EDWIN SANBY (1846 - 1910) 

The information in the 1851 Census has proved pivotal is tracing the origins of my SANBY ancestors. The Census shows that Joseph SANBY (1806- 1876) married a woman called HANNAH, (my great great great grandparents) and that they had the following children Mary (1826), Henry (1829), William (1834), Frederick (1837), George (1839), Elizabeth (1840),Caroline (1843), Hannah (1844) and Edwin (1846). They may also have had others whose names are sadly not recorded.

1851 Census - Entry 219 Dwelling 48 Brown Street, Sheffield

The youngest child listed in the Census is EDWIN, my great great grandfather's Henry's younger brother. I was delighted to confirm that this was the case - he shares the same Christian name as my great grandfather. This is a recurrent theme in the SANBY family: they tended to use the same Christian names for different generations which on the one hand aids establishing a connection, but also proves to be highly confusing at times.

EDWIN's birth was registered in the June quarter of 1846 (GRO ref Sheffield Vol 22 Page 665) The next mention of him is in the 1861 Census living at Oxford Road in Sheffield with his widowed father and and working as a errand boy.

His next appearance in the Registers is in the December quarter of 1867 when EDWIN marries an ELIZABETH ELLISS (GRO ref Sheffield Volume 9C Page 421).

The 1871 Census records the following. The family were living at 3 House, Percy Street in the Brightside area of Sheffield. Edwin's occupation is given as  Edge Tool Forger - RG10/4692 Page 26

By the time of the 1881 Census, Edwin and Elizabeth had six surviving children

Dwelling: Holmley Lane, Dronfield, Derbyshire -  FHLF 1341824 PRO Ref: RG11 Piece/Folio: 3445/6 Page No 6     

Ten years later, in 1891, the family had moved to

Dwelling: 26 Avenue Road, Ecclesall, Sheffield, Yorkshire - PRO Ref: RG12 Piece/Folio: 3811/3 Page No 23

Sadly it looks as though his wife ELIZABETH  must have died at some time after the birth of their daughter Beatrice in 1885

I believe that CLARA SANBY married soon after the Census was  taken. The is a record of a CLARA SANBY's marriage in the September quarter of 1891 (GRO Ref Ecclesall Bierlow Vol 9c Page 536)

Ten years later (1901), the family had moved yet again - the interesting point on this return is that Edwin and his two sons are down as being born in Bolsover, Derbyshire which is patently incorrect. However similar "untruths" are also apparent in the Census returns for Edwin's nephews.

His eldest son EDWIN had married a woman called ROSE A HILL born circa 1875 (is my grandmother named after her?). In the 1901 Census EDWIN and ROSE had a son EDWIN born in the December quarter of 1894 (GRO Ref Ecclesall Bierlow Vol 9c Page 399), and a daughter VIOLET who was born nearly two years later in the September quarter of 1896 (GRO Ref Ecclesall Bierlow Vol 9c Page 399). The family were living in the Norton district (Census Ref RG13 4347 Ecclesall Bierlow Norton 10/215 Page 26 No 168)

Dwelling: 46 Firths Road, Norton Woodseats, Norton, North East Debyshire

PRO Ref: RG13 Piece/Folio: 3811/3 Page No 23

PERCY and LIZZIE were married in the June quarter of 1900 (GRO ref Ecclesall Bierlow Sheffield Volume  9C Page 647). Percy was the son of F.Walker (b 1850) and Elizabeth SANDFORD (b 1855) - 1881 living at 14 Dene Lane, Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire. 

The 1911 Census gives the following information about Percy

Name Percy Sandford
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Condition Married
Gender Male
Age 31 Estimated Year of Birth 1880
Occupation Plasterer
Employed Yes Working at Home No
Industry Builder
Place of Birth Yorkshire Sheffield
Enumerator Information
Address 1 In Court 7 Artizan View Heeley Sheffield Parish Ecclesall Town 7 Artizan View Heeley Sheffield
Type of Building Private House Number of Rooms 5 Inhabited Yes
Reference RG14PN27807 RG78PN1591 RD509 SD5 ED29 SN64 Administrative County Yorkshire (West Riding)
Registration District Ecclesall Bierlow Registration Sub District Ecclesall South Enumeration District 29

EDWIN SANBY died in the June quarter of 1910 (GRO ref Ecclesall Bierlow Sheffield Volume  9C Page 208) at the age of 64. His place of death is given as 168 Woodseats Road, Sheffield and the informant is his eldest son EDWIN who was present at the death. The cause of death is given as "nephritis - one year" and "dropsy - four months." Nephritis is basically inflammation of the kidney but towards the end of his life Edwin must have suffered severe kidney failure as his kidneys were unable to deal with fluids (dropsy)

The Sanby Family in Sheffield 1841