The Few - July 1939

On the front page of the Sheffield Star & Telegraph was this small article featuring the views of Flight Lieutenant C E Reynolds, the Officer Commanding the North East area. He was responding to reports that recruitment to the R.A.F. had halved in recent weeks, and that the current figures were nearly the lowest in the last twelve months.

The Officer Commanding the North East area was not alarmed though and referred to a number of factors that caused the drop in recruitment such as paid holidays etc. 

What Flight Lieutenant C E Reynolds did not know at the time is that this report appeared on the 11th July 1939 and in 7 weeks time the country would be at war with Germany. I wonder if he was alarmed then!

Mr Thomas Wardley receives an intimation - Clun Street Pitsmoor Sheffield - October 1906

The following cutting is from the Yorkshire Telegraph dated 6th October 1906 and refers to death in service of a 16 year old signalman Leonard Wardley. Leonard was drowned off Portland when the HMS Landrail capsized.

I was contemplating posting a full article on the circumstances of Leonard's but whilst researching content I came across this information on a Dorset diving site. It appears that Leonard was the only casualty of the incident and that it was not possible to recover his body.

As for Thomas he is buried alongside 19 others in a public grave in Sheffield's Burngreave Cemetery. He died in 1912 in the Sheffield Union Workhouse. Also in the grave are his wife Elizabeth (52) who is referred to in the article and three of their children who died in childhood. They were certainly no strangers to tragedy,

WARDLEY, Agnes (Dau of S. Wardley, age 14). Died at 43 Clun Street; Buried on October 5, 1898 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 90, Section K1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. 40277 Attending Minister: Arthur Sykes.

WARDLEY, Albert (Dau of Thos Wardley, age 5 months). Died at Clun Street; Buried on November 5, 1886 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 90, Section K1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.

WARDLEY, Beatrice (Dau of Thos Wardley, age 4).Died at Clun Street; Buried on November 5, 1886 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 90, Section K1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.

WARDLEY, Elizabeth (wife of E Wardley, age 52).Died at 43 Clun Street; Buried on September 18, 1906 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 90, Section K1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Officiating Minister, Edw D Dannatt.

WARDLEY, Thomas (Night Watchman, age 60). Died at Sheffield Union; Buried on June 27, 1912 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 90, Section K1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Officiating Minister, Thos Torrens : Removed from St Cuthberts.

  

Denise Marsden (1935 - 2008) Sheffield Family History Society

I was digging ouy some information the other day relating to family history, In one of the books I consulted a bookmark "flew out"

I had never seem the bookmark before and so it came as a bit of a shock when the bookmark was in fact a memorial. I believe Denise was a founder member of the Sheffield and District Family History Society and was very active in their activities

Mr Charles Roberts - the Founder of Robert Brothers The Moor Sheffield

I came across this obituary dated 11th July 1939

The store was on The Moor in Sheffield. The first photograph was taken in the aftermath of the Second World War and gives a hint of the devastation that was inflicted on the city in December 1940 by the German Luftwaffe. The second was taken in 2008. The original store was demolished and was rebuilt in the 1950's. But it only had a limited lifespan. Robert Brothers ceased trading and was occupied by a series of firms and was eventually boarded up.

The Hammonds of Fold Farm Hollow Meadows Sheffield circa 1907 - The Moscar Tragedy

Many years ago I posted an article to the site about the tragedy that occurred at Moscar near Sheffield on 25th August 1907

In the interim I also posted updates on this blog concerning the fate of the charabanc W671 and  The Funeral of "the boy Harrison" - Sheffield Friday 30th August 1907, one of the victims of the crash 

But this weekend a reader of the article sent me these photographs

 "After the accident, the vehicle was moved to the yard of Fold Farm, Hollow Meadows, where the photos were taken.  At the time, it belonged to my great grandfather, George Hammond.  In the photo with spectators, front and centre are a small girl and boy.  These were his daughter, Elsie, and son Harold, who was my grandfather.(see first photograph)

The second photograph was taken at the other side of the yard, as if looking directly at the wrecked vehicle.  Obviously, this wasn't taken at the same time.  George Hammond is centre, with his wife Anne.  Elsie, the little girl in the wreck photo, is left.  Middle is Alice and right, young George.  Family legend has it that Harold didn't want his photo taken, so hide in the cow shed, sadly.

