FREDERICK NODDER 1887 - 1937

When  I researched the article The Execution of Frederick Nodder 1937, I had difficulties in finding any information about his early life - the newspaper reports did not give much background but they all stated that Nodder was 45 years of age at the time of his execution. and so I based my checks on this fact but to no avail. But I should have checked the BMD register. Free BMD gives the following information

Births September 1887 Nodder     Frederick           Sheffield     Volume 9c    Page 440.

Deaths December 1937 Nodder     Frederick     Age 50     Lincoln    Volume 7a Page    603

Name Frederick Nodder
Baptism Age 0 Birth Date 21 Aug 1887
Baptism Date 18 Sep 1887
Baptism Place Sheffield, St Peter and St Paul Cathedral, Yorkshire, England
Parish as it Appears Sheffield
Father Joseph Nodder Mother Emma Nodder

Nodder was 50 years old when he was hung and not 45 as stated in the press. Based on this new information there is a corresponding entry for his birth

A check on the 1891 Census found Nodder and his family at the following addresss at 80 Infirmary Road in the St Phillips area of Sheffield (RG 12/3817 Page 10)

To confirm I then checked back ten years to 1881 and found the following information

Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
Joseph NODDER Head M Male 37 Sheffield, York, England Machine Dealer (E M)
Emma NODDER Wife M Female 38 Sheffield, York, England
Sarah E. NODDER Daur U Female 15 Sheffield, York, England
Joseph NODDER Son U Male 14 Sheffield, York, England
Chas.Alf. NODDER Son U Male 11 Sheffield, York, England
Wm. Henry NODDER Son U Male 9 Sheffield, York, England
Isaac NODDER Son U Male 7 Sheffield, York, England
Emily NODDER Daur U Female 5 Sheffield, York, England
Lily NODDER Daur U Female 3 Sheffield, York, England
Matilda NODDER Daur U Female 11 m Sheffield, York, England

Source Information: Dwelling 80 Infirmary Rd Census Place Sheffield, York, England
Family History Library Film 1342122 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4645 / 171 Page Number 48

I have not been able to find a photo of 80 Infirmary Road - the building the Nodders lived was demolished many years ago. But there is a photo taken just a bit further up Infirmary Road that gives an indication of what the area was like when the Nodders lived there. It was taken circa 1900

And so by 1891 Joseph and Emma were the parents of ten children - five sons and five daughters.

But by 1901 the family situation had changed - the family had moved to 22 Sackville Road in the Crookes District of Sheffield  (RG13/4339 page 20)

Emma was now a widow and was living at home with her five daughters and son Frederick

Ten years later the family had moved yet again

1911 Census Record
Name Emma Nodder
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Condition Widow
Gender Female
Age 66 Estimated Year of Birth 1845
Employed No Working at Home No
Place of Birth Yorks Sheffield
Enumerator Information
Address 164 Providence Road Parish Ecclesall Type of Building Private House
Number of Rooms 6 Inhabited Y
Reference RG14PN27702 RG78PN1587 RD509 SD1 ED2 SN80 Administrative County Yorkshire (West Riding)
Registration District Ecclesall Bierlow Registration Sub District Ecclesall North Enumeration District 2

164 Providence Road is in the Walkley district of Sheffield. Frederick was still single at that time and was working as a Steel Melter in an Electric Furnace.

The next piece of information I was able to find was again from the BMD site

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages June 1914
Myers Amy Nodder Ecclesall B. 9c 785
Nodder Frederick Myers Ecclesall B. 9c 785

Name Frederick Nodder
Gender Male Marriage Age 26
Record Type Marriage
Birth Date abt 1888
Marriage Date 13 Apr 1914
Marriage Place Sheffield, St Mary, Walkley, Yorkshire, England
Father Joseph Nodder Spouse Amy Myers

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Births December 1914  Nodder Margaret Myers Ecclesall B. 9c 815
Births June 1916 Nodder Frederick Myers Ecclesall B. 9c 834

There is an indication from the dates that Frederick "may have had to do the right thing" as they say. I also seem to recall that he may have either been enlisted or conscripted into the British Army during the First World War. His later occupation as a lorry driver/motor mechanic was a result of his years in the Army. To confirm I would need to locate his service record.

