Many of my ASHFORTH ancestors worked in the steel trades in Sheffield, primarily the trade of file-cutting. The BBC have a local history story about file-cutting provided by Walter Ellison of the Grenoside & District Local History Group.
Looking at Buildings provides a useful insight into the architecture of several UK cities including Sheffield.
Work is underway to research and record the city's buildings for the Pevsner City Guides. We will continue to post information derived from this research during the course of the project.
The site also has links to two of Sheffield's past architects:
John Dodsley Webster (1840-1913)
William John Hale (1862-1929)
William Henry Ashforth 1896-1916
Using information obtained from the England and Wales Census 1901 I carried out some work on my ASHFORTH line.
The census for property 173 Cuthbert Bank Road, Sheffield, Yorkshire shows my gg grandmother Ellen ASHFORTH as head of the household but there is no record of my gg grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH. Online records for June 1889 show a record of death for a William Henry ASHFORTH but I have no documentary evidence to support this.
Likewise records from another search online suggest that Ellen ASHFORTH's maiden name may have been Ellen PASLEY, though again I cannot substantiate this.
Interestingly the England and Wales Census 1901 records my great grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH 28 years of age and his son William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916 (my great uncle) 4 years of age are listed as 'visitors'. My grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990 was born February 1905.
Update:
2008-01-05 Ellen PASLEY proved to be incorrect. Please click here to read this update.
Headstone right - Harry, Emily and George Waller
Headstone left - Albert Ashforth, Harry Renwick, Frank Renwick
I came across the Friends of Wardsend Cemetery site a few years ago, though it would appear not to have had any major updates since. Unfortunately the site uses flash, java applets and music arrrrgh... and I had to open it with Internet Explorer rather than my usual Firefox. It really needs a re-design to be more user friendly. Nevertheless it provides some interesting information, though I don't know how active this group is. The site advertises tours of the cemetery and also gives a contact phone number.
I am aware some of my ancestors are buried at Wardsend Cemetery, Owlerton, Sheffield so maybe I will try the contact number and see if tours are still available.
Updates:
2007-01-20 This site is still operational and now works with Firefox.
2010-11-13
Recently I received an email from the Friends of Wardsend Cemetery advising me of a change of web address.
The 'Friends of Wardsend Cemetery' now have a new website at:-
http://www.friendsofwardsendcemetery.btck.co.uk
which replaces the old one. The new site will be updated on a regular basis, unlike the old site.
The website is much improved and I have updated my links to point to the new address.
The group is still very much active and I recently met with them at a Family and Local History Day at Bradfield Village Hall. To read my article 'Family and Local History Day, Bradfield Village Hall' please click here.
I also attended one of the tours of Wardsend Cemetery organised by The Friends of Wardsend Cemetery, highly recommended, but take some stout footwear! To read my article 'Wardsend Cemetery - The guiding spirit of George Waller' please click here.
Looking through the old photographs of Sheffield on Picture Sheffield, I came across some pictures of High Hazels Park, Darnall, Sheffield. My grandfather Wilfred JACKLIN 1896-1967 had an allotment on land at the edge of the park where, like a lot of the locals, he would grow produce for the table. I have many memories of these allotments and wonder if they have survived the local planning department.
At Whitsuntide we would take part in the 'Whit Walk' organised by the local churches and Sunday schools. We would don our Sunday best clothes, and with ceremonial banners and bunting providing a colourful spectacle against the dull and dreary backdrop of working class Darnall, we would proudly parade through the streets, finally assembling in High Hazels park to listen to the brass bands and take part in communal singing.
Updates:
2005-06-05 With a recent visit I can confirm the allotments would seem to have survived both the local planning department and the property developers.
I spent an interesting couple of hours browsing old pictures in and around Sheffield at Picture Sheffield. Highly recommended viewing.
An online search for Daniel JACKLIN 1862-1953 (my paternal great grandfather) lead me to a redundant link; fortunately the cached pages were available. These pages are a transcription of the England and Wales Census 1891.
I feel sure I have retrieved this entry before, either way a new search provides this record:
FHJ Ref: 007
Census: England and Wales Census 1891
Place: Bradley Yard, Aston With Aughton, Rotherham, Yorkshire
Household: Daniel Jacklin
| SURNAME | FIRST NAME(S) | REL | STATUS | SEX | AGE | OCCUPATION | WHERE BORN | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacklin | Dan | Head | Married | M | 28 | Coal Miner | Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, | |
| Jacklin | Ziller | Wife | Married | F | 32 | Gringley, Lincolnshire | ||
| Allen | Elizabeth | Niece | S | F | 9 | Gringley, Lincolnshire | ||
| Note: Gringley, Lincolnshire ought to be Little Gringley, Nottinghamshire | ||||||||
To view this table full width please click here.
I know Daniel JACKLIN 1862-1953 and Ziller JACKLIN (née Ziller ALLEN 1858-1949) lived at Aston-cum-Aughton before moving to the Darnall area of Sheffield, but now I have the actual address. Even more interesting is the record of Elizabeth ALLEN 1861-Deceased 9 (niece), I guess when I can find the time it will be of value to establish Elizabeth's parents.
This entry records both Ziller and Elizabeth having been born at Gringley, Lincolnshire; other records show Ziller having being born at Little Gringley, Nottinghamshire. This is somewhat confusing! The two villages are only a few miles apart and I seem to recall my father speaking of relatives living at Gringley-on-the-Hill and at nearby Everton.
As usual a great deal more research is required.
Just to confuse matters, another Sarah Anne BELLAMY, by marriage. Though I note 'Anne' with an 'e'.
Marriages Dec 1888
BELLAMY William Henry, Ecclesall B
HILLMAN Sarah Anne, Ecclesall B
Updates:
2005-12-15 Further research has shown this data is probably NOT linked to my family. This data may prove useful to other researchers so I will retain it.
I may have solved the Frederick ROTHERHAM problem. I found an entry for March 1887 recording the death of a Frederick ROTHERHAM, the age at death is given as 28 years. Now this would explain why when I ran searches on the England and Wales Census 1901 against Frederick and Sarah Ann ROTHERHAM (née BELLAMY), predicted dates did not agree. I am still using conjecture, but will trust it for the time being. Of course there is still the problem of little Frederick ROTHERHAM, who according to the England and Wales Census 1891 would have been born in 1888 or 1889.
Updates:
2005-12-15 Further research has shown this data is probably NOT linked to my family. This data may prove useful to other researchers so I will retain it.