The last photograph is of Harold in later life, the boy who did not want his photograph taken. Looks quite a character!

View From A Hill - 31st December 2020

This blog is the 55th I've posted in 2020 which is an increase of 11 on the previous year. I have also managed to post a few articles to the website but not as many as I would have liked. 

I have just received a e-mail from the company that has hosted my website for the best part of 20 years

"Please read the important announcement at https://www.wiserhosting.com

It is with regret that we have to announce that WiserHosting is winding the business down over the next year due to a change of personal circumstances affecting the business owner.

 

We have been unable to negotiate satisfactory terms for the sale of the business such that disruption to our clients’ hosting services would be minimised. Therefore we have opted to wind the business down over the next year, allowing our hosting clients to migrate existing hosting accounts to another hosting provider in their own time, but before the deadline of 30 November 2021, at which time WiserHosting will cease all web and email hosting services." 

It is a shame as I have never had a problem with the company or its services which counts for a lot nowadays.

But I think that the winding down may have something to do with this event that occurred in September 

"You may be aware that WiserHosting has been under Distributed Denial of Service attacks (DDoS) since Tuesday 8 September and we are having to take emergency measures to migrate all of our client sites to a safer datacentre location. We would certainly prefer to give our clients much longer notice but this is not viable in this case."

It must have been a stressful time for the company and one that may have contributed to it's ceasing operations. It is a shame that the UK government is ill-equipped to deal with the perpetrators of such attacks! 

Of course it means that I am going to have to find another hosting company in the spring which should prove to be an interesting experience!  

But on a more upbeat note, a big thanks to the many readers who have contacted me in the last year, I have been able to update a few of the earlier articles on the site with new information which always helps. .  

And so all that remains is to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year with the fervent hope that it is a tad better than this one has been

See Below

Crookes Brass Band - circa 1890 Sheffield

 The two photographs below appeared on a well-known internet auction site. It is the first time I have seen the photo and I was totally unaware that Crookes was at the one time playing host to what appears a sizeable brass band.

The seller put a spoiler across the photograph and also placed a minimum price of £30.00GBP for the photo which definitely ended any interest I had in bidding for it. The seller placed the card as circa 1890 which is correct   

Xmas Day - 25th December 1879 Sheffield

 Attached is a report from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 27th December 1879. The reporters detailed the events that occurred in Sheffield on Xmas Day

One hundred and forty-one years later in 2020 I can report that nothing occurred in Sheffield on Xmas Day 2020. 

Cut Finger Causes the Death of George Revill - August 1925 Royal Hospital Sheffield

The following is from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Saturday 29th August 1925 and refers to the inquest that took place the previous day into the death of George Revill, an employee of Messrs. Walker and Hall, a prominent cutlery firm in Sheffield.

The verdict was a formality but Dr. Holmes of the Royal Hospital who was present at the inquest made the pointed observation that if George Revill had received proper treatment at the time of the accident, the septicaemia would not probably not have developed. And George would be still alive.

George was buried two days later at Sheffield's City Road cemetery

REVILL, George (, age 27). Died at Royal Hospital; Buried on August 31, 1925 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 24241, Section II1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 18   

But what made George's death even more tragic was that five days later, his ten-month old son also called George would be laid to rest alongside his father 

REVILL, George (Son of late George, age 10mths). Died at 2 Red hill; Buried on September 5, 1925 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 24241, Section II1 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 18

