mary are recorded as living with seven of their children.  By this time Joseph’s occupation is again recorded as a Coal Miner.  The three children who are now working are William, also a Coal Miner and incorrectly recorded as being aged 35 when he was actually 25, John, also a Coal Miner, and Herbert, a horse driver.  Again the family had moved house and were now living at 27 Sheffield Road.

In the first census of the twentieth century Joseph and Mary only have two children living with them, Annie Ethel and Tom.  They have moved again to 63 Sheffield Road and Joseph is now a Colliery Deputy Below Ground.  Tom is also working in Coal mining as a Coal Hewer Trammer Below Ground.  Despite the reduced numbers the family now have a servant Martha Ann Mayor living with them.

Other members of the family are not far away with Edgar and his wife Harriet Wroe living with her parents at 65 Sheffield Road, Herbert and his wife Ann Eliza Bucklow living with her parents at 61 Sheffield Road and Amy Watkinson living with her husband Tom Wroe at 75 Sheffield Road.

In the final census currently available, 1911, Joseph was living with Annie Ethel and Thomas Thompson, my grandparents, with yet another move to 115 Sheffield Road.  The picture shows Joseph and Mary at Thomas & Annie’s wedding on 11 August 1906.  By the time of the 1911 census two of Annie and Thomas’ s children are born, William and Nellie, Joseph’s wife, Mary had died in 1909 and the house is also occupied by a boarder, Emma Wilkinson, a widow, and her daughter Elsie.

Two later photographs of Joseph feature him with other members of the family.  The photograph of four generations shows Joseph with his son Herbert, born in 1875, his grandson Harold, born in 1899, and his great grandson Bryan, born around 1922.    The second family group, taken in about 1930, shows Joseph with Annie and Thomas and their seven surviving children Amy, Bill, Nellie, Joseph, Ann, Wilfred and Emma.

The second family group, taken in about 1930, shows Joseph with Annie and Thomas and their seven surviving children Amy, William, Nellie, Joseph, Ann, Wilfred and Emma..Emma always related a story of a time when grandad (Joseph) came to see them in South Wales, when he was still living in Barnsley.  Emma went back to Barnsley with him to see some of her cousins and while she was there grandad bought her a new coat.  Having three older sisters from whom she could inherit clothes, a new coat was something she always remembered.

Joseph died on 5th November 1931 at 227 Sheffield Road, Birdwell, Worsborough, Barnsley and there was an extensive record of his life and funeral in the local paper.   

Mr Joseph Watkinson, who was probably the best known resident in Birdwell, died at 227, Sheffield Road, on Thursday. Mr Watkinson, who was 89 years of age, had enjoyed the honour of being the oldest resident for only a few weeks, the previous oldest being Mrs Matthewman, who (as reported in these columns) passed away recently at the age of 92 years.

Although Mr Watkinson had lived in the Birdwell area since 1868, he was not a native of these parts, but was born on the 19th August 1842, at Wollaton.  Along with two sisters and a brother, he was left motherless at the age of 2 years, the elder sister, Mary having to bring them up.  The younger sister, Ann,  became  a schoolmistress, although she never attended school herself, being taught by some educated person in the district.  she died however at the age of 36.

Mr Watkinson attended school for a few months only, but had studied and read so diligently that he was considered one of the best Biblical scholars in the district. His maternal grandfather was a Dutchman, who came over from Holland to lay some Dutch gardens at Wollaston Hall. Other members of the family were dyke builders in Holland, and came over to drain the warp lands in Lincolnshire. His father was the village cobbler.

Mr Watkinson commenced work down a coal mine at the age of 14. He came to reside at Wharncliffe Silkstone after obtaining work at the Colliery on November 2nd 1868, and remained in the employ of the Colliery Company for over 40 years, mostly as a deputy, retiring in 1910.

Mr Watkinson was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s medal in respect of an act of bravery in December 1879. (At this point the obituary recorded the details of the event, as above).

He went to live at Birdwell in 1891. He was a non-smoker and teetotaller, and was a Sunday School teacher and Superintendent for over 66 years. A keen gardener, he cultivated for many years about a thousand square yards.

The funeral took place on Sunday, the service being conducted by Rev C W Limb and Mr J A Taylor in the Birdwell U.M. Church. Mr Taylor referred to the life of Mr Watkinson as being the finest example of a Christian life he had known. The coffin was afterwards laid to rest at Worsbro’ Cemetery.

Mr Watkinson married in 1860 Mary Rodgers, of a Leicester family, and the couple lived at New Whittington for a short while before coming to Wharncliffe Silkstone. They had six sons and four daughters. Mrs Watkinson died in 1909. There are 41 grandchildren, 43 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton