Beacham Sharp

Beacham was the son of William Sharp and his first wife Maria (née Grundy). His father William was born in Gotham in about 1857, the son of John Sharp, a carpenter. His mother Maria Grundy was born in Edingale, Staffordshire, in about 1859; her father, James Grundy was a farmer. William and Maria were married at Long Eaton St Lawrence, Derbyshire, on 7 May 1876. William was a baker and living in Gotham while Maria was living in Long Eaton. The record of their marriage gives both their ages as 21 but they have an age difference of several years according to the details on the later census returns. William and Maria had nine children seven of whom survived infancy or childhood: The surviving children, who were all born in Gotham, were: Frederick Henry b. 8 August 1876, Morris (also Maurice) b. 1879, Arthur b. 1881 d. 1903, Edwin b. 1883, Beacham b. 1886, Albert birth registered 1889 (J/F/M) and Cecil b. 1891. In 1881 William (24), a baker, and Maria (22) were living on Church Street, Gotham, with their sone Frederick (4) and Morris (1). They had moved to Meadow End, Gotham by 1891 and now had six children: Frederick, a plaster miner, Morris, Arthur (9), Edwin (7), Beacham (5) and Albert (2). William and Maria employed a domestic servant, Kate Grundy (16), who was probably one of Maria's relatives. Beacham's mother, Maria, died in 1894 aged about 35 and William married Elizabeth Haywood (b. Normanton Heath Leics) later that year. The family home was still at Meadow End in 1901. Only Arthur, a general labourer, Albert and Cecil (9) were living with Wiliam and Elizabeth (48). Frederick had married Mary Ann Allsop in 1900 and in 1901 they were living with his wife's widowed mother, Emma Allsopp and her daughter in Nottingham; Frederick was employed as a carter with Nottingham Corporation. Morris was employed as a carter by Joseph Maltby, a general carter (own account), and was a boarder in Joseph's home in Gotham. Edwin was a farm labourer and living in Gotham in the household of the farmer, Wiliam Lowe and his family. Beacham has yet to be traced on the 1901 Census. The third son Arthur probably died in 1903 aged 21. By 1911 only Albert, a labourer, was with his father and step-mother at Meadow End on the night of the census. Frederick and his family were living on Lammas Street in Nottingham. Morris was a wagoner for Ernest Elliott, a farmer in Gotham. Beacham was one of nine gardeners accommodated at Brynkley Gardens, Tatenhill, Burton on Trent. Cecil, a domestic gardener, was a patient in hospital in Nottingham. Edwin may have been serving in India as a gunner with the 90th Bty, Royal Field Artillery. Beacham married Hannah Kidd later that year at a parish church in Nottingham (1911 O/N/D Nottingham). They probably lived at Fir Cottage, Tatenhill Common, Burton on Trent, after their marriage as this was the address given when he attested in 1915 and later his widow's address. There were no children of the marriage. Hannah completed a form for the army in 1920 listing Beacham's surviving blood relatives; she named herself and the following: Parents: William and Elizabeth [step-mother] of Gladstone Street, Gotham Brothers: Frederick, Lammas Street Nottingham; Maurice (sic), East Leake; Edwin, Thrumpton; Albert, Kegworth Road Gotham; Cecil, Thrumpton. Elizabeth Sharp probably died in 1936 and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, her widower William was living at Manor Cottage, Thrumpton, with his youngest son Cyril, a gardener, and his wife Emma C (née Searle). William probably died in 1941. Beacham's brother Morris married Annie Dring at Gotham St Lawrence in 1911. He attested in the Lincolnshire Regiment (Maurice Sharp, 863795); he was 35 years old and a plaster miner. He served at home from 21 April 1917 then with the BEF in France from 12 July 1917. Morris returned to the UK on 10 October 1917 and probably remained in the UK until he transferred to the Army Reserve on 24 February 1919. Two of Morris's brothers-in-law were killed in the war: Arthur Dring (Northumberland Fusiliers) on 14 March 1916 and Joseph William (Lancashire Fusiliers) on 13 October 1919 (Gotham St Lawrence memorial). Cecil, an estate gardener, attested in November 1915 aged 23y 11m. He was still living with his father at Meadow End, Gotham. Cecil was mobilized in February 1916 but discharged on medical grounds on 30 June 1916; he suffered from severe excema.