I believe that George's wife was called Elizabeth

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page 

Marriages Dec 1921   

Reid Elizabeth Revill Sheffield 9c 1149   

Revill George Reid Sheffield 9c 1149

I wonder how she and her young daughter Dorothy coped with this double tragedy   

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page 

Births Dec 1922   

Revill Dorothy Reid Sheffield 9c 855   

Births Dec 1924   

Revill George Reid Ecclesall B. 9c 742

From the 1939 National Register it looks as though Elizabeth re-married as her surname is given as Norton. I did find the record of the marriage

Surname First name(s) Spouse District      Vol Page 

Marriages Dec 1928   

NORTON Walter H Revill Ecclesall B. 9c 778  

REVILL Elizabeth Norton Ecclesall B. 9c 778 

and also a death eight years later

Deaths Jun 1936  Norton Walter H  age 65 Sheffield Volume 9c Page 464

Elizabeth is listed as a widow in the 1939 Register living with her daughter Dorothy at 130 Cuthbert Bank Road

Dorothy married in 1953

Surname First name(s) Spouse         District Vol Page 

Marriages Mar 1953   

REVILL Dorothy WOOFFITT Scunthorpe 3b 1035

WOOFFITT Charles F REVILL      Scunthorpe 3b 1035

Dorothy died at at the age of  61 in April 1983 

   

The Inquest of James Hynes alias Dunn aka "The Mystery" - Saturday 30th December 1899 St Giles London

The following cutting is from The Daily Telegraph dated Monday 1st January 1900, the first day of the twentieth century and refers to the inquest that took place two days earlier on the body of James Hynes alias Dunn aka "The Mystery."

The verdict was in accordance with the evidence - James had succumbed to what is now known as tuberculosis which was exacerbated by the debilitating effects of old age.  

What was surprising was that James had on his person when he died £125.00 (about £10,700 in today's money) and was in receipt of pensions amounting to £27.00 per annum (£2,300  in today's money. From the report it looks as though James had no known relatives and so after a period of three months, the monies would be sent to the Treasury "to help fight the Boers". Why this pronouncement provoked merriment and laughter at the inquest is difficult to fathom but so is the fact that a army pensioner with substantial monetary assets die a lonely and painful death at a "common lodging-house" in London    

 

Dolphin Street Darnall Sheffield

 In April 2016 I posted a couple of blogs that related to an article on the site entitled "Death at Woodburn Junction" and the tragic accident that befell Richard Undy on 26th January 1884. At the time of his death Richard was living with his young family at 41 Dolphin Street, Darnall.

The street no longer exists but a researcher has kindly sent me three elevated photographs of the street. The photographs are undated but I believe that they were taken circa 1955

    

Cyril John Hyde (1920-1935) - "The boy who did not like school" - Sheffield January 1935

The following newspaper report is from The Manchester Guardian dated 18th January 1935 and refers to an inquest that was held in the death of a 14 year old boy Cyril Hyde. He attended the Sheffield Junior Technical College at Broomgrove Crescent, Sheffield. According to the Head Master's records Cyril had been a persistent absentee during the autumn term of 1934, recording a figure of 34 missed attendances.    

Cyril clearly resented having to go to school so much so that his father had to personally deliver him to the school on the first day of term. Strange for a 14 year old schoolboy!

Cyril obviously thought better of this, returned home in the afternoon, and promptly gassed himself in the bathroom. The coroner's verdict was a formality.

I have had great difficulty getting a handle on this family due to the closure of the Local Studies Library in Sheffield. However I have managed to obtain the following information from the BMD Registers.

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page 

Marriages Jun 1919  Hyde Cyril L  Aline Short Sheffield 9c 1254  

Births Dec 1920 Hyde Cyril J Short Ecclesall B. 9c 887

Deaths Mar 1935 Hyde Cyril J 14 Ecclesall B.     9c 484

Deaths Dec 1931 Hyde Aline M 37 Ecclesall B.     9c 414  

From this information two points arise - it looks as though Cyril was the only child of the marriage and that his mother Aline died in 1931 when Cyril was only 11 years old. 

Did these two events have a bearing on Cyril's tragic death?

