Oh, please forgive me, those of you who have been accessing and posting on this site for a number of years. I seem to type out my message and then, getting my fingers in a twist, lose everything from the screen. It might be that, by some quirk of fate, my messages have got through - I doubt it, though. So here goes, for the third time!
Dennwood - and I'm only saying that because, to all intents and purposes, you have been active or posting at the most recent date. Please accept my apologies if you are unable to help.
Someone on the site was asking about a marriage of Henry Deakin and Sarah Hudson - my great great grandfather and grandmother. I have a copy of their marriage certificate in my possession.
Henry was one of the deputies killed on 2nd October 1886 at the Pope and Pearson Colliery (Silkstone Seam) in Altofts, West Yorkshire. My grandfather, Alfred, was one of the son's of Henry
and Sarah, and my late mother, Lily, along with Clarence, George and Mary (all deceased) were
Alfred's children with Hannah Maria Brain whom he married on 25th December 1899 in St Mary Magdalene Church, Church Road, Altofts.
Henry and Sarah Hudson were married on 18th October 1857 at The Parish Church, in the Parish of
Eyton (could be Eyton on the Weald Moor) in the County of Salop (and old name for Shropshire).
Both were unmarried at the time and living in Trench (don't know where that is). Meshech Deakin was Henry's father, a collier, and Jeremiah Hudson was the father of Sarah, also a collier.
The curate was R G Mead, and witnesses were John Newman and Ann Owen. Henry signed and
Sarah added her mark.
I have some other information about the tragedy from another relative, Clare, whose grandmother was Elizabeth Bednall (nee Deakin) and my grandfather's sister.
Also of interest, might be something relative to the Hudson family. There was a murderer called John George Haigh who, according to my late mother, lived in Pope Street (yes, the Pope Street named after the owners of Pope and Pearson Colliery, and there is a Pearson Street in the village)
in Altofts. Sarah Deakin, nee Hudson was, I believe, a relative of Haigh as his mother was a Hudson prior to her marriage to Haigh.
Haigh was convicted of the murder of Olivia Durand-Deacon, although he did confess later to having murdered another 8!! He had been very bright as a boy, attending Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, a chorister at the Cathedral there and an organ scholar.
I have some other information and press cuttings about him, too.
I also have information about Teddy Deakin (stage name of Horace Bednall). He appeared with Margaret Lockwood and Billy Dainty, to name but two well-known celebrities, and he was also a
dancer, pianist, musical director and Pantomime Dame!!
If you are able, by whatever means, to forward on some of this information, that would be very
kind. I also give permission for you to divulge my email details so that any interested parties
can make contact.
I live in the village of Altofts, with Michael, my 67 year old husband (I'm 73 next month) and our two Yellow Labrador dogs, Poppy and Magnus. The colliery site was just down the road - perhaps about half a mile or a little more. I am happy to try to answer queries or do some investigations on behalf of interested parties, should they so wish.
I'm hoping that, this time, I don't get my fingers in a knot and that this email will be read.
