Daisy's Grandparents

Alfred Neal (b1850 – d1911) (Arthur Frederick’s Father)

Born on 17 January 1850 at Court 6, Barford Street, Birmingham to Joseph Neale and Eliza Neale (Craythorne). Joseph was a striker, a metalworking occupation. Eliza registered the birth and had to sign with an ‘X’ because she was illiterate. Baptised 20 February 1850 at the Church of St Martin, Birmingham.
Living at Court 29, Cheapside, Aston in 1851 age 1 with father Joseph age 23 a striker and mother Eliza age 21.
Living at 63 Barford Street South, Birmingham in 1861 age 11 a brass founder with father Joseph age 34 a whitesmith, mother Eliza age 31 and sisters Louisa age 8 and Jane age 4.
Married Jane Barnett on 24 April 1870 at St Luke’s Church, Birmingham. Alfred was living at Barford Road South and Jane at Benacre Street at the time. Present as witnesses were James Farrington and Rebecca Main. Alfred had to sign with an ‘X’ because he was illiterate.
Children Harriet (b1871 – d1871), Albert Edward (b1871 – d1922), Alice (b1873 – d1932), Alfred Henry (b1875 – d1878), Ellen (Nellie) (b1878 – d1884), Ellen’s (Nellie’s) twin (b1878 – d at birth), Ada Lucy (b1879 –d1970), Marion Elizabeth (b1881 – d1966), Arthur Frederick (b1883 – d1965), Sarah Jane (b1885 – d1946), George Henry (b1887 – d1962), Beatrice Lavinia (b1889 – d1966)

Living at Court 16 House 6 Wrentham Street, Birmingham in 1871 age 21 with wife Jane age 22. Name shown as ‘Frederick’ but assume this is an enumerator error. Occupation fire iron finisher.
Living at 65 Dymoke Street, Deritend, Birmingham in 1881 age 31 with wife Jane age 32, son Albert Edward age 9 a scholar, and daughters Alice age 7, Ellen age 3 and Ada age 2. He was a whitesmith. A whitesmith is a person who works with "white" or light-colored metals such as tin and pewter. While blacksmiths work mostly with hot metal, whitesmiths do the majority of their work on cold metal (although they might use a forge to shape their raw materials). The term is also applied to metalworkers who do only finishing work - such as filing or polishing - on iron and other "black" metals.

Portrait believed to be of Alfred Neal c 1880.

Living at 1 Court, Lower Dartmouth Street, Aston in 1891 age 40 a general dealer and described as a 'widower' with son Albert E age 19 a brass polisher, daughter Alice age 17 a brass laquerer, daughter Ada age 12 and son George age 4.

He learned to read and write when he was about 55 years old at a school run by the Cadbury family. He lived on Barford Street, Birmingham, like his father, Joseph Neal, and grandfather, Thomas Crathorn. According to his daughter, Ada Meaking, he was kind to his daughters but very hard on his sons. He used to get the children to read out stock market reports from the Morning Post. He had a special pewter plate with a hollow post in the centre into which hot water was poured to keep the meal warm, and he used this exclusively for tripe.

Living at Packhorse Lane, Wythall in 1901 with wife Jane age 52, daughter Jennie (Sarah Jane) age 16 a laundress, son George age 15 an apprentice carpenter, daughter Beatrice age 13 and niece Marion Fereday age 5. Occupation general dealer.
Living at 11 Fraser Road, Greet, Birmingham in 1911 with wife Sarah Jane age 61. Occupation retired general dealer. The census record shows they had been married for 40 years and had 12 children, 4 of who had died.

Died 6 May 1911 at 11 Fraser Road, Greet age 60, although actually age 61, of Cerebral Haemorrhage. Death notified by S J Neal, widow.

Alfred Neal's will as notified in the Probate Register. £358 would be worth £33,000 in 2012.

Jane Barnett (b1848 – d1932) (Arthur Frederick’s Mother)

Illegitimate daughter of Harriet Cox, who later married Isaac Barnett.
Living at Waterside, Stratford on Avon in 1851 age 3 a scholar with mother Harriett age 22, sister Caroline age 1, grandmother Sarah Cox age 50 a char woman and widow, and uncle Charles Cox age 25 a builder's labourer.

As a girl, she hired herself out as a domestic worker, with no days off except Christmas, at the Stratford-on-Avon Mop Fair. The Mop Fair had its origins in the hiring of agricultural and domestic labour, set out some time during the reign of Edward II, when farm workers, labourers, servants and some craftsmen would work for their employer on an annual basis from October to October. At the end of the employment they would attend the Mop Fair dressed in their Sunday best clothes and carrying an item signifying their trade. A servant with no particular skills would carry a mop head – hence the phrase ‘Mop Fair’. Employers would move amongst them discussing experience and terms, once agreement was reached the employer would give the employee a small token of money and the employee would remove the item signifying their trade and wear bright ribbons to indicate they had been hired. They would then spend the token amongst the stalls set-up at the fair which would be selling food and drink and offering games to play.

Living in Robin Hood Lane, Yardley in 1861 age 13, a servant with Elizabeth Chinn, a farmer, and her son William age 6 and daughter Mary age 3.