 

    

The Execution of George Ainley (1898 – 1918) - An Update

I received this information earlier this week which related to an article I placed on the site many years ago

"We were unaware of this tragic story. My husband  and I visited the National Memorial Arboretum a few years ago. Whilst visiting the 'Shot at Dawn memorial we noticed a plaque with a familiar surname- Ainley. We looked through my late father-in-laws family tree paperwork when we got home and discovered that this was indeed a relative. We have since returned to lay flowers by the memorial."

I also received a few weeks earlier this information that relates to George and his family

"Another addendum to this is the sad case of Arthur Loversidge a newspaper article dated 19 Oct 1910 in the Sheffield Evening Telegraph titled "Sheffield Tragedy Ivory fluter killed on the railway". Arthur was the brother of Alice Mary Ainley nee Loversidge 1875-1922"

Arthur Loversidge was George's uncle and the brother of George's mother Alice Mary

Unfortunately I have been unable to access the newspaper report that relates to the accident. The Sheffield Local Studies Library hase been closed since March this year and it is anyone's guess when it will re-open 
 

Have you heard of the unsolved murder of shopkeeper Eleanor Hammerton in Sheffield in 1945? - An update

I was checking some information earlier this week and purely by chance I came across an article in the Sheffield Star dated Monday, 13th July 2020 with the headline

"Have you heard of the unsolved murder of shopkeeper Eleanor Hammerton in Sheffield in 1945?"

The writer of the article was Andy Done-Johnson.

Well readers of this blog and my website will have known about the murder of Eleanor before it appeared in the Sheffield Star. Many years ago I posted an article about the murder to the site and in the interim posted a few updates. In fact the article in the Sheffield Star does bear marked similarities to my article but with one noticeable exception - the murderer of Eleanor was apprehended and sentenced to death for the crime. As far as everyone was concerned the crime was solved and the perpetrator brought to justice

 I posted a blog to this effect on 9th February 2018 when I announced that I had finished an article entitled "The Confession of Ernest Bramham - March 1945". 

Bramham was not arrested for the murder until 28th March 1945, fully two months after the murder of Eleanor on Saturday 27th January 1945. It was this time period between the murder and the arrest that thwarted me at the Local Studies Library - I only checked the local and national press until the end of February 1945 when the police inferred that they were no nearer finding the murderer.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury dated Saturday 28th April 1945

In the article "The Confession of Ernest Bramham - March 1945" I expressed my doubts about the whole case from start to finish - it is most unusual if not unique that a "callous and brutal murderer" is spared the death penalty but Ernest was, believe it or nor, reprieved.

I did make an oversight in that I failed to place a link in the original article ("Who Murdered Eleanor Hammerton") relating to the apprehension and conviction of Ernest Bramham. If I had done this , I am sure that the journalist who wrote the Star article would have amended his article and removed the word "unsolved" from the headline and text.  

It is a problem to ascertain the facts surrounding an event when you are relying on just one source. Over the years I have had to shelve or delay a number of articles relating to Sheffield as I was not convinced about the authenticity and veracity of the source.    

   

Crookes Junction - Then and Now

 Another postcard that is simply entitled "Broomhill, Sheffield"

But to be more specific it shows the junction of Crookes with Glossop Road at Broomhill probably circa 1910.

I took a similar photograph in November 2006 although unlike the photographer in the above photo I stood on the pavement!

But the whole scene is better expressed in the George Cunningham painting "Crookes Junction"

  

Alsops Farm, Crookes, Sheffield

 I came across this old postcard of "Old Crookes." The only information on the postcard was that it is a photograph of Alsop's Farm.

