Percy Daft

Percy was the second son of Francis (also Frank) and Mary Jane (Jane) Daft (née Butler or Buckley).

His father Francis was born in Nottingham in about 1858 and his wife Mary Jane in Whitwick, Leicestershire, in about 1859. They were married at Nottingham St Mary on 25 December 1878 (Daft/Butler) and had nine children, two of whom died young: Francis born and died 1880 and Louis/Lewis b. 1894 d. 28 March 1897. Their seven surviving children, who were born in Nottingham, were: Harriett Gertrude (Gertrude) b. December 1878 (reg. 1879) bap. Sneinton St Stephen 7 May 1882; Jane b. 1881 bap. St Stephen 7 May 1882 d. 1952; Francis b. 1885 d. 1922; Percy b. 1887; Emily b. 1890; William Joseph b. 1892 and Hilda b. 1901. The mother's maiden name was given as 'Buckley' on the birth registrations of all their children except Harriett (Butler).

In May 1882, when their two eldest daughters were baptised, Francis and Jane were living at 10 Finch Street, Sneinton.

However, by 1891 they had moved to Pump Street, Nottingham, where they were living with their five children Harriett (13), Jane (11), Francis (7), Percy (4) and Emily (1). Francis snr. was a general labourer.

Francis, a brewer (ale) and his wife were still living at 3 Pump Street in 1901 with their six children: Gertrude a machinist, Jane a cigar maker, Francis a general labourer and Percy, Emily and William (8) who were all at school. Their youngest child Hilda was born later that year.

Francis and Jane had moved to 6 Manchester Street, Handel Street, Nottingham, by 1911. Six of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: Gertrude a machinist (blouse manufacturer), Jane a machinist (blouse and neck wear), Percy a box cutter (cardboard box manufacturer), Emily a hosiery cutter, William an assistant engine driver (gas) (Midland Engineering Coy), and Hilda (8) who was at school.

Percy's mother, Mary Jane, died on 11 September 1911 and his father, Francis, on 27 August 1922; he was still living at 6 Manchester Street.

Of Percy's siblings:

Harriet, a dress and blouse cutter, and her sisters Jane,'unpaid domestic duties', Emily, a hosiery underwear cutter and Hilda, a certificated teacher, were living at 12 Glendon Drive, Hucknall Road, Nottingham, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled.

Hilda married Frederick Whittle, a school master, in 1945. Frederick was a widower whose wife Agnes (née Cheetham m. 1904) had died in 1944 (three children Lily b. 1908, George b. 1912 and Eric b. 1916). Frederick died in 1961, address 12 Glendon Drive (probate George Whittle). His widow Hilda died at 12 Glendon Drive in 1962; administration of her Will was awarded to her unmarried sister Emily. Jane had died in 1952, Harriet Gertrude died in 1965 and Emily in 1970; all three probate records gave their address as 12 Glendon Drive.

Francis (Frank), a brewer/licensed victualler, his wife Emily Annie (née Collett, b. 1879) and their daughter Elsie (Elsie Gertrude A. b. 1910) were living at 19 Manchester Street in 1911. Although the information on the census was that the couple had been married for two years it is probable that they were not married until 1917 (Daft/Emily A Collett 1917 AMJ Nottm). They had two other children, Lillian Emily b. 1912 and J. Francis Percival b. 1922 (AMJ). Francis snr. died on 31 January 1922 shortly before the birth of his son. His widow was living on Oakdale Road in 1939; the record of one other member of the household, probably her son, remains closed. Elsie had married Harry Parr in 1934 (AMJ and Lilian had married Frank E Bucklow, also in 1934 (OND). Emily died in 1960.

William Joseph married Ada Brown in 1913; they had five children, Ida E (b. 1915), William James (b. 1918), Leslie (b. Dec. 1919), Nora Irene (b. 1921) and Eric (b. 1925). Ada probably died in 1926 and William married Emma Alice Baker (née Bramman), a widow, in 1936. Emma had married Frank Baker in 1912 and they had probably had five children; Frank (b. 1912), Charles (b. 1914), Annie (b. 1919), Thomas, (b. 1920) and Alice (b. 1924). In 1939, William, a crane driver, his five children, his wife and her son by her first marriage,Thomas Baker (b. 1920), were living at 2 Manchester Street. William died in 1972.