Ernest Francis Humphrey

Ernest Francis was the son of Elijah and Elizabeth Humphrey nee Tyrrell. Elijah Humphrey, the son of William and Dinah, was born in Helmdon, Northamptonshire, in 1854 and baptised in Helmdon on 24 December 1854. Elizabeth Tyrrell, the daughter of Susanna Tyrrell, was born in Northamptonshire and baptised in Guildsborough, Northamptonshire on 24 August 1854 (register marked 'illegitimate'). Elijah was 21 when he married Elizabeth (23) at Leeds St Peter on 13 September 1875. They were both then living on Castle Street, Leeds. Elijah and Elizabeth had at least seven children: John William b. 1877 (O/N/D Leeds) baptised 4 September 1878 Leeds St Paul, Edith Emily b. 1879 (J/A/S Leeds), Florence Annie b. 1881 (A/M/J Leeds, George Albert b. 18 December 1883 (baptised 22 July 1884 Leeds St Paul), Ernest Francis b. 1886 (O/N/D Nottingham), Kate Lilian b. 1890 A/M/J Nottingham) and Gertrude b. 1892 (A/M/J Nottingham). The four oldest children were born in Leeds and the three youngest in Nottingham. Elijah had had joined the Midland Railway at the age of 19 on 25 January 1873, and was based at Rotherham Station. In 1881 Elijah (26) a railway porter, and Elizabeth (28) were living at 26 Castle Street, Leeds, with their three children John (3), Edith (1) and Annie (3 months). The family had moved to Nottingham by 1891 and were living at 16 Queen's Square in the civil parish of St Mary. Elijah (36) was still working as a railway porter. He and Elizabeth (37) now had six children: John (13) a printer, Edith (11), Florence (10), George (7), Ernest (4) and Kate (1). Their youngest child, Gertrude, was born the following year. In 1901 Elijah (46), now a railway policeman, and Elizabeth (46) were living at 111 Kirkwhite Street, Meadows, Nottingham, with their children Edith (21) and Florence (20) both cap winders (yarn), George (17) who was in work, Ernest (14) an errand boy, and Kate (11) and Gertrude (9) who were both still at school. Also in the household was the eldest son, John (23) a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth Kitty (nee Humphreys) whom he had married in 1900 (A/M/J Nottingham). George joined the Royal Navy the following year. Florence Annie married John William Bainbridge in 1903 (J/F/M Salford) and in 1911 they were living at 13 Harry Terrace, Crocus Street, Meadows, Nottingham. John (29, b. Derby) was an engineer's labourer (machine tool). He and Florence (30) had three children; Emily May (6), Florence Myra (4) and Phyllis Elizabeth (2). By 1911 the eldest child, John (33), a pantographer, and his wife Elizabeth (32, b. Lenton) were living at 5 Maxwell Street, Lenton. They had been married for eight years and had had one child who had died. Ernest, was with the 42nd Company Royal Engineers as a stone mason at Fort Monckton, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire, in 1911 while his brother George was still in the Royal Navy serving in HMS Neptune. Elijah and Elizabeth and their other children have not yet been traced on the 1911 census. Ernest married Myra F Allen in 1912 (J/F/M Nottingham). They were living at 111 Kirkewhite Street, Meadows, at the time of his death in the General Hospital in 1920. His widow later lived at 73 Annesley Street, Nottingham. George married Sarah A Allsop in 1914 (J/A/S Nottingham). George had left the Navy in January 1914 on completion of his engagement but joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in the May and was mobilised in August 1914. Ernest's mother died in 1918 (September Nottingham) age 64 and his father died in 1926 (March Nottingham) age 71. Of Ernest's siblings: John William probably served in the 2nd Battalion Yorks and Lancs Regiment in the war (21337 Private) and qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He may have died in 1952 (December Sheffield) age 75. George Albert was probably medically discharged from the Royal Navy in 1919 and died the same year in the Royal Naval Hospital at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (see T2T ROH, Meadows St Saviour). At the time of his death his home was at 12 Harry Terrace, Crocus Street, Meadows, Nottingham, which was the same address as that of his sister Florence in 1911. It is probable that his widow never remarried as there is a record of a Sarah Ann Humphrey born 14 January 1886 (J/F/M Nottingham) who died in 1970 (March Nottingham). Florence died in 1940 (March Nottingham) aged 59. Kate Lilian married John H Sykes in 1920 (A/M/J Nottingham) and died in 1944 (September Nottingham) age 54. Gertrude may have married in 1911 (A/M/J Nottingham).