Sydney Hemsworth (1900-1973)- Lily Hemsworth nee Shirt (1901-1984)

The photograph was taken was taken outside St Barnabas Church Highfields Sheffield on 29th September 1923. The church incidentally was consecrated in 1876 and the parish itself was created a year later from from St Mary Bramall Lane and St Andrew, Sharrow. The Church was declared redundant in 1988 and was converted into sheltered accommodation.

It shows both my grandparents on the day of their wedding. My grandad Sydney was 23 at the time having been born on 26th July 1900 and my grandma Lily was 22. She was born on 2nd January 1901.  (Ecclesall Bierlow - September quarter 1923 - Volume 9C page 781)

1939 National Register for 535 Queens Road Sheffield

My Grandparents had two children, JACK who was born on 3rd May 1924 and my mother JEAN who was born six years later on 25th February 1930. Both were born in Sheffield. This photograph taken below was taken whilst the family were on holiday in 1933. My uncle Jack died suddenly at the age of 62 on 5th June 1987 at his home on Oakland Road Hillsborough and is buried alongside his first wife Betty (nee Rolfe) in Intake Cemetery, Mansfield Road, Sheffield. 

My mother Jean died at the age of 81 on Tuesday 31st May 2011 in Sheffield's Northern General Hospital after a short illness. She is buried in Sheffield's Abbey Lane Cemetery. 

The final photograph below shows three generations of the Hemsworth Family. Sid and Lil and my mother Jean are seated. The two children are the author on the right and his younger brother Stephen on the left. (Stephen was born in December 1955 at the family home in Old Park Avenue, Greenhill, Sheffield ) The photograph was taken in the lounge of my grandparents house in Bradway sometime in the late summer of 1956. It is also one of my earliest memories. 

After retiring, my grandparents moved into a small cottage in Greenhill, Sheffield where they spent the rest of their lives.

My grandad Syd died suddenly at his home in Greenhill on the evening of Friday 6th July 1973. He was 72 at the time of his death. He is buried alongside his parents Alonzo and Mary Ann Hemsworth in Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield. His wife Lily died age 83 on Wednesday 11th January 1984 and is buried with her late husband and in-laws. 

HEMSWORTH, Alonzo (Cycle, Hammer maker, age 63).Died at 173 South View Rd; Buried on September 3, 1920 in Consecrated ground;Grave Number 4585, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

HEMSWORTH, Lily (Retired, age 83).Died at 81 Greenhill Main Road; Buried on January 17, 1984 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 4585, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

HEMSWORTH, Mary Ann (Widow, age 83). Died at 2 Southey Hall Drive; Buried on February 5, 1941 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 4585, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

HEMSWORTH, Sydney (Retired, age 72).Died at 81 Greenhill Main Rd; Buried on July 12, 1973 in Consecrated ground;Grave Number 4585, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

Sidney's parents Alonzo and Mary Ann Hemsworth

Lily's parents Fred and Florence Shirt

A few weeks after my gran Lily died the house was put on the market by her two children Jack and Jean and was a feature in Sheffield's Morning Telegraph *House of the Week (6th February 1984)

In August 2066, over 20 years after it was sold, the cottage came on the market again, and rather strangely, it was now called LILY COTTAGE. 

Notes

My grandad Sid prior and during the Second World War worked for the well known Sheffield firm of Reuben Thompson Ltd. He, and his family, worked and lived at the company's premises in 535 Queens Road Sheffield.

A funeral receipt for Reuben Thompson Ltd. Dated 1927 states that they had premises at Glossop Road, Pinstone Street, Queens Road & Midland Station, all in Sheffield. They were established 1825. Apart from funerals they made coffins and were able to supply "Washington cars, Hearses, Carriages with Bay horses, Funeral buses, Rolls-Royce motor hearses and private cars."

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This page was last updated on 26/02/25 08:12