Arthur Parnham

Arthur was the son of William Parnham and his second wife Mary Ann (née Murden formerly Tilley). His father William was born in Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire, in about 1855. He married first Elizabeth Richards at Colston Bassett St John the Divine on 26 December 1876 and they had at least six children who were born between 1877 and 1890: Ada, Frederick, Aaron, Sarah Alice (Alice), Florence and Jessie Elizabeth. Elizabeth Parnham died in 1890 aged about 32 and in 1891 William, an agricultural labourer, his unmarried sister Sarah, and his children Frederick, Aaron, Alice and Florence were living at Church Hill Cottage, Colston Bassett. William's youngest daughter, Jessie, was living in the village with her uncle and aunt, Henry and Mary Parnham. His mother Mary Ann Murden was born in Plumtree, Nottinghamshire, in about 1863. She married Tom Eston Tilley at Bulwell St Mary on 6 November 1881 and they had at least five children born between 1882 and 1888: John Thomas, Mary, John, Lily and Alice. Only Lily survived infancy. Tom Tilley died in 1889 (buried Bulwell) and although his widow has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census, their surviving daughter Lily (5) was living in Bulwell with her uncle and aunt, Preston and Ada Tilley. William Parnham and Mary Ann Tilley were married at Hyson Green St Paul on 13 June 1895 and had two sons, Arthur birth registered 1896 (J/F/M) and William Ernest b. 1897. William was baptised the same year at Nottingham Emmanuel; the family was then living on Woodborough Road, Nottingham. In 1901 William, a horse-keeper (brewery), and his wife were living at 23 Egerton Street, St Ann's, Nottingham, with four of his children, Frederick a groom, Aaron a grocer, Florence a cotton winder, and Jessie, Mary's daughter Lily a lace ticketer and their sons Arthur (5) and William (3). They were still living at the same address in 1911 but only three children were still at home: Jessie working in the lace trade, Arthur an office boy and William. Also in the household was a boarder, a brewer's drayman. Mary Ann died two years later on 3 April 1913 aged 50. William was still living at 23 Egerton Street when their son Arthur was killed in 1917. William died on 17 January 1937.