Enoch Henry Harper

Enoch Henry was the son of Arthur and Sarah Ann Harper (née Rodgers). Both his parents were born in Beeston, Arthur in about 1864 and Sarah Ann in 1867 (reg. J/F/M). They were married in 1884 and had five children three of whom survived childhood. Four children were named on the census returns between 1891 and 1901: Florence Ruth b. 1885 bap. Beeston St John the Baptist 1886; Enoch Henry b. 12 January 1888 bap. St John 1 March 1893; Thomas William b. 1890 d. 1892 and Harry b. 1895. All the children were born in Beeston. The family was living on Upper Regent Street, Beeston, when Florence was baptised in 1886 but had moved to 17 The City, Beeston, by 1891. In the home on the night of the census were Arthur, a coal miner, his wife and their three children Florence (3), Enoch (2) and Thomas (1) who died the following year. They were still at the same address ten years later in 1901; Arthur, who was now working as an iron moulder, Sarah, Florence a lace mender, Enoch a cycle labourer and Harry (5). Still at 17 The City in 1911, Arthur now worked as a labourer for the Urban District Council. Only one of their three children, Harry, a Levers (lace) threader at Swiss Mills, was still at home although Arthur and Sarah also had an adopted daughter, May Rodgers (2, b. Dunkirk Nottingham). No records have yet been traced for this child who presumably was one of Sarah's relatives. The two older children, Florence and Enoch, were now married. Florence married Percy William Booth at St John the Baptist in December 1910. In 1911 they were living on Broughton Street, Beeston; Percy was a twisthand lace maker. Enoch married Lois Cox (b. 1888) in 1909 and they had three daughters, two of whom died in infancy: Florence Alice b. 1910 (J/F/M) d. 1910 (J/A/S); Ada b. 1911 (J/A/S) d. 1911 (J/A/S) and Sarah A. b. 1912. In 1911 they were living at 12 The City; they had been married just over a year and their first child had died in infancy. Enoch's parents Arthur and Sarah later lived at 79 Regent Street. Sarah Ann died in 1916 before the deaths of her two sons in the war; Harry was killed in 1918. Arthur probably died in 1943. Lois and Enoch's daughter, Sarah, survived into adulthood. Lois married Edwin Walker in 1921 and in 1939 they were living in Beeston. She died in 1956 having survived her husband.