Thomas Shirt & Lily Horrocks Marriage

Whilst we were away the marriage certificate of my great grandparents arrived. I was hoping that it would have my great grandfather's army number on it but no such luck. I'm running out of documents to send for now. They were married on Third June 1909 at the Register Office in Salford, Lancashire. Thomas Shirt - 29 years - Widower -Labourer Bleach Works - 29 Thursfield Street, Pendleton - George Shirt (Deceased) - General Labourer - Lily Horrocks- 25 years - Spinster - 29 Thursfield Street, Pendleton - George Horrocks - Retired Coal Miner. The witnesses were James Green & Catherine Heron.

Tom was married previously to Ann Jane Green who died in childbirth. Their only daughter Hannah was raised by her maternal grandmother so I'm presuming the witness James Green is some relation. I've had a look on the 1901 census & there is a James Green living in Whitehough, a small hamlet between Chapel-en-le-Frith & Chinley. This is the same place where Thomas Shirt was born & grew up. (Both Thomas & Ann worked at the Bleachworks in Whitehough. It was called JJ Hadfields and was bought out by Dorma in the late 70's early 80's.)

1901 Census, Whitehough, Derbyshire
James Green - Head - 44 - M - Soldier - Worker - CELF
Margaret A Green - Wife - 41 - M - CELF
Ann J Green - Daur - 20 - Folder (Bleachworks) - Worker - CELF

So there is a good chance that James Green, the witness, was in fact Tom's father-in-law.

I think this may be the WW1 Medal Roll index card for Tom Shirt as I know those who lived in Chapel-en-le-Frith signed up to the Notts & Derby Regiment & I'm sure my Dad told me he had been made a Sergent. It looks as if he entered the army on 28 Feb 1915. Another date on there is 28 Mar 1819 I which I knew what it all meant. More research don't you know :O)

The Horrocks Hunters!!!

ROFL, what a fantastic title for a new blog, especially when you know it's a Family History blog about our Horrocks & Hunter ancestors :O) Chris thought up this clever title and guess what ... she's made me Creative Director!! I just hope I can live up to her expectations ;O) I had better pull my finger out this winter and do some serious family history research!! It would have been so much easier if I had done the research when we lived in the High Peak of Derbyshire instead of leaving it until we moved to the Isle of Wight. We lived on the border of Lancasire, Derbyshire & Yorkshire too, how annoying. Never mind, what's done is done!! A trip on the mainland is out of the question too as we're saving like mad to pay for our holiday next year. Oooo Jamaica mon! I digress. The first rule in Family History is, ask the family, which I did a few years ago. I drove my Auntie Joan round the bend :O) She's my Dad's eldest sister and she spent the most time with the Horrocks clan as a child. (My Dad always went to his Mum's family in Chesterfield.) The only information I could glean about George Hunter Horrocks and his wife Sara Mason Smith were their birth dates and the names of their children. I asked everyone I could think of for photographs of family members but the only ones I received were of my own Great Grandmother, Lily, from my Mum & Dad. Here's one of them :O)

Lily died, aged 81, when I was about 2 years old. Mum & Dad had made her my God Mother when I was christened.

George Hunter Horrocks MI

I've had another exciting e-mail from Chris (thank you Chris). It's a photo of the resting place of my GG Grandfather George Hunter Horrocks ... It says, In Loving Memory of Hannah Maria the beloved daughter of George and Sarah Horrocks who died March 5th 1888 aged 18 years & 3 months Thy Will Be Done also George Hunter husband of Sarah Horrocks who died November 5th 1916 aged 75 years.