THE SHIRT FAMILY - SHEFFIELD

For a number of years I found that this line in my family history the most perplexing. I knew that my great grandparents Fred and Florence Shirt (nee Wood) were married at St Georges Church Sheffield on 9th October 1898. At the time of their marriage Fred was 21 and Florence 2 years younger and were living on St Philips Road in Sheffield. Fred's occupation was given on the marriage certificate as Plate Layer. The other interesting fact on the certificate is that both Fred and Florence's fathers were marked as deceased at the time of the wedding. JOSEPH WOOD whose occupation was given as a Slater was Florence's father and HENRY SHIRT whose occupation was given as a Printer was Fred's.

I could not find any information on HENRY until I obtained his son's (and my great grandfather FRED's birth certificate) dated 1877. He was named as the father but under the Christian name of HARRY. His mother was called SARAH EMMA SHIRT and so a check of the GRO Indexes revealed that a HARRY SHIRT and SARAH EMMA WORTHINGTON were married in the June quarter of 1873 Sheffield Volume 9C Page 569. I sent for the marriage certificate and found that they were married on 26th May 1873 at the Parish Church in Sheffield. HARRY was 21 years old and his bride SARAH two years younger. Both HARRY and SARAH gave their addresses as South Street The Moor and HARRY gave his occupation as Printer.

In December 2007, I located the following burial record in Sheffield's General Cemetery which is displayed below. He was buried as HARRY

But was even more surprising is that four months later, the grave was reopened to place Harry's son alongside him. I had no idea that Harry and Sarah had a son, never mind one who had died at such an early age. He would have course been my great grandfather's elder brother had he lived

However there is a very sad, and unexpected, ending to this part of my research. It also confirms that HARRY never saw his younger son FRED

The 1873 marriage certificate also gave the name of HARRY's father and my great great great grandfather, WILLIAM SHIRT. He is down as a Sand Merchant. A check of 1881 UK Census revealed the following information

Source Information: Dwelling Club Gardens Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, York, England
Family History Library Film 1342119 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4635 / 142 Page Number 19

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
William (Sr) SHIRT Head M Male 72 Barlow, Derby, England Sand Dealer
Mary SHIRT Wife M Female 72 Sheffield, York, England
Arthur SHIRT Son U Male 31 Sheffield, York, England

A further check on an earlier census 1851 showed not only HARRY's parents but also his older brothers and sisters. HARRY was born two years later in 1853

(2337, Folio: 563) - name age relation city place

William SHIRT 40 head YKS Sheffield
Mary SHIRT 42 wife YKS Sheffield
**Benjamin SHIRT 16 son YKS Sheffield
Ellen SHIRT 14 daughter YKS Sheffield
Sarah SHIRT 10 daughter YKS Sheffield
Elizabeth SHIRT 8 daughter YKS Sheffield
*William SHIRT 6 son YKS Sheffield
Frederick SHIRT 3 son YKS Sheffield
Arthur SHIRT 1 son YKS Sheffield
 

There is a slight discrepancy in the age of WILLIAM in the 1851 and 1881 Censuses but there is no doubt that they are one and the same person. If the age on the 1851 census is correct then there is a reference to a WILLIAM SHIRT being christened in Barlow Derbyshire on 15th September 1811. (IGI Batch No 8317233 Sheet 12 Source Call No 1395570)

Given the small size and rural nature of the village - it is about four miles north west from the Derbyshire town of Chesterfield and the same from the border with Yorkshire, - and the relatively unusual name for the area I am convinced that this is a correct reference to my great great great grandfather's christening at the local Parish Church of St Lawrence's. If that is the case there is a reference that cites WILLIAM's father as being called JOHN SHIRT.

Going back to HARRY's marriage to SARAH EMMA WORTHINGTON in May 1873, her father goes by the resplendent name of CHARLES OCTAVIUS WORTHINGTON whose occupation is noted as being an Auctioneer and Valuer. The only reference I have been able to find is that of an IGI individual record -  CHARLES OCTAVIUS WORTHINGTON born 23rd June 1820 and christened nearly three weeks later on 10th July 1820 at the High Pavement Presbyterian Church in Nottingham. Whether or not this is my great great great grandfather remains to be seen but it may turn out to be an interesting line as the parents of CHARLES are given as CHARLES and MARY (WORTHINGTON)

Notes

*Harry's elder brother WILLIAM SHIRT

1881 Census - Source Information: Dwelling Club Gardens Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, York, England FHLFilm 1342119 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4635 / 142
Page Number 19

Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
William (Jr) SHIRT Head M Male 35 Sheffield, York, England Carter (Harry's elder brother)
Sarah SHIRT (nee BAYLISS) Wife M Female 36 Sheffield, York, England Silver Burnisher
Lily SHIRT Daur Female 13 Sheffield, York, England Scholar
 

** Harry's eldest brother BENJAMIN SHIRT

1881 Census - Source Information: Dwelling 122 Young St Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, York, England FHLFilm 1342118 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4631 / 104 Page Number 8

Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability

Benjamin SHIRT Head M Male 46 Sheffield, York, England Edge Tool Striker
Esther SHIRT Wife M Female 47 Sheffield, York, England (nee BOWER)
Benjamin. SHIRT Son U Male 22 Sheffield, York, England Table Blade Forger
Henry SHIRT Son U Male 19 Sheffield, York, England Table Blade Forger
Fred SHIRT Son U Male 17 Sheffield, York, England Table Blade Forger
Elizabeth. SHIRT Daughter Female 13 Sheffield, York, England
Frank SHIRT Son Male 10 Sheffield, York, England Scholar
Sarah A. SHIRT Daughter Female 7 Sheffield, York, England Scholar
Flora SHIRT Daughter Female 4 Sheffield, York, England Scholar

The burial records of Sheffield's City Road Cemetery reveal the following entries

SHIRT, Ben (Edge Tool Striker, age 67).
     Died at 124 Young St; Buried on February 3, 1902 in Consecrated ground;
     Grave Number 8986, Section T of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
 SHIRT, Esther (widow, age 77).
     Died at 124 Young St; Buried on December 9, 1911 in Consecrated ground;
     Grave Number 8986, Section T of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
SHIRT, Harry Woolhouse (Blade forger, age 32).
     Died at 124 Young St; Buried on December 2, 1911 in Consecrated ground;
     Grave Number 8994, Section T of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.

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This page was last updated on 31/12/07 15:10