Harry Sentance

Harry was the son of Robert and Emily Sentance (née Stevenitt, formerly Sentance). His father Robert was born in Barrowby, Lincolnshire, in 1852, the son of Valentine Sentance, a shepherd, and his wife Frances. His mother Emily was born in about 1854 in Manthorpe, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Joseph Quincey Stevenitt, a gardener. Emily married George Sentance (b. abt. 1847), Robert's older brother, in 1872. George died aged 26 at Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in 1873 (buried Barrowby All Saints churchyard). Robert (22) and Emily (21), both of Spital Street, Wicker, Sheffield, were married at Wicker Holy Trinity on 22 August 1874. According to the 1911 Census, they had had 13 children, two of whom had died. However, only 12 children, two of whom died in infancy, have been traced on the census and other records: Georgiana Susan (Susan) b. Batley Yorkshire abt. 1874; Olive b. Barrowby 1875; Arthur Robert b. January 1877 d. May 1877, Edith Emily b. 1878 (reg. J/F/M), Joseph Walton b. 1880 (reg. J/F/M) and Robert b. 1881 who were all born in Barrowby; William b. Lenton 1883 and twins Harry and Frederick (Fred) b. 1886, George b. 1888, Florence b. 1891 (reg. J/F/M) d. November 1892, and Walter b. 1893 who were all born in Radford. Robert, a railway labourer, Emily and their children Georgiana, Olive, Edith and Joseph, were living on Church Street, Barrowby, in 1881. Their eldest son Arthur had died in 1877 aged three months. The family had moved to Nottingham by 1883 when William was born and at the time of the 1891 Census they were living at 14 Vane Street, Radford. Robert snr. was working as a colliery banksman. Nine children were in the home on the night of the census: Susan, a silk worker, Olive, Joseph, Robert, William, Harry, Fred, George and Florence who died the following year. Edith was recorded as a visitor in the household of an uncle and aunt, Joseph and Jane Sentance, in Sheffield. The youngest child, Walter, was born two years later in 1893. Robert and Emily were still at the same address in 1901 along with seven of their children: Joseph, a coal miner, Robert a butcher, William a colliery banksman, Harry and Fred who were colliery pony drivers and George and Walter who were still at school. Three of their daughters were now married: Olive to Richard Troop in 1893, Georgiana Susan to John Wharmby Bacon also in 1893 and Edith to Harry Holme in 1898. Robert snr. died in February 1905 aged 52 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. His widow Emily was still living at 14 Vane Street in 1911 along with five of her sons: William a gardener, Harry a coal miner hewer, Fred a colliery banksman, George a coal miner hewer and Walter a butcher's apprentice. Harry's brother George attested on 12 October 1914 and named his mother and brothers Fred and Walter as his next of kin; all three were then living at 34 Gate Street, Radford. George, a coal miner hewer, was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (48805 Gunner), joining at Newhaven on 25 October. However, he was discharged on 3 November the same year after serving just 23 days. The surviving portion of his Army service record does not give a full reason for his discharge - 'not likely' - suggesting that he was not physically fit. Their brother Walter also enlisted and served with the 2/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters. He was killed on 21 March 1918. (See 'Extra information') Emily died on 2 October 1918 aged 65 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Harry married a war widow, Violet Annie Oldershaw (née Chambers), in 1917 (O/N/D Nottingham); Violet had a daughter by her first marriage. Harry, Violet and her daughter lived at 5 Vane Street, Radford. Violet was born in Nottingham in 1894, the daughter of Alfred and Emma Chambers. She married Herbert Oldershaw in 1913 (J/F/M Nottingham) and they had a daughter, Ivy May, the following year. The couple lived in Rugby, Warwickshire, where Herbert worked for the British Thomson Houston Company. However, he had served in the Grenadier Guards before the war, and as an army reservist was mobilised in August 1914 when he was posted to the 2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards (13655 Private). Herbert was killed in action on 4 September 1914. (See record on this Roll of Honour). Violet later had two daughters, Doris (b. 1919) and Phyllis (b. 1921). She married Joseph Johnson in 1926 and in 1939 she and her husband and her three daughters were living on Hartley Road, Nottingham. Violet died in 1950.