It is difficult to believe nowadays but the district of Crookes in Sheffield was predominantly a farming community up until the late C19th

The location of the farm is a matter of guesswork. Picture Sheffield have a couple of images showing 

"Cottages in Barker's Yard, off Crookes (situated between Toyne Street and Marston Road), possibly also known as Alsops Yard. Demolished 1908 or 1909"

I think that the lane that dissects the photograph may well be Toyne Street and the taller house to the rear of the photograph may be the ols Punch Bowl public house.The chimney stack on the house is very similar to the one on The Punch Bowl

 

 

Herbert Hargreaves "The Worst Lighting Case in Sheffield" - September 1916

 This report appeared in the local press dated 17th October 1916 and related to a case that was conducted the previous day at Sheffield's Police Court. 

The Chairman of the bench was Sir Frank Mappin, one of Sheffield's most prominent industrialists and from his comnents he was clearly incensed by the conduct of Herbert Hargreaves on the night of 25th September 1916. The fine of £20 is the equivalent of over £1200 in todays money which is nothing short of draconian. The usual fine for a breach of the regulations was between 10s and £1 

But Sir Frank had every right to be incensed because Hargreaves flagrant disregard of the blackout regulations occurred on the night of Sheffield's first ever air-raid, a raid that led to the loss of 29 lives.It is no wonder that his neighbours were bitterly complaining about his conduct and some even accused him of signalling to the enemy.

There is no doubt about it Herbert Hargreaves got a lenient sentence that day in the Police Court

The Beighton Doodlebug - Xmas Eve 1944

Last week a reader of my article on the Beighton Doodlebug (German V1 rocket) contacted me and asked the following question - 

"Could you please tell me which part this is? -I'm almost 100% sure that it is off the Beighton V1 as it was given to me about 25 years ago by my late father-in-law (Bill Layne of Aughton) who at the time was a Bevin boy at Brookhouse pit. They were sent to the site to either help carry out the clean up operation and somehow this must have got stuck in his pocket!! As best I can remember he said he thought that it was a part that twisted on impact and caused the detonation.I'm not sure this is correct as an engineer it seems to be overcomplicated for this. Can't help being in admiration for the left-hand spiral tapered milling on the cone-with no C.N.C's in those days it can't have been easy to produce! Object height 24mm/dia.32mm"

My response was as follows

"Well first of all I am not an expert in flying bomb technology and so I am not much help in that respect, But as you may have gathered from my article readers have informed me that by December 1944 the Germans were increasingly cannibalising parts from their rapidly diminishing U-Boat fleets, and I wonder if the part your father rescued, was from a German naval torpedo This may explain the complexity of the machining".

If anyone can assist me further on this item. please contact me and I will pass it on 

Bert Nichols and the Phoenix Theatre Sheffield 27 August 924

 I posted an article to the site a few years ago relating to the Phoenix Theatre in Sheffield.  

Last week a reader of this article contacted me with information that related to his late grandfather, and his appearance at the Phoenix in 1924

"My grandfather, Albert Emmanuel Nicholson was a member of ‘The Strolling Players’ theatre group who appeared at The Phoenix Theatre, Hillsborough and other local venues in the 1920s. The attached poster from I believe 1924 lists him under his stage name of ‘Bert Nichols, Light Comedian’. He lived at that time with his family in Minto Road (where I also lived up until three-years old) opposite Hillsborough Park and worked as a manager with the Brightside & Carbrook Co-operative Association. Interestingly, along with the poster I also have a photograph of The Strolling Players together with a letter to him from the BBC requesting details of fees for The Players to perform.

A lovely well-liked man he was also an active local lay-preacher. I also recall that he was aboard for the very last cruise of the original Queen Elizabeth Cunard liner in 1968. He passed away in 1977 aged 85 and is most-fondly remembered"

He also kindly supplied me with a scan of the poster that advertised the show.

"Driver banned after elderrly couple Killed" Prince of Wales Road, Sheffield April 1967

 In 2017 - 2018 I posted a couple of blogs on the life and career of John Lewis Womersley. John was City Architect for Sheffield from 1953 - 1963 and led the team that planned and designed the mixed high-density housing developments, Park Hill (1957-1961) and the Gleadless Valley estate (1955-1962). He was also involved in the building of the now demolished Castle Market.

