James Diggle

James, known as 'Jimmy', was born in 1889, the only son of James Diggle and Martha Diggle nee Leverton. His father was born in Bulwell, Nottingham, and his mother in Radford, Nottingham, and they were married in 1874 (marriage registered A/M/J Nottingham). According to the information they provided on the 1911 census his parents had been married for 36 years and had had eight children of whom only five were still living at the time of the census. Six children were named on the census between 1881 and 1911; Eliza Ann (birth registered 1874 O/N/D Radford), Martha (birth registered 1877 O/N/D Radford), Elizabeth (birth registered 1879 J/A/S Radford), Sarah (birth registered 1882 J/F/M Nottingham), Ellen (birth registered 1884 J/F/M Nottingham) and James (birth registered 1889 J/A/S Nottingham). On the census returns the children are shown as being born in Sneinton. It seems likely that the third surviving daughter, Elizabeth, died at the age of 23, death registered in Nottingham in 1903 J/F/M. In 1881 James (27), a framework knitter, and Martha (30), a cotton mender, were living at 8 Hampden Street, Sneinton, with their three daughters, Eliza (6), Martha (3) and Ellen (1). Ellen was named as 'Helen' on the census. There were two boarders in the household; Caroline Fell (45) a lace minder, and William Leverton (43) a cordwainer, who may have been related to James' wife. By 1891 the family was living at 21 Beaumont Street, Sneinton, and James and Martha now had six children; Eliza Ann (16) a lace mender, Martha (13) a lace clipper, Elizabeth (11), Sarah (9), Ellen (7) and James (1). Their second daughter, Martha, married James Bucklow in 1898 (marriage registered J/A/S Nottingham). Martha Bucklow and her husband have not yet been traced on the 1901 Census, but their daughter Lilian (2, b. 1899 A/M/J) was in the household of her maternal grandparents at 9 Beaumont Street, Sneinton, on the night of the census. James and Martha Diggle's other five children - Eliza (26) a seamer, Elizabeth (21) no occupation, Sarah (19) a cigar maker, Ellen (17) a pattern girl, and James (11) - were still living at home. Their third daughter, Elizabeth, probably died in 1903 and their fourth daughter, Sarah, probably married Francis Bancroft the same year (marriage registered A/M/J Nottingham). In 1911 Sarah (29) and Francis (Frank) Bancroft (31), a woodcutting machinist in the building trade, were living at 30 Beaumont Street, Sneinton. They had been married for 8 years and only two of five children had survived; Frank (5) and Mary (11 months). Also in 1911 James and Martha were living at 9 Beaumont Street, Nottingham, with their unmarried daughter, Eliza (36) and their son, James (21) who was packer for a hosiery manufacturer. Their widowed daughter, Martha Bucklow (33) a machinist, was living with them together with her three children, Lilian (12), John Jonas (9, birth registered 1902 A/M/J) and Florence (6, birth registered 1904 O/N/D). Martha's husband James (b. abt. 1879) had probably died in 1909 (death registered O/N/D Nottingham) at the age of 30. Also in the household was a boarder, Cornelius Bell (32). James' parents were still living at 9 Beaumont Street at the time of his death in 1915. The youngest daughter, Ellen, has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census. James married Sarah E [Ethel] Ward in 1911 (marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham). At the time of James' death they were living at 23 Holden Street, Radford.