Tag Archives: Ellen Tomlinson

Leah Sarah Ashwork: Leah Sarah Ashforth: England and Wales Census 1881

Published: February 15, 2017    Last modified: February 16, 2017

I traced Leah ASHFORTH (née Leah WEBB 1816-1901), my ggg grandmother, through the England and Wales Censuses of 1851, 1861, 1871, 1891 and 1901, the exception being 1881.

Unable to find any record of her in the 1881 census was somewhat exasperating, so I set to with a few wild card searches. It is the case quite often that Ashforth becomes Ashworth, or Ashcroft or as I recall in one census, Ashforth becomes Ashford; I was not expecting Ashwork! So the mystery is solved eventually and I can complete the sequence of census returns.

Leah has now become Leah Sarah, changed her place of birth to Sheffield and taken a lodger, one William ROYSTON. Son William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 has married Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 and left home finally.

FHJ Ref: 045
Census: England and Wales Census 1881
Place: Cromwell Street, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Household: Leah Sarah Ashwork

SURNAMEFIRST NAME(S)RELSEXAGEOCCUPATIONWHERE BORNREMARKS
Ashwork *Leah SarahHeadF65Lodging House KeeperSheffield, Yorkshire
RoystonWilliam LodgerM22Sheffield, Yorkshire
Note: Transcription error: for Ashwork read Ashforth

To view this table full width please click here.

Related Posts:
Leah Ashforth (née Leah Webb 1816-1901)
George Ashforth 1814-Deceased and Leah Webb 1816-1901
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Eleanor (Ellen) Ashforth (née Eleanor Tomlinson 1855-1943): Death Certificate

Published: September 21, 2010    Last modified: November 19, 2016

[PiwigoPress id=842 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='me' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

Eleanor 'Ellen' Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943)

I received today from Sheffield Register Office the Death Certificate for my gg grandmother Eleanor (Ellen) ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943). Eleanor died on the 10th July 1943 at 41 Burton Street, Sheffield. It records Eleanor as the widow of William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and the signature of the informant as J. Renwich (this should actually be J. Renwick). Jessie RENWICK (née Jessie ASHFORTH 1908-1982) is one of Eleanor's children.

To view my transcription of her Death Certificate please click here.

Related Posts:
Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943): A brick wall
Eleanor 'Ellen' Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943): Death
William Henry Ashforth 1873-1926, William Henry Ashforth 1851-1899, Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943: Certificates
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Samuel Tomlinson 1826-1854 and Rhoda Ridal 1826-Deceased

Published: September 11, 2010    Last modified: May 22, 2022

Certificates

In this article I mentioned a suggestion by KW that I was possibly following an incorrect line in my search for ancestors of Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943). In a number of emails KW provided data outlining an alternative line through one Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 and one Rhoda RIDAL 1826-Deceased. I agreed that this seemed much more plausible than the line I was following through William and Rebecca NEWBOULD.

To read my earlier article regarding William and Rebecca NEWBOULD please click here.

Eighteen months later I have picked up on this again. Re-studying all the data KW provided I decided to explore some of these lines of research with regard to Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 and Rhoda RIDAL 1826-Deceased.

Now one of the problems I have had with Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) is her constantly changing forename. Ellen, Eleanor, Ellenor and Helena have all appeared in various documents, yet as my mother recalls the family knew her as Leah. A further problem is that of never having found a birth or baptism record for Ellen, though I would expect her date of birth to be circa 1855. Many hours of searching has never provided enough concrete evidence to warrant requesting a birth certificate.

Searching the census for Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) (including all of Ellen's likely forenames) eventually lead to the household of William and Rebecca NEWBOULD at Totley, Sheffield, Derbyshire. Now this area of Sheffield is not one I would ever associate with my line of ASHFORTHs. So I was always a little sceptical about this research and never really took it much further. This scepticism increased when I received a copy of the marriage certificate for my gg grand parents William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926 and Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943). This records Ellen's father as Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 which of course adds more doubt to my research.

Some time later I was contacted by KW whose research also included a need to find the ancestors of Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943). KW was also sceptical about the line I was following and suggested an alternative line of Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 and Rhoda RIDAL 1826-Deceased. Eventually KW emailed an outline of the reasoning for this alternative line, though I must admit at the time I was not totally convinced, I think partly due to Samuel and Rhoda having married at Rotherham, another location which had never figured in my ASHFORTH research.

I noted KW's research, intending to eventually get along to the archives in Sheffield and examine the parish records. Unfortunately at the time I was very busy with research into my Jacklin line and life in general, and finding it difficult switching from one line of research to another (my brain seems not to cope with interchanging sets of names, dates and places), I never did make the time and it got placed on the back burner.