I had was archived the cutting and but when I retrieved it I found this cutting that was adjacent to it. It was from the Sheffield Star dated April 1967

I cannot really add anything to the report apart from my dumbfounded amazement at the leniency of the sentence. "There is no doubt he was going far too fast" was the keen observation of Mr Justice Veale who then fined the defendent £50 (£635 at 2020) and banned him from driving for 7 years.

Times certainly have changed, and in this instance, for the better 

Notes

Births Sep 1897 Nutbrown Harold Sheffield 9c 668

Surname  First name(s)    District  Vol  Page 

Marriages Sep 1931  

Nutbrown  Harold  Pipe  Sheffield  9c 1185  

Pipe  Florence B  Nutbrown  Sheffield  9c 1185  

Deaths Sep 1967 Nutbrown Harold 69 Sheffield 2d 281

Deaths Sep 1967 Nutbrown  Florence B 58 Sheffield  2d 281

In the 1939 National Register Harold and Florence were still at Greenwood Drive Sheffield (no 36).

Frank Anthony Porter who "died doing his utmost with a Lewis Gun" - Passchendaele October 9th 1917 and Intake Cemetery (Sheffield)

 My only aunt and uncle are buried in Sheffield's Intake Cemetery which is located just off Mansfield Road, Sheffield. I have visited the grave a few times since their deaths and when returning to the cemetery entrance, I passed the follwing family grave of Sarah Ann and Robert Porter

Photographs taken 6th July 2011 

The memorial also refers to their son Frank Anthony who died in the Great War "doing his utmost with a Lewis Gun."

I resolved that I would find out a bit more about the memorial and after a gap of nine years I have!

Frank Antony Porter

Date of Death 9/10/17  France & Flanders

Age 24

Service Number 203028  Rank Lance Corporal

Army Regiment West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales Own) Batallion 1/5th Battalion

Attachments / Former Regiment 21953 York & Lancaster Regiment

Memorial / Roll of Honour Information

Sheffield Council Official Roll of Honour

Gleadless War Memorial

Gleadless Valley Methodist Church Roll of Honour

Sheffield Gas Co Roll of Honour Now at Transco House Effingham St/Sussex St

Where Born Ranmoor Where Enlisted Sheffield Where Resided Sheffield

CWGC Additional Information

Son of Robert and Sarah Porter. of 44 Seagrave Rd.. Gleadless. Sheffield.

CWGC Grave / Memorial Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 42 to 47.

Frank does not have a kown grave in Flanders for he is one of the many thousannds who are listed on the Tyne Cot memorial. And yet that is not to say he is not "buried in Passchendaele". He may well have been buried there but they have not been able to locate Frank's body.

And at least "his loving mother Sarah Ann" was spared the agony and misery of losing her son -she died in April 1913, four and a half years before her son Frank  

  

What happened to Lord Haw-Haws Dog? - Hamburg, Germany May 1945

For anyone who is not familiar with Lord Haw-Haw - Lord Haw-Haw was a nickname applied to William Joyce, who broadcast Nazi propaganda to the UK from Germany during the Second World War. The broadcasts opened with "Germany calling, Germany calling", spoken in an affected upper-class English accent.

There is a lot of content relating to the life and death of William Joyce both in print and on-line but there is nothing about his dog. But the Western Morning News dated Tuesday 15th May 1945 did reveal that Joyce abandoned the puppy to its fate.But as the report demonstartaes the puppy dog fared condsiderably bettter than its previous owner did!

 

The Funeral of Robert William Tebbutt - 18th April 1923 City Road Cemetery Sheffield

 I have just posted a full report of the committal proceedings for Rose Artcliff who was arrested and charged for the murder of a nurse, Ada Bradley in April 1923.

The detailed report of the tragedy and its aftermath appeared in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated 19th April 1923 and occupied nearly two full columns in the newspaper.

