Harry Priestley

Harry was the son of George and Eliza Priestley. George's place of birth was given variously on the census returns as North Clifton, Clifton, North Wilford and Bulwell. Eliza's place of birth was given on the census returns as either Clifton or North Clifton. George and Eliza had at least eleven children: Mary Ann b. 1875, Shireoaks (birth registered A/M/J Worksop) Richard b. Dunham on Trent (may have died young) Fanny b. 1878, Laneham (birth registered J/A/S Newark) Emma b. Bobbers Mill (birth registered 1880 J/F/M Radford) Sarah b. 1881, Basford (birth registered O/N/D Basford) Ada Eliza b. 1883, Basford (birth registered J/A/S Basford) George b. 22 August 1886, Nuthall William b. Nuthall Harry b. 1890, Nuthall (birth registered J/A/S Basford) Annie b. 1892, Nuthall (birth registered J/A/S Basford) Joseph b. abt. 1895. Nuthall In 1881 George (28) was a farm labourer and he and Eliza (26), formerly a dressmaker, were living at 96 Bailey Street, Basford with their four children; Mary (6), Richard (4), Fanny (2) and Emma (1). By 1891 the family was living at Nuthall, in the district of Broxtowe. George was still working as an agricultural labourer. He and Eliza now had seven children at home: Fanny, Emma, Sarah (9), Ada (6), George (4), William (2) and Harry (9 months). The eldest child, Mary Ann (16), was a general domestic servant at Whitemoor House, Alfreton Road, Basford, in the family home of Milnes Ferrand, a chemical merchant and commissioning agent. George's wife, Eliza, probably died in either 1899 or 1900 (death registered J/F/M Basford) at the age of 46. George was living on Nuthall Road, Cinderhill, in 1901. He was now working as a labourer/coal hewer loader. Eight of his children were living at home: Mary (26) and Fanny (22), both of whom were working as general servants, Sarah, who was a housekeeper (perhaps for her father), George (14) was in work and the younger children, William (13), Harry (10), Annie (8) and Joseph (6) were at school. His sister, Fanny, married George Robert Holton in 1901 (marriage registered A/M/J Basford). Three years later in 1904 George married Harriet Lane (marriage registered A/M/J Basford). Harry's older brother George joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 24 November 1905. Their father was still living in Nuthall in 1911. Only Joseph, his youngest child by Eliza, was still living at home. Joseph (16) was a pony driver at a pit and George was also working in a pit as a colliery labourer (below ground). George and his second wife Harriet had had five children of whom only four survived: John (birth registered 1905 J/F/M), Philip (b. 1906), Emily (b. 1908) and Charles (b. abt 1910). Harry married Clara Beedman on 30 January 1915; at the time of their marriage they were living at 2 Spring Terrace, Church Lane, Bulwell, and this was still Clara's address in 1919. They had one child, Joyce, born 5 August 1915. Harry's brother, George, was killed on 18 March 1915 while serving in HMS Irresistible in the Dardanelles. His sister Fanny's husband, George Robert Holton, served in the King's Royal Rifles and was killed in action on 6 October 1915. Harry's widow, Clara, completed a form for the army in May 1919 listing Harry's surviving blood relatives. However, she named only herself, her daughter and Harry's father, George Priestley of Nuthall.