Albert Cumberland

Albert was the son of John and Betsy Cumberland (née Myers). His father John Cumberland was born in Nottingham in 1859 and his mother Betsy Myers in Hull, Yorkshire, in 1858. They were married in 1877 (O/N/D Radford) and had at least five children, one of whom died in infancy. Three of their children were baptised at Nottingham St Mary: William Henry b. 1878 (J/F/M) d. 1879 (J/F/M); Ann b. 29 December 1878 (reg. J/F/M 1879) bap. 11 April 1886; Arthur b. 29 September 1881 bap. 11 April 1886; Edward b. 15 December 1883 (reg. J/F/M 1884) bap. 11 April 1886 and Albert b. 1888. In 1881 John (23), a bricklayer's labourer, and Betsy (23) were living at 10 Golden Lane, Nottingham, with their daughter Ann (2). They were still living at the same address in 1886 when their children Ann, Arthur and Edward, were baptised. By 1891 John and Betsy and their four surviving children, Ann, Arthur, Edward and Albert, were living on Pierrepoint Street, Nottingham. The family home was at 33 North Street, Nottingham, by 1901 when only Edward, a labourer, and Albert were living with their parents. Ann had married George Thomas Clay at Nottingham St Saviour on 31 March 1900 and in 1901 they were living on Bell Terrace, Bell Street, Nottingham. George was a miner and Ann a blouse machinist. Arthur has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but on 17 September that year he joined the Royal Navy on a 12 year engagement as a 2nd Class Stoker. Betsy Cumberland died in 1908 and her husband John in 1910. In 1911 Albert, a telephone labourer, was living at 46 Sutton Street, Nottingham, with his married sister, Ann Clay and her husband George, a horse driver for the City Council Works & Ways. George and Ann had had seven children of whom only four had survived: Annie (9), George Thomas (7), Arthur (5) and John (2). Only three of their children were in the home on the night of the census; their eldest son George Thomas (d. 1914) was a patient in the Nottingham Workhouse, Bagthorpe. Arthur was still serving in the Royal Navy and Edward, a general labourer, was living in a lodging house at 16 Red Lion Street, Nottingham. Albert married Lily Hursthouse in 1917 (reg. Cumberworth-sic/Hursthouse). Lily was born in Nottingham on 8 July 1888, the daughter of Joseph Hursthouse, a lace maker, and his wife Mary Ann (née Bradley). In 1911 the widowed Mary Ann, a box maker and her two children, Lily, also a box maker and Joseph, a National Telephone operator, were living at 14 Lowes Place, Nottingham. Lily was living at 33 Whittier Road, Sneinton, when Albert died in 1919. Lily was still living at the same address in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; she was working as a cardboard box maker. Also in the household was her widowed mother, Mary Ann Hursthouse (b. 22 June 1867). Lily died in 1971. Albert's brother Arthur, who had served in the Royal Navy, enlisted in the army on 11 December 1915. He was 34 years 3 months old and a night soil labourer for Nottingham Corporation Health Department. Arthur transferred to the Army Reserve on 12 December but was not mobilised until 16 September 1916 then posted to the 7th Bn Sherwood Foresters on 19 September. He served in France from 17 January 1917 to 28 August that year and then served at home until 28 December 1917 when he was discharged from the Army, 'no longer physically fit for War Service.' He was awarded Silver War Badge no. 300936. Arthur married Alice May Francis on 17 July 1915 at Nottingham Register Office and were living at 14 Mary Terrace, Crocus Street, Meadows, when he attested later that year. They had one son, Arthur William (b. 1916 J/A/S) who died in 1917 (A/M/J). Five other children have been traced through registrations of birth (Cumberland/Francis): Albert b. 1921 (A/M/J) d,. 1922 (J/A/S), George b. 192 (A/M/J), Lizzie b. 1924, Mary b. 1926 d. 1937 and Annie b. 1929. Arthur died in 1931 and in 1939 his widow was living at 21 Crocus Street with Alice M Cumberland (b. 14 July 1918), a printer feeder, Lizzie (b. 13 January 1924) a tea packer and Annie Cumberland (b, 2 September 1929). Arthur's widow, Alice, died in 1976. Edward probably died in 1919 (J/A/S, b. abt. 1883).