At the end of the report which at times was rather gruesome, was another report of a funeral that took place the day before at Sheffield's City Road Cemetery

  

It was for a Robert William Tebbutt who died at Birley East Pit in an accident earlier that month. Robert was only 24 when he died but he was awarded full military honours which seems to indicate that he was held in high esteem. At the time of his death he was a member of the Hallamshire Territorials.

From the report it looks as though Robert did not have much luck in life - gassed twice in the Great War, and then killed in a pit accident four years after his discharge,

His burial record is as follows  

Tebbutt, Robert William (Collier, age 24). Died at 123 Fitzwilliam St; Buried on April 18, 1923 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 23298, Section II of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.

MorrellL, Harriet o/w Arnold (Widow, age 51). Died at Royal Infirmary; Buried on October 6, 1926 in Consecrated ground;  Grave Number 23298, Section II of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.

Tebbutt, Alice (Widow, age 77).Died at 80 Lancing Road; Buried on March 10, 1952 in Consecrated ground;  Grave Number 23298, Section II of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.

The Murder of Emma West - Woodhouse, Sheffield August 1889

 

From Illustrated Police News, 31 August 1889

The follwing report appeared in the Times newspaper on Saturday 24th August 1889  

"The Murder Near Sheffield: At Sheffield (West Riding) Court yesterday, Robert West, a travelling showman, was charged on remand with the murder of Emma West, his wife, at Woodhouse near Sheffield, on Saturday morning, the 17th inst. 

It will be remembered that while his wife was in bed in the caravan West cut her throat and then surrendered to the police, making a full confession. When deceased's mother was called an extraordinary scene occurred. Mrs. Sketchley called prisoner a murderer and villain, on which West said she was partly the cause of it, and that he was glad he had killed deceased, and only wished he had killed a man going by the name of "Leicester Jack" of whom he was jealous. 

He only wanted to die now, and the sooner for better.  He was committed for trail on the capital charged and on leaving the dock called out, "Good-bye" to his friends in Court in a most careless manner".

This seemed to be an interesting case and as the murder occurred in the Woodhouse district of Sheffield I thought I would do some research.

However someone had already done this in July 2015 and as have no wish to replicate this excellent article I am just goung to post a link to "Murdered by a Travelling Showman"

And I would like to know more about "Leicester Jack" but I think the possibilty of that is next to zero 

Mary Riddall - A Case of Selling Adulterate Milk - Sunday 24th October 1897 - the Park Sheffield

 I came across this case in the Evening Telegraph and Star dated 19th Novemeber 1897 . It concerns a Mary Riddal and her husband (not named) who were summoned and convicted for selling adulterated milk in the Park. 

The adulteration was one of the worst the inspector had seen yet - in fact the samples taken were adulterated with 30% water. But the defendent explained that he had had bad luck with his cows and that he had to buy milk off other people. He had received assuarances that the milk was pure but it appears he did not check it or receive any guarantee to this effect.

Not surprisingly the magistrate was unconvinced with this explanation and fined the defendent £4 plus costs (circa £370 in current value) 

From the report it appears that the defendent has had a rotten run with his bad cows. This was the fourth time he had been convicted of this offence!

The Melancholy Death of the Reverend Samuel Carver and his wife - Malin Bridge Sheffield - September 1842

 This cutting is from the liverpool Times dated Septermber 1842 and refers to the "melancholy death" of the incumbent at Stanningtion Church and his recently married wife who is not named.

Malin Bridge is at the bottom of the hill from Stanningtion Church and must be at least two miles way. Nevertheless a horse bolting at full gallop down the hill to the bridge must have been a terrifying experience for the couple. Serious injury and death were inevtable given the contruction of the bridge.

I checked to see if this accident had been reported elsewhere and the onlt on-line reference I could locate was on the Stannington Church website. 

