LOVATT Sheffield area late 1800s onwards

[jgosling]

Hi,

I'm just getting started on my family tree, but have come across a missing piece in the jigsaw that no-one really knows anything about because in the old days people didn't talk about things!

My great grandfather George LOVATT (born c.1868) married/got together with a Clara SMART (first married name)/GLADWIN (Maiden name) who was born around 1880.  I can't work out what happened to her first husband Joseph SMART (they were born and bred in Eckington, Derbyshire) that she ended up marrying George.  George and Clara must have come together between 1906-1910 as Clara had two children from her first marriage, and then they had two girls called Nellie and Annie in 1910 and 1912 before then moving to Greater Manchester and having three more children.  One of their children (my Grandad) apparently took my Dad to see some step-siblings in Sheffield around 1970 ish, so we believe George Lovatt had also been married before.  The only other clue we have is that one of these step-siblings had a dance & drama school in Sheffield that used to perform at the City Hall.  That's all the info we have, can't find any marriage certificate for George and Clara, and the two possible birth certificates for a George LOVATT are Stoke on Trent and Newcastle Under Lyme, which may or may not be him.  We're stumped.  There's hardly anyone left on that side of the family that we know that we can ask.  Any help gratefully received!

[maddys52]

Hello jgosling and welcome to RootsChat.

Just to narrow things down a little, and clarify a few things:

Clara GLADWIN (dau of Charles), married Joseph SMART (son of Isaac) on 26 June 1902 at Barlborough.
It appears they had the following children:
Dec qtr 1903  Elsie  (Chesterfield 7b/842)  mmn GLADWIN
Dec qtr 1905  Frances (Worksop 7b/52) mmn GLADWIN
Sep qtr 1908  Harold   (Chesterfield 7b/871) mmn GLADWIN (died Jun qtr 1910, Chesterfield 7b/401, aged 2)

Elsie and Frances are with their grandparents Charles and Clara GLADWIN in 1911 at Eckington

I can't see George and Clara in 1911 - do you have them in the census?

Clara LOVATT (SMART crossed out) is on the 1939 register - we're not allowed to post details of the register. 

So, presumably something happened to Joseph SMART between 1908 and late 1909 as Nellie was born Mar qtr 1910. 

There is a death for a Joseph SMART aged 23 registered at Wigan Dec qtr 1908 (8c/14) - a bit young and a fair way from Eckington, but a possiblity?

Also, it is possible son Harold was also with the grandparents until he died in June qtr 1910, as Clara must have been in Sheffield in Mar qtr 1910 giving birth to Nellie. (Be interesting to see who was the informant on the death certificate.) 

[jgosling]

Wow, that's amazing and fast work!

It was on the 1939 census that I discovered the 'Smart' connection, which was how I got back to find out about Joseph and then subsequently discovered the two girls Elsie and Frances on their Grandparents census in 1911.  I didn't know there was a third child called Harold, so that's interesting.

I can't find anything about George and Clara's whereabouts in 1911, when they were clearly together and producing children.  It's a mystery what happened to Joseph.  I'm assuming he died seeing as the maternal grandparents are housing the children, unless there was some kind of dramatic bust up that separated Clara and Joseph and the grandparents insisted on taking the children.  I've imagined all kinds of scenarios in my head!  I wondered if he'd been in a mining accident perhaps, but surely then he'd have a death certificate.

I've found who I think Elsie and Frances got married to later on, though there doesn't appear to be many children from them (Frances had a daughter called Margaret).

Thanks for your help and discovering Harold 

[maddys52]

Doesn't help with finding Joseph or George and Clara, however possibly of interest:

"ECKINGTON PETTY SESSSIONS
MONDAY - before Ald. J.F. Swallow and
Major L. Butler Bowdon ...
   BARLBRO'. - On Licensed Premises after
Hours - Charles Gladwin and James Hewitt,
moulders, Emmett Carr, Renishaw, were sum-
moned for being on licensed premises at Barlbro'
during prohibited hours, on the 29th May. - P.c.
Aves said on the date in question about 11.15 a.m.,
he saw the two defendants in the Pebley Inn,
Barlbro'. - The landlord stated that the men told
him that they came from Eckington. The defend-
ants had been served with beer. - Fined 1s and
costs each."

   Saturday,  June 18, 1898, Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald

[jgosling]

That's hilarious, thank you 

Is there somewhere online where you can search local newspapers like this?

[jgosling]

I just found a newspaper archives site which allowed me three free views.  I did a search for Joseph Smart and it seems he was a bit of a bad apple, he was done for drunk and disorderly behaviour, and Clara took him to court because he wasn't providing a family home or maintenance.  The outcome was the court granted a separation order.  So that's some of the mystery solved!

[maddys52]

That's a great find, newspapers can be a great source for finding more about our ancestors. I had a look in newspapers I have access to but didn't see those articles you found - excellent.

I use British Library Newspapers which I access free on-line through my Library Card, not sure where you are, but your local library may have a similar arrangement.

Will keep looking for George and Clara (and Nellie) in 1911, presumably they must be in Sheffield somewhere! It sounds  like they did not marry, certainly not straight away as Clara's husband was likely still alive. It would be interesting to get Nellie's birth certificate to find out what address, and George's occupation.