Category Archives: Sheffield

Private William Henry Ashforth 1896-1916: Missing of the Somme, Thiepval Memorial

Published: February 11, 2009    Last modified: January 12, 2017

Private William Henry Ashforth 1896-1916
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=William+Henry+Ashforth">Read more...</a>

Private William Henry Ashforth
Killed in action, July 10th 1916

A very poignant photograph.

Private William Henry Ashforth 1896-1916 13699 - Reverse side
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=William+Henry+Ashforth">Read more...</a>

The message on the reverse side of this photograph reads:

Pte W. H. Ashforth 13699
11 West York Reg
Killed in action, July 10th 1916
To be returned to
173 Cuthbert Bank Road
Sheffield

This is one of the possessions of William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916 to be returned to the family: another is a 5 pack of Woodbine cigarettes.

Private William Henry Ashforth together with 72090 other identified casualties are commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, France.
To view the Casualty Details and Certificate at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website please click here.
To read more about the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France please click here.
To read about The CAF Thiepval Project and Visitor Centre at Thiepval, Somme, France please click here.

Updates:
2010-09-14: I visited the Thiepval Memorial to the 'Missing of the Somme' at Thiepval, Picardie, France during June 2010. I will eventually post an article and an album of photographs.

Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990 and Emily Ashforth (née Emily Bellamy 1903-1992)

Published: February 10, 2009    Last modified: January 12, 2017

Emily Ashforth (née Emily Bellamy 1903-1992) and Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Ernest+Ashforth+Emily+Bellamy">Read more...</a>

Emily Ashforth (née Emily Bellamy 1903-1992) and Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990

In this photograph my grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990 is in his element: in a pub, with a pint of beer and no doubt in his pocket a still smouldering pipe. My grandmother Emily ASHFORTH (née Emily BELLAMY 1903-1992) is wearing one of her fur coats, from her collection of fur coats, perhaps with just a whiff of mothball.

Shortly after Ernest died I recall driving to Emily's flat in Langsett Close, Hillsborough, Sheffield in order to take her for a day out in Derbyshire. In the early nineties fur coats had moved into the realm of not being 'politically correct' though I doubt Emily was even aware of the term. Long before she opened the flat door I could smell the mothballs. On opening the door, there she stood, resplendent in fur coat and carpet slippers.

No point arguing, carpet slippers are comfortable and she is not changing into shoes!

Unperturbed I helped her into the car and we drove off towards Derbyshire. Soon we were sat in a tea shop at the village of Tideswell. Within minutes Emily was chatting with a captive audience of tourists, so it was only a matter of time before she was in full flow, recounting in full, gory details of her long list of 'surgical operations'. By this time Emily had poured some tea into her saucer and in between tales of life and death at the hands of the surgeons, was slurping loudly, as is the way in Sheffield.

Wycliffe 11 Football Club 1908-9

Published: February 1, 2009    Last modified: November 10, 2016

Wycliffe 11 FC 1908-9

Wycliffe 11 FC 1908-9

The caption on the reverse of this photograph reads:

Wycliffe 11 FC 1908-9 - Reverse side

"Dear brother just a few lines to you..." illegible... "present..." illegible... "from your sister Jessie and Harry."

This is almost certainly a photograph sent by Jessie ASHFORTH 1887-1954 to her brother (my great grandfather) William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926. Harry is almost certainly Harry RENWICK 1885-1959, Jessie's husband.

Jessie and Harry were married at Sheffield during June 1908. The photograph is dated 1908-9, so I suspect they were already married when this card was sent, and since I am certain one of the words is "present" then it could well be thanking William for his wedding present.

Burton Football Club, Sheffield, 1921-22

Published: January 31, 2009    Last modified: November 10, 2016

Burton F.C. 1921-22

Burton F.C. 1921-22

I presume Burton F.C. was a football team selected from lads local to the Burton Street, Hillsborough, Sheffield area.

Since this photograph is in our family collection then it could well be a family member played for or coached this team. I cannot identify any of the people in the photograph but hopefully visitors to this site may be able to assist. Either contact me by email or please leave a Comment / Reply.

Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990

Published: January 30, 2009    Last modified: November 19, 2016

Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Ernest+Ashforth">Read more...</a>

Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990

My maternal grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990.

Like many men in Sheffield he spent a good deal of his working life at various steel works in the city. While working at one of the steel companies he suffered a severe back injury. He eventually finished his working days as a stores-man at Elsworths, a saw manufacturing company based at Herries Road, close to the Sheffield Wednesday football ground.

So it was quite fortunate he happened to be an avid supporter of Sheffield Wednesday.

Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973) and Marjorie Green (née Marjorie Ellis 1912-1988)

Published: January 29, 2009    Last modified: January 17, 2017

Left: Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973) Right: Marjorie Green (née Marjorie Ellis 1912-1988)
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Florence+Flowers+Ashforth+Marjorie+Ellis+Green">Read more...</a>

Left: Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973)
Right: Marjorie Green (née Marjorie Ellis 1912-1988)

This photograph of Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973) and Aunt Marjorie, Marjorie GREEN (née Marjorie ELLIS 1912-1988) was probably taken in the early 1960s. I'm not sure of the location though it certainly is not 4 Hawksley Road, Sheffield 6, where at this time Florence lived. The photograph may well have been taken at Aunt Marjorie's house on the Wisewood Estate, Sheffield.

Updates:
2010-01-14 I made a little time to carry out some research on Marjorie GREEN (née Marjorie ELLIS 1912-1988) (Aunt Marjorie). Marjorie ELLIS was the youngest daughter of George ELLIS 1860-Deceased and Emily Ellis (née Emily ROSEWARNE 1865-1944), born September 1912 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Marjorie GREEN (née Marjorie ELLIS 1912-1988) married (Jim) James GREEN d.1988 at Sheffield, March 1937.

Noelene Eleanor, Douglas Roy, Trevor Martin and Harry Ivan (Tim) Williamson

Published: January 28, 2009    Last modified: November 20, 2016

Noelene Eleanor Williamson, Donald Raynor Williamson, Trevor Martin Williamson and Harry Ivan (Tim) Williamson
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Williamson">Read more...</a>

Noelene Eleanor, Donald Raynor, Trevor Martin and Harry Ivan (Tim) Williamson

This photograph from my mother's collection is of Noelene Eleanor, Donald Raynor, Trevor Martin and Harry Ivan (Tim) WILLIAMSON. These are the four children from Henry James WILLIAMSON 1894-1965's marriage to Clara WILLIAMSON (née Clara ASHFORTH 1895-1932). Clara died at Wellington, New Zealand on the 28th April 1932.

I originally posted this photograph with an article regarding the death in Sheffield of Douglas Roy WILLIAMSON 1940-1963. To view the original article please click here.

Thanks to KW who contacted me and passed on a considerable amount of new information regarding the WILLIAMSON families; I can now clarify the details of the children in the photograph. Henry James WILLIAMSON 1894-1965 married twice, his first marriage was to Clara WILLIAMSON (née Clara ASHFORTH 1895-1932), his second to Jessie WILLIAMSON (née Jessie RENWICK 1908-1982), Clara's niece. The children in the photograph were born to Henry James WILLIAMSON 1894-1965 and Clara WILLIAMSON (née Clara ASHFORTH 1895-1932).

Douglas Roy WILLIAMSON 1940-1963 was the third child of Henry James WILLIAMSON 1894-1965 and Jessie WILLIAMSON (née Jessie RENWICK 1908-1982).

George Knapton 1903-Deceased and Edith Bellamy 1906-1993

Published: January 14, 2009    Last modified: February 12, 2017

Edith Knapton (née Edith Bellamy 1906-1993)
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Edith+Bellamy+Knapton">Read more...</a>

Edith Knapton (née Edith Bellamy 1906-1993)

Edith KNAPTON (née Edith BELLAMY 1906-1993) whom I always knew as Aunt Edith was the younger sister of my grandmother Emily ASHFORTH (née Emily BELLAMY 1903-1992). Edith married George KNAPTON 1903-Deceased at Sheffield, Yorkshire in June 1926.