"Samuel Robinson Carver 1842-1846

To alleviate the problem of a travelling clergyman, a syndicate of local businessmen built a parsonage and school and provided a stipend of £100pa for a resident minister.  There nominee was Samuel Carver, a Sheffield man who was a Cambridge graduate and had recently married a Cambridge woman of some wealth.  Irregularly the appointment was made without consulting the Vicar of Ecclesfield but nobody seemed to mind.  Sadly Mr & Mrs Carver were both killed when their horse bolted causing their carriage to overturn at Malin Bridge.  The couple are buried in the churchyard."

Unfortunately the writer gave the impression that the Rev Carver continued to serve his parish for another 4 years after his death in 1842. And like the newspaper no name is given for his wife who is nameless.

Here are the correct details of the marriage and death and also the name of his wife - Eliza Anne (nee Harris)

Surname First name(s)         District Vol Page 

Marriages Dec 1841   

CARVER Samuel Robinson Cambridge 14 19  

HARRIS Eliza Anne Cambridge 14 19   

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page 

Deaths Sep 1842   

CARVER Eliza Ann Ecclesall Bierlow 22 71

From the excellent Sheffield Indexers site

Carver, Eliza Anne (~, age 42).

Died at Stannington; Buried on September 8, 1842 in Consecrated ground;

Grave Number ~, Section ~ of Christ Church Cemetery, Stannington.

Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 36

Carver, Samuel Robinson (~, age 38).

Died at Stannington; Buried on September 8, 1842 in Consecrated ground;

Grave Number ~, Section ~ of Christ Church Cemetery, Stannington.

Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 36

I have not been to the church at Stannington for a few years now and so I cannot say wether or not there is a memorial to Samuel and Eliza.

  

  

Douglas Harry Rawson Army Service Corps T/3/029471 (1893 - 1916)

In May 2020 I posted a blog that related to Fred Hunter (1887-1916) who died on the Somme in 1916 and is remembered on a memorial in Crookes Cemetery (Sheffield).

The researcher who so kindly supplied me with the information has contacted me again with information relating to Fred's nephew,  Douglas Harry Rawson who served in the British Army Service Corps in World War 1  

Douglas  was the first child of Ann Hunter, Fred's elder sister. He was born on 11th May 1893 at 72 Burns Road Crookesmoor Sheffield and baptised on 2nd June 1893 at St George Church Brook Hill Sheffield

His father  - Henry Anthony Rawson b 1868 (Sheffield) - died 1904 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

His mother - Ann Hunter born 30th Jan 1872, baptised 1st Oct 1879 at St Luke, Hollis Croft, , Ann's parents William and Elizabeth and sister Kate are buried in the grave that is Fred Hunter's (her brother) memorial in Crookes Cemetery. Henry Anthony, died in 1904 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 

Ann married a Joshua Almond St John church, Blackpool 26th June 1907 and she is a widow on the register. They had a daughter Margaret Almond in 1909 who would have been Douglas,s half sisiter 

Ann died about May 1924, in Fylde, Lancs, England

Henry and Ann married 30 July 1892 at St Georges, Brook Hill

They had three children 

Douglas Harry, 

Winifred b 17th September 1894, baptised St Georges 12th Oct 1894. Winifred died in Blackpool in 1975 

Dorothy who is an enigma on the 1911 census as she was born in 1904 in Cape Town South Africa. She died in Blackpool in 1950

Father Henry is not with the family on the 1901 census, Ann and children are living with her parents at Bradley Street, Crookes Sheffield. Was he away fighting in the Boer War?

Douglas Harry married an Elizabeth Mason on June 21st 1913 at the Primitive Methodist Church, Chapel St, Blackpool, Lancashire, England. 

Douglas and had two children 

Douglas who was born and died in Q3 1913 

Harry born 1914. Harry died Jan 17, 1982 • Poulton, Lancashire, England

The family lived at 5 Beford Road Blackpool

Douglas enlisted at Aldershot on 27th November 1914 for the duration of the war

Douglas died on 2nd November at Fargo Hospital, Rolleston, Salisbury, Wiltshire and was laid to rest at Layton Cemetery Blackpool.

Douglas Harry Rawson