Category Archives: Flowers

Gertrude Flowers 1872-1873: Another short life

Published: November 27, 2016    Last modified: February 21, 2024

Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973)

This is rather sad. While perusing Parish Registers for descendants of Frederick LAW 1811-Deceased, my ggg grandfather, and his daughter Harriet FLOWERS (née Harriet LAW 1836-1903), my gg grandmother, I sidetracked into searching burial records for a number of Sheffield cemeteries. I found a burial for one Gertrude FLOWERS, daughter of George FLOWERS 1839-1891, buried on the 11th of June 1873 at Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Sadly Gertrude's age is given as 1 year.

I thought I had found all the children of George FLOWERS 1839-1891 and Harriet FLOWERS (née Harriet LAW 1836-1903) so was very surprised to find Gertrude. With a little more investigation I established Gertrude's birth year to be 1872, thus confirming Gertrude was indeed an older sister of my great grandmother Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973).

I don't recall ever having visited Burngreave Cemetery, so I have added it to my list of places to visit. Historic England provides a general overview of Burngreave Cemetery and location map.

Register of Inmates, Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse

Published: October 30, 2016    Last modified: February 21, 2024

Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973)

It has been quite a while since I carried out any family history research. So searching online, in response to a comment posted regarding the Ashforth families in Sheffield, I found I was in for quite a surprise. Searching for 'Ashforth' and 'Sheffield' I came across this entry for my great grandmother Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS) 1876-1973 and my grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990: in the Register of Inmates for Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse 1883 - 1907 (Surnames A – C).

FHJ Ref: 200
Index to Register of Inmates, Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse, 1883 – 1907 (Surnames A – C)

Date of admissionLast nameFirst nameDate of birthTradePage number
1 Oct 1905AshforthFlorence15 Dec 1879Wife3
1 Oct 1905AshforthErnest24 Feb 1905Wife3

Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990
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Ernest Ashforth 1905-1990

Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990 was born on the 24th February 1905, he had an older brother William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916 born on the 28th June 1896 at 38 Burton Street, Sheffield (William died at the Battle of the Somme, 10 July 1916, aged 20 years). Florence married William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 on the 25th December 1895 at the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Owlerton, Sheffield.

Florence's mother Harriet Flowers (née Harriet LAW 1836-1903) died 1903 and her father George FLOWERS 1839-1891 died 1891, so Florence had no parents for support. I can only surmise the addition of another child forced her to seek help from the workhouse.

Annie E Ellis and Hector William R Withall

Published: December 23, 2011    Last modified: January 12, 2017

Annie Elizabeth Withall (née Annie Elizabeth Ellis 1902-Deceased)
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Annie Elizabeth Ellis

Annie Elizabeth ELLIS was born in 1911 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Our family always referred to her as Aunt Annie. I remember her as a happy, jovial person, often visiting my grandmother Emily ASHFORTH (née Emily BELLAMY) 1903-1992 and great grandmother Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS) 1876-1973.

Annie E ELLIS married Hector William R. Withall at Sheffield in 1923. My mother recalls Vic WITHALL was employed in newspaper production and had relocated to Sheffield from the south of England to work with one of the local newspaper companies. According to mother Uncle Vic (the family always referred to Annie's husband as Uncle Vic, so I did wonder if Hector was an incorrect transcription of Victor, though after further research I have found his name is always given as Hector) was born at Arundel, Sussex and his parents lived at a property in the shadow of Arundel Castle.

Further research shows his date of birth to be the 31st of March, 1900, in the registration district of East Preston, Arundel, Sussex. This seems to confirm my mother's recollections.

Some time after Annie and Vic were married he joined one of the Manchester based newspapers and they relocated to Moss Side, Manchester, Lancashire. During school holidays I remember I would occasionally stay at their terraced house at Moss Side, which was a much less salubrious area then than it is now.

Group photograph with Elizabeth Wild (née Elizabeth Flowers 1867-Deceased)

Published: January 15, 2010    Last modified: November 10, 2016

Front row, right: Florence Ashforth (née Florence Flowers 1876-1973)
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Front row, far right, seated: Elizabeth Wild (née Elizabeth Flowers 1867-Deceased)

Most old family photographs have been kept for a reason, often because they include a family member or two. Despite having looked on numerous occasions at this photograph I did not make a connection. Then the penny finally dropped, the lady, seated front row, far right, is my great grand aunt Elizabeth Wild (née Elizabeth FLOWERS 1867-Deceased). I believe this photograph was probably taken at either Burton Street or Cuthbert Bank Road, Hillsborough, 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
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Private William Henry Ashforth
Killed in action, July 10th 1916

A very poignant photograph.

Private William Henry Ashforth 1896-1916 13699 - Reverse side
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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.

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)
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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.

Rosa Ashforth, William Henry Ashforth, Florence Flowers: Certificate transcriptions

Published: November 25, 2007    Last modified: May 22, 2022

Certificates

I have completed my transcriptions of the following certificates:

Rosa ASHFORTH 1874-Deceased - Birth Certificate

To view my transcription of Rosa ASHFORTH 1874-Deceased's birth certificate please click here.

William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973 - Marriage Certificate

To view my transcription of William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973's marriage certificate please click here.

William Henry Ashforth 1873-1926 and Florence Flowers 1876-1973: Marriage Certificate

Published: November 3, 2007    Last modified: February 4, 2017

Certificates

I have now received from Sheffield Register Office the marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973).

William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973) were married at the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Owlerton, Sheffield on the 25th of December 1895.

This really only confirms what I already know. Though it does verify William Henry's father as William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899.

Updates:
2007-11-25 I have now transcribed the marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973). To view my transcription please click here.

William Henry Ashforth, Florence Flowers and Rosa Ashforth: More certificates

Published: October 30, 2007    Last modified: May 22, 2022

Certificates

I really should have obtained the marriage certificate of my great grandparents William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973) before embarking on a search for my great great grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899.

Other than information found in the England and Wales Census 1881, searches for a date of birth for both my great grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and great great grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 have not produced any conclusive results.

A search for Rosa ASHFORTH 1874-Deceased one of my great great grandfather William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899's daughters yields a single record, a birth during June 1874. Variations of Rosa i.e. Rosey, Rosie, Rosanna and Rosalind produce results outside my expected dates.

Therefore I have gone ahead and ordered from Sheffield Register Office the following certificates:

William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Florence ASHFORTH (née Florence FLOWERS 1876-1973) - Marriage Certificate
Rosa ASHFORTH 1874-Deceased - Birth Certificate

Hopefully the birth certificate for Rosa ASHFORTH 1874-Deceased will reveal her mother's maiden name.