My recollections of Aunt Edith are:

A very loud voice.
A great gossip (in the nicest sense).
A shopkeeper (and owner of numerous shops, though not all at the same time, in and around Hillsborough, Sheffield).
Always referred to sweets as 'spice', which she always offered me when I visited her sweet shop at Holme Lane, Hillsborough, Sheffield.

Uncle George was the complete opposite: quiet and patient, and I seem to recall had an interest in electronics.

Aunt Edith and Uncle George had two children, a boy and a girl, both of whom, as far as I know, are still alive, so I will withhold their names for privacy.

During the summer of 1991 my younger sister and I decided to take our grandmother Emily who was still residing at Hillsborough, Sheffield to visit her sister Edith whom she had not seen for many years and who now lived at Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Edith's husband George KNAPTON 1903-Deceased was now deceased and Emily's husband Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990 had died at Sheffield in September 1990. Edith's son had moved away from Sheffield and settled at Flamborough near Bridlington, East Yorkshire and Aunt Edith who in her latter years lived close by her sister Emily at Sheffield, had taken up residence in a care home at Bridlington so her son could oversee her welfare. Both Emily and Edith were now in their eighties. My sister and I both felt that this might be the last chance that the sisters had of ever meeting again.

We arranged with Edith's son to meet at his house at Flamborough. He collected Aunt Edith from her care home and we collected our grandmother from Sheffield and drove to Flamborough, East Yorkshire. I had not seen Edith since she had moved to Bridlington and it was many years since I had seen her son. I was struck by how much weight Aunt Edith had gained, so much so, that for quite some time Emily failed to realise that this person was her sister Edith. Edith's son and his wife were very hospitable and we had an entertaining day listening to family reminisces.

A few weeks after this visit our grandmother Emily suffered a debilitating stroke that left her with limited movement. Emily died in November 1992 and her sister died a few weeks later in January 1993. So it turned out to be quite fortuitous that we arranged the meeting when we did.

I attended Aunt Edith's funeral at Sheffield and to date this has turned out to be my last meeting with the remaining members of the BELLAMY branch of the family.

Notes:
If any members of the BELLAMY / KNAPTON branches of the family happen to read this I would very much like to hear from them. To access my contact form please click here.

Wilfred Jacklin 1926-1926: Death

Published: December 31, 2008    Last modified: February 11, 2017

With reference to this earlier post regarding the younger brother of my late father Ronald JACKLIN 1922-2006:

A recent search of FreeBMD reveals the death of one Wilfred JACKLIN 1926-1926 age 0. In fact Wilfred JACKLIN's birth and death are both registered in December 1926 which would account for my father having little recollection of his younger brother.

I did anticipate this would probably be the case so I held back from ordering the birth certificate. I will now request the birth and death certificates from Sheffield Register Office.

Mrs Ellen Ashforth: Shopkeeper

Published: September 7, 2008    Last modified: November 18, 2016

Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943)
<a href="https://familyhistoryjournal.com/?s=Ellen+Tomlinson+Ashforth">Read more...</a>

Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson) 1855-1943

Looking through my notes I came across an entry I made but never commented on.

This entry is to be found in White's Trade Directory, Sheffield, 1911:

Mrs Ellen Ashforth, Shopkeeper, 41 Burton Street

At the time of her son William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926's marriage to Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973 in December 1895, Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) is residing at 172 Cuthbert Bank Road, Hillsborough, Sheffield, Yorkshire. Cuthbert Bank Road cuts across Bamforth Street and Burton Street.

I cannot confirm this is my gg grandmother Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) but it could well be.

Updates:
2009-01-25 I had completely overlooked the fact that the Renwicks / Ashforths were known to be living at 41 Burton Street.

2010-09-21 The death certificate for Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) records her death as 10th July 1943 at 41 Burton Street, Sheffield. I think it is safe to assume that the entry to be found in White's Trade Directory, Sheffield, 1911 for Mrs Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) is that of my gg grandmother.