So back to the present and having considered all of KW's research I agree that the line of Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 and Rhoda RIDAL 1826-Deceased is almost certainly correct and will update my GEDCOM to reflect this. I will gradually go through this journal and add updates to my previous articles. I will also try and book some time at the archives office in Sheffield.

Updates:
2010-10-09 My mother is convinced Eleanor was in her early nineties when she died. I expected her date of birth to be 1855 give or take a couple of years but searching earlier than 1855 may produce results.

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Eleanor 'Ellen' Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943): Death

Published: September 9, 2010    Last modified: November 18, 2016

[PiwigoPress id=842 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='me' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943)

I may have mentioned this before; taking some time out from family history has the advantage that in the intervening period many of the online databases will have been updated with additional data.

With this in mind and in order to substantiate some of the data I have collected regarding my gg grandmother Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) I carried out a search for 'ASHFORTH' 'Deaths' 'Post 1900'. Sure enough the search returned a death for one Eleanor ASHFORTH at Sheffield during the September quarter of 1943.

I have a tentative date of birth for Eleanor / Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 of 1855 and since according to my searches she died in 1943 age 87 then the dates are what I would expect.

In previous articles I have discussed the issue of Ellen's name. My mother recalls the family always calling her Leah so the results of my latest search would seem to substantiate this.

I am optimistic that this will be the correct Eleanor ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) so I have requested from Sheffield Register Office a copy of her death certificate.

Updates:
2016-11-10 I received and transcribed the death certificate of Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943). To view my transcription please click here.

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Thomas Marsden Landers: Perseverance pays off

Published: January 24, 2010    Last modified: November 18, 2016

While researching the previous article I re-examined the marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 and Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943. I had been unable to fully decipher the witnesses' names, yet I am aware sometimes knowing the names of witnesses can provide a breakthrough in research brickwalls. With this in mind I took another look at the witnesses' names:

This marriage was solemnized between us: William Ashforth, Ellen Tomlinson her X mark
in the Presence of us, Thomas Mars??? Sanders, Sarah H??????? her X mark

I have always been convinced Thomas Mars??? Sanders is in fact Thomas Marsden Sanders. With this in mind and realising Thomas Marsden would not occur very frequently I ran a few searches. Eventually I found for the Sheffield region a single birth and a single marriage for one Thomas Marsden Landers. This is almost certainly one of the witnesses at William and Ellen's marriage.

Thomas Marsden Landers born abt. 1839
Thomas Marsden Landers marriage abt. 1860

Knowing the England and Wales Census 1861 records Sarah TOMLINSON age 15 together with Ellenor TOMLINSON age 5 in the household of Rhona TOMLINSON, then if I could only decipher the name of the second witness Sarah H???????, this too could help with my research. Was Sarah TOMLINSON a witness at her younger sister's marriage? If so, could this be Sarah's married name? All very frustrating!

Whether or not this all leads somewhere remains to be seen.

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Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943): A brick wall

Published: January 24, 2010    Last modified: January 12, 2017

[PiwigoPress id=842 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='me' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

Ellen Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943)

My gg grandmother Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) is at this moment the family history proverbial 'brick wall'. A quick scan of the 1841, 1851 and 1861 England and Wales censuses for the Sheffield region reveal little more than I know already. According to my mother her grandmother Ellen lived into her nineties and so probably died in the early 1940's. My mother knew her as Leah, yet in various documents she is also known as Eleanor, Ellenor and Helena.

Before I obtained her marriage certificate I carried out some rudimentary research documented in this article, this seemed to indicate her father's name would be William TOMLINSON. When I received her marriage certificate I was surprised, as expressed in this article, to see that her father's name was Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854. At the time I didn't give this too much thought since my paternal grandmother's marriage certificate gives her father's name as George DIXON when quite clearly it was Samuel DIXON. It was only when, in 2009, I was contacted by KW in response to this article regarding Clara ASHFORTH 1895-1932 and Jessie RENWICK 1908-1982 that I took a more in-depth look at the facts.

Though conjecture never seems to be far away when researching Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) KW puts forward a strong case for following another line of research and having spent some time considering his reasoning, I believe, unless we make some major discovery, this line (as put forward by KW) is the more likely to be correct.

The marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 and Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 records:

Registration District: Sheffield
Date: 1876
Marriage solemnized at: St Stephens Church in the Parish of St Stephen, Sheffield in the County of York
No.: 191
When Married: 15th January
Name and Surname: William Ashforth, Ellen Tomlinson Age: 24, 21
Condition: Batchelor, Spinster
Rank or Profession: File Cutter, _____
Residence at the time of Marriage: Bellefield St, Hammond St
Father's Name and Surname: George Ashforth, Samuel Tomlinson
Rank or Profession of Father: File Cutter, Sawmaker
Married in the: Church of St Stephen according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, by____or after Banns by me ????
This marriage was solemnized between us: William Ashforth, Ellen Tomlinson her X mark in the Presence of us, Thomas Mars??? Sanders, Sarah H??????? her X mark

This would suggest Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 was born about 1855 and at the time of the England and Wales Census 1861 would be about 6 years of age. Ellen's father should be Samuel TOMLINSON, a saw maker by occupation.

During this period almost all of my ASHFORTH line resided in an area west of Saint Phillips Road, Sheffield and as far as Burton Street and Cuthbert Bank Road. Thus I have always been apprehensive regarding Norton as Ellen's place of birth, even though Norton falls under the administrative region of Ecclesall Bierlow. The following tables transcribed by me from the England and Wales Census 1861 outline this issue:

FHJ Ref: 016
Census: England and Wales Census 1861
Place: Norton, Derbyshire, England
Household: William Tomlinson

SURNAMEFIRST NAME(S)RELSTATUSAGEOCCUPATIONWHERE BORNREMARKS
TomlinsonWilliam HeadMarried43Derbyshire, Dronfield
TomlinsonRebeccaWifeMarried41Derbyshire, Totley
TomlinsonElizabethDaughter12Derbyshire, Norton
TomlinsonWilliamSon9Derbyshire, Norton
TomlinsonEllenDaughter7Derbyshire, Norton
TomlinsonJosephSon3Derbyshire, Norton
TomlinsonJaneDaughter1Derbyshire, Norton
NewboldJohnBoarder71Derbyshire, Holmesfield

To view this table full width please click here.

FHJ Ref: 017
Census: England and Wales Census 1861
Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Household: Rhoda Tomlinson

SURNAMEFIRST NAME(S)RELSTATUSSEXAGEOCCUPATIONWHERE BORNREMARKS
TomlinsonRhodaHeadWidowMale34Sheffield, Yorkshire
TomlinsonSarah AnnDaughterFemale15Sheffield, Yorkshire
TomlinsonFanny DaughterFemale14Sheffield, Yorkshire
TomlinsonAnneDaughterFemale11Sheffield, Yorkshire
TomlinsonJane DaughterFemale9Sheffield, Yorkshire
TomlinsonEllenor DaughterFemale5Sheffield, Yorkshire

To view this table full width please click here.

With reference to William and Ellen's marriage certificate the only census data that 'fits' is the names Ellen and Ellenor and the ages 7 and 5. If names are anything to go by then I am inclined to favour Ellenor, my reasoning for this is Ellen's mother-in-law was Leah ASHFORTH (née Leah WEBB) 1816-1901 and my mother's name is a variant of Leonora and as I have stated before my mother always refers to Ellen as Leah. I think the way forward is to take a chance on some more certificates, the problem is knowing which ones. I think an educated guess is in order.

Updates:
2010-01-24 Regarding the Marriage Certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH and Ellen TOMLINSON. After some online research I am certain 'Thomas Mars??? Sanders is in fact Thomas Marsden Landers. Please click here to read more.

Related Posts:
Samuel Tomlinson 1826-1854 and Rhoda Ridal 1826-Deceased
Eleanor 'Ellen' Ashforth (née Ellen Tomlinson 1855-1943): Death
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Frank Stuart Ashforth 1892-1918: Yet another casualty of war

Published: January 12, 2010    Last modified: October 14, 2017

[PiwigoPress id=857 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='me' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

Frank Stuart Ashforth 1892-1918

My mother identified this photograph as Frank Stuart ASHFORTH 1892-1918. Frank was an uncle to William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916, my grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990's brother. William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916 was killed in action, 1916, France, during World War I.

Rank: Private
Service No: 15858
Date of Death: 22/03/1918
Regiment/Service: Yorkshire Regiment 13th Bn.
Panel Reference: Bay 5.
Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Mrs. E. Ashforth, of 42, Burton St., Hillsborough, Sheffield.

The reverse of this photograph / post card reveals it was sent from Frank Stuart ASHFORTH 1892-1918 to his nephew and my great uncle William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916.

[PiwigoPress id=858 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='2s' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

To view my previous post regarding William Henry ASHFORTH 1896-1916 please click here.

What I hadn't realised was that Frank also died in action in France during World War 1. I was searching on the name "Frank Ashforth" when I came across an entry on a 'pay to view' military genealogy website. The entry was simply:

'Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 to 1919', Frank Ashforth, Hillsborough, Sheffield.

Not wishing to subscribe I merely checked the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website and quickly located a Frank ASHFORTH of 42 Burton Street, Hillsborough, Sheffield.

During this period the Renwicks lived at 41 Burton Street and Ellen ASHFORTH (née Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943) lived at 42 Burton Street, her husband William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 having passed away in 1899. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission database confirms Ellen ASHFORTH's name and address under the heading 'Additional information':

Son of Mrs. E. Ashforth, of 42, Burton St., Hillsborough, Sheffield.

To view the Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry for Frank Stuart ASHFORTH 1892-1918 please click here.

To read about the Arras Memorial please click here.

Updates:
2010-09-14 I visited the Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery and the Arras Memorial at Arras, France during June 2010. I will eventually post an article and an album of photographs.

Related Posts:
Frank Ashforth, Arras Memorial, Faubourg d'Amiens British Cemetery, Arras
William Henry Ashforth, The Missing of the Somme, Thiepval Memorial, Thiepval
Albert Allen Barlow: Casualty 902875
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Mrs Ellen Ashforth: Shopkeeper

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

[PiwigoPress id=842 lnktype='albumpicture' opntype='_self' size='me' url='https://familyhistoryjournal.com/gallery']

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.

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William Henry Ashforth 1873-1926: Birth Certificate update

Published: December 8, 2007    Last modified: February 4, 2017

Certificates

Regarding my recent request for the birth certificate of William Henry ASHFORTH 1873-1926, March 1873, Sheffield Register Office replied with this box ticked:

"Unfortunately the details in the register differ from the information given. (Mother's details differ)"

I must admit I was not expecting this, but taking another look at my research I reason:

1) My search for William Henry's birth reveals only two likely candidates:

i. March 1873, William Henry ASHFORTH, Sheffield (the certificate I requested)
ii. December 1875, William ASHFORTH, Ecclesall Bierlow

2) The first candidate is now confirmed incorrect; I did have some doubts since I expected the district to be Ecclesall Bierlow and not Sheffield. The second candidate I will dismiss due to the date; all my research shows a birth around 1872 to 1873.

3) Since William Henry was probably born before William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 and Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 married, he may have been registered with his mother's maiden surname TOMLINSON
Another search reveals:

i. September 1872, William Henry TOMLINSON, Ecclesall
ii. December 1873, William Henry B TOMLINSON, Sheffield

The first entry records the district of Ecclesall, therefore this is the most likeliest.

My transcription of the England and Wales Census 1881 records the following:

FHJ Ref: 035
Census: England and Wales Census 1881
Place: 5 Ct 15 Woodside Lane, Brightside Bierlow, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Household: Henry Ashforth

SURNAMEFIRST NAME(S)RELSTATUSSEXAGEOCCUPATIONWHERE BORNREMARKS
AshforthHenryHeadMarriedMale33Metal Smith (Wr)Sheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthSarahWifeMarriedFemale32Sheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthWilliam HSonMale8ScholarSheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthJohnSonMale5ScholarSheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthLucyDaughterFemale2Sheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthAnn EDaughterFemale3Sheffield, Yorkshire

To view this table full width please click here.

FHJ Ref: 018
Census: England and Wales Census 1881
Place: Back of 70 Daniel Hill St, Nether Hallam, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Household: William Henry Ashforth

SURNAMEFIRST NAME(S)RELSTATUSSEXAGEOCCUPATIONWHERE BORNREMARKS
AshforthWilliam HHeadMarriedMale30File CutterSheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthEllenWifeMarriedFemale27Sheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthWilliam HSonMale8ScholarSheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthRosaDaughterFemale6ScholarSheffield, Yorkshire
AshforthAnnieDaughterFemale3Sheffield, Yorkshire

To view this table full width please click here.

This second record from the England and Wales Census 1881 matches all names and dates with my research. Therefore since I cannot find a birth for William Henry ASHFORTH (other than the one that has already proved negative) I am inclined to go with my theory that his birth certificate is registered under his mother's maiden surname i.e. William Henry TOMLINSON.

I will apply for this birth certificate:

September 1872, William Henry TOMLINSON, Ecclesall.

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William Henry Ashforth and Ellen Tomlinson 1876: Marriage Certificate

Published: December 8, 2007    Last modified: February 4, 2017

Certificates

I now have the marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 and Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943. I have transcribed this certificate, though I am struggling to decipher some of the names.

Samuel TOMLINSON 1826-1854 is the only surprise; I was expecting Ellen's father's forename to be William. More research is required.

To view my transcription of the marriage certificate for William Henry ASHFORTH 1851-1899 and Ellen TOMLINSON 1855-1943 please click here.

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