Married Alfred Neal in 1870 at St Luke’s Church, Birmingham. Alfred was living at Barford Road South and Jane at Benacre Street at the time. Present as witnesses were James Farrington and Rebecca Main. Alfred had to sign with an ‘X’ because he was illiterate.
Children Harriet (b1871 – d1871), Albert Edward (b1871 – d1922), Alice (b1873 – d1932), Alfred Henry (b1875 – d1878), Ellen (Nellie) (b1878 – d1884), Ellen’s (Nellie’s) twin (b1878 – d at birth), Ada Lucy (b1879 –d1970), Marion Elizabeth (b1881 – d1966), Arthur Frederick (b1883 – d1965), Sarah Jane (b1885 – d1946), George Henry (b1887 – d1962), Beatrice Lavinia (b1889 – d1966)

Living at Court 16 House 6 Wrentham Street, Birmingham in 1871 age 22 with husband Alfred age 21 a fire iron finisher. Name shown as ‘Frederick’ but assume this is an enumerator error.
Living at 65 Dymoke Street, Deritend, Birmingham in 1881 age 32 with husband Alfred age 31 a whitesmith, son Albert Edward age 9 a scholar, and daughters Alice age 7, Ellen age 3 and Ada age 2.
Living at Trumans Lane, Kings Norton in 1891 age 42 described as 'wife of head' with daughter Marian age 9 a scholar, son Arthur age 7 a scholar, daughter Jane age 5 a scholar and daughter Beatrice age 2.
Living at Packhorse Lane, Wythall in 1901 age 52 with husband Alfred age 50, a general dealer, daughter Jennie (Sarah Jane) age 16 a laundress, son George age 15 an apprentice carpenter, daughter Beatrice age 13 and niece Marion Fereday age 5.
Living at 11 Fraser Road, Greet, Birmingham in 1911 age 61 with husband Alfred age 60, a retired general dealer. The census record shows they had been married for 40 years and had 12 children, 4 of who had died.

She and Alfred ran a shop, a pub, a canal boat, and prospered sufficiently to buy a row of houses in Fraser Road, Birmingham, later giving some of them to various children. Sometime after Alfred’s death, Jane gave all she had to the children and entered the Alms House, 504 Church Road, Yardley.

     

Jane in 1931.                                                 Jane and family.

Died 13 June 1932 age 83 at Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton of pneumonia and cerebral haemorrage after being knocked down by a cyclist. Home address: 504 Church Road, Yardley. Buried in Yardley cemetery.

Jane Neal's will as notified in the Probate Register. £213 would be worth £11,000 in 2012.

William Roberts (b1863 – d1916) (Lilian Florence’s Father)

Born on 6 May 1863 at Back 150 Darwin Street, Aston to John Roberts and Emma Roberts (late Boswell, formerly Hemmings). John was a Tube Maker Foreman. Baptised 31 May 1863 at the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, Bordesley.
Living at Woodbine Cottage, Darwin Street, Aston in 1871 age 7, a scholar with father John age 50, a tube maker, mother Emma age 51, and brother Thomas age 22, a tube maker.
Living at 57 Dymoke Road, Aston in 1881 age 17, a brass tube drawer with father John age age 60 a brass tube drawer and mother Emma age 61.
Married Louise Walton on 18 August 1884 at St Paul’s Church, Aston. William was 21 and a Tube Maker, Louise was 25. Both were living at Alma Street, Aston. Present as witnesses were J Roberts and N Walton.
Children Violet Daisy Louise (b1885 – d1974) and Lilian Florence (b 1889 – d1976)
Living at 5 Lovers Walk, Aston in 1891 age 28 with wife Louise, age 32, and daughters Violet age 6, a scholar, and Lilian age 1. Occupation Case Tube Maker.
Living at 5 Lovers Walk, Aston in 1901 age 37 with wife Louise, age 42, and daughters Violet age 16, a warehouse worker, and Lilian age 11. Occupation Case Tube Maker.
Living at 1 Foundry Lane, Smethwick in 1911 age 47 with wife Louise, age 48, and daughter Lilian age 21. Occupation Grocer, with wife and daughter assisting in the business. Married 26 years with two children.
Died 19 August 1916 age 53 of heart disease at 1 Foundry Lane, Smethwick. Death notified by L Roberts, widow.

Louisa Walton (b1854 – d1933) (Lilian Florence’s Mother)

Born on 18 March 1854 at Geach Street, Birmingham to Charles Walton and Maria Walton (Miller). Charles was a cabinet maker.
Living at Geach Street, Birmingham in 1861 age 7 with father Charles age 37 a cabinet and chair maker, mother Maria age 27, and brothers Alfred age 4 and Oliver age 1.
Living at 151 Alma Street, Aston in 1881 age 26, a vest maker, with father Charles age 56 a cabinet maker, mother Maria age 48, brothers Alfred age 24, Oliver age 21 and Alban age 19, sisters Kate age 14 and Florence age 12, and brothers William age 7 and Henry age 4.
Married William Roberts on 18 August 1884 at St Paul’s Church, Aston. William was 21 and a Tube Maker, Louise was 25. Both were living at Alma Street, Aston, Present as witnesses were J Roberts and N Walton.
Children Violet Daisy Louise (b1885 – d1974) and Lilian Florence (b 1889 – d1976)
Living at 5 Lovers Walk, Aston in 1891 age 32 with husband William, age 28, and daughters Violet age 6, a scholar, and Lilian age 1.
Living at 5 Lovers Walk, Aston in 1901 age 42 with husband William, age 37, and daughters Violet age 16, a warehouse worker, and Lilian age 11.
Living at 1 Foundry Lane, Smethwick in 1911 age 48 with husband William, age 47, and daughter Lilian age 21. Married 26 years with two children.

Louise with daughter Lilian at Sparkbrook in 1927.

Died 6 December 1933 age 78 from enteritis and heart failure at 98 Onibury Road, Handsworth. Death notified by Violet McEwan, daughter.

Louise Roberts's will as notified in the Probate Register. £826 would be worth £45,000 in 2012.

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