• 1921 Census

First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Sex Birth year Age in years Birth place Occupation Employer
Frederick Nodder Head Male 1887 33 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Motor Mechanic T Grestores Drife Dresser 8 Mitchell St Sheffield
Amy Nodder Wife Female 1887 33 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England - -
Margaret Nodder Daughter Female 1914 6 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England - -
Frederick Nodder Son Male 1916 4 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England - -

Full address as transcribed 61 Providence Road, Sheffield
Last name Nodder
Parish Ecclesall
Sex Male
Registration district Ecclesall Bierlow
Birth year 1887
Registration district number 509
Census date 19 June 1921
Sub-district Ecclesall North
Age in years 33
Sub-district number 1
Age in months 10
Enumeration district number 3
Age as transcribed 33 y 10 m
County Yorkshire (West Riding)
Relationship to head Head
Marital status Married
Ward of borough or urban district Walkley
Birth place Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Parliamentary borough or division Sheffield PB, Hillsborough Div.
Archive series RG 15 Piece number 22797 Schedule number 133
Occupation Motor Mechanic
District reference RD 509 RS 1 ED 3 Occupation code 248 Schedule type code E Occupation code with suffix 248/6
Schedule type England household, single page, 10 entries
Employer T Greatorex Tripe Dresser 8 Mitchell St Sheffield
Other household member's first name (s) Amy, Margaret
Number of minor dependants 2
Other household member's last name Nodder
Person making return Frederick Nodder
Address 61 Providence Road, Sheffield

After that little is known. Nodder separated from his wife Amy and a bastardy warrant out for his arrest was issued. In addition he had a reputation for dishonesty and drunkenness that meant he was rarely in employment for any meaningful period. But what I do know is that in 1934 he was lodging at 9 Neill Road, Sheffield which is in the Hunters Bar district of the city. He was ostensibly a car mechanic by trade.

As for his late father Joseph I found the following entry in the burial registers of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield

NODDER, Joseph (Grinder, age 53).
Died at Southport (80 Infirmary Road); Buried on August 27, 1896 in General ground;
Grave Number 81, Section G1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: P.
Plot Owner: E NODDER of 80 Infirmary Road.

Nearly 33 years later he was joined by his wife Emma

NODDER, Emma (Widow, age 84).
Died at 216 Stannington View Road; Buried on October 7, 1929 in General ground;
Grave Number 81, Section G1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister, James Wallace: Removed from Sheffield Parish.

The 1939 National Register had this entry

Name Frederick Nodder
Gender Male
Marital Status Single
Birth Date 21 Jun 1916
Residence Date 1939 Address 112 Westwick Road Residence Place Sheffield, Yorkshire (West Riding), England
Occupation Quantity Surveyor
Line Number 22 Schedule Number 143 Sub Schedule Number 1
Enumeration District Kkeo Borough Sheffield Registration district Sheffield 510- 6
Household Members (Name) Gender Birth Year
Frederick Nodder Male 1916
Anny Nodder Female 1887
Margarete Nodder Female 1914 

This is of course Nodder's estranged family who were now living at 112 Westwick Road in the Greenhill area of Sheffield. Frederick Nodder (his son) is now a Quantity Surveyor, a professional person who looks as though he is making a life for both himself and his mother and sister.

Frederick Nodder, the abductor and murderer of Mona Tinsley in Newark was a resident of Sheffield for much of his life - I wonder what his brothers, sisters and extended family thought of his actions?. It would be interesting to find out

Note

1. Name: Frederick Nodder
Death Age: 61
Birth Date: 21 Jun 1916
Registration Date: Jul 1977
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Sheffield South Yorkshire
Volume: 3 Page: 1172

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This page was last updated on 18/11/24 12:14