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 The
photo here on the left is of my Grandmother Ellen Chesworth nee Jackson nee
Fairhurst and from left to right her children Ruth , Harry, and my Mother
Margaret, taken in 1910 outside their home on Doncaster Road.
Ellen's story is fairly
typical of a working class woman of the period, so I will use the story as
a portrayal of that time, and also the story of my Mother. The story also
depicts the sadness and hardship women and children endured, less than 100
years ago.
The women were often
dominated by their husbands, and at the turn of the 20th century still had
not been given the right to vote at an election. Tragic deaths , hunger, and
poverty were constant companions. Making ends meet was not just a saying it
was a very real way of life.
Women back then were
great improvisers , making clothes, making meals out of sparse supplies,
keeping clean in an atmosphere of grime and soot, and managing the household
budget amongst a great many other things. Despite the hardship, the
workload, the grimy surroundings, and the heartbreaks the spirit of these
women was indomitable. |
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Ellen Fairhurst, was
born 1876 in Wigan Lancashire she was the daughter of William Fairhurst a
coalminer and Margaret Fairhurst nee Pendlebury, in 1881the family consisted
of
William FAIRHURST Head M Male 34 Ashton, Lancashire, England Coal Miner
Margaret FAIRHURST Wife M Female 28 Wigan, Lancashire, England
Mary Jane FAIRHURST Daur Female 7 Wigan, Lancashire, England Scholar
Ellen FAIRHURST Daur Female 4 Wigan, Lancashire, England Scholar
In 1881 Elizabeth Fairhurst, was born followed by Alice Fairhurst, born
1885, Ruth Fairhurst, born 1888, Henry Fairhurst, born 1890, and Bertha
Fairhurst, born 1894 who married Issiah Boone and emigrated to America
Ellen married a Thomas Jackson whom it is presumed died in a Mining
accident.
By 1903 Ellen was a widow living at Wigan Road Leigh with her son William
Jackson, living across the road at no. 69 at that time was John Chesworth
from Prescot Lancashire who had lost his first wife due to childbirth
complications. Ellen and John struck up an acquaintanceship and were married
on the 25th November 1903, at the Congregational Church Leigh Lancashire.
Two Children were born whilst they were in Leigh. Margaret Jane Chesworth,
born 5th August 1905 in Leigh Lancashire; died 25th February 1997 in
Rotherham Yorkshire England; married Isaac Doxey. Ruth Chesworth, born
December 1906 in Leigh Lancashire; died 9th November 1916 in Rotherham
Hospital. Ruth Chesworth died of Appendicitis and Operational shock . In
1906 Ellen and John were living at 33, Selwyn Street Rotherham, by 1908 they
were living at 1, Doncaster Road Dalton .
During this period at Dalton John and Ellen sold confectionery from the
back door of their home, and also became the first people in Dalton to sell
hot chips, which made them the first Chip Shop in the Village. Apparently
the chips were served through the front window of the house. 1910 found the
couple living at 30, Doncaster Road Rotherham Both Ellen and John had a
tragic history but fate was yet to deal several more tragic losses, in their
life's. Three more children were born to John