Sydney John K Asman

Sydney (also 'Sidney') was born in 1891, registered O/N/D - the birth index gives his first names as 'Sidney John K'. He was the third surviving son of Edmund John and Florence (Flora) Asman. Edmund John was born in Downham Market, Norfolk, (abt 1858, baptised 11 December 1859), the son of Robert and Elizabeth Asman. Florence (Woodward) was born about the same year in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire. Edmund and Florence were married in the parish of North Wingfield, Derbyshire, on 25 December 1880 when both were 22 years of age. According to the 1911 census they had 11 children of whom only five were still alive at the time of the census. Six children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: Archibald (b. 1881), Ethel Daisy W/Daisy Ethel (b. 1886), Amy Maud (b. 1888, d. 1893), Robert Carl N (b. 1889), Sydney FR (b. 1891) and Samuel Cecil W (b. 1895). All the children were born in Mansfield. Apart from Amy Maud, who appears on the 1891 Census, the following five children who died in infancy may also have been born to Edmund and Florence: Oscar Cecil (b. 1882 O/N/D, d. 1883 A/M/J), Robert Willie (b. 1884 J/F/M, d. 1884 O/N/D), Edmund Destin W (b. 1893 A/M/J, d. 1899 J/F/M), John Roy (b. 1897 A/M/J, d. 1899 J/F/M) Winifred Marjory (b. 1899 J/A/S, d. 1899 (J/A/S). In 1881, a few months after her marriage, Florence was at her parents house at 41 Wood Street, Mansfield, on the night of the census. In 1891 Edmund and Florence were living with Florence's parents, William and Kezia Woodward, in Mansfield. Edmund was a draper's assistant. They had four children, Archibald (9), Ethel (4), Amy (3) and Robert (1). Amy died in 1893 (J/F/M) aged 4 years. Edmund and his wife were still living with his parents-in-law at 7 Bridge Street, Mansfield, ten years later in 1901. Edmund was now a wardrobe dealer. They had five children, Archibald, Ethel, Robert, Sydney (9) and Samuel (6). Also in the household were seven boarders; two married couples and a married couple with one child. There is a record of an Ethel Daisy W Asman marrying in 1905 (O/N/D, Mansfield); husband either William Allsop or Alfred Harrison. Edmund's parents-in-law died in 1906; William on 18 September aged 72 years, and Kezia on 5 November aged 73 years. In 1911 William and Florence were living at 9 Bridge Street, Mansfield, with only two children at home on the night of the census: Robert (21) and Sydney (19); both boys were miners. Also in the household were eight boarders - four married couples. The youngest son, Samuel (16), who worked as a pony colliery driver, was in prison in Nottingham. Sydney's parents later lived at 34 Chaucer Street, Mansfield (CWGC). Sydney's older brother, Archibald, emigrated to America after the war. He left Southampton onboard SS Olympic on 4 May 1921 bound for New York and died in Los Angeles on 8 January 1934 aged 52. Sydney's father died on 6 November 1930 aged 71 years and his mother on 12 July 1938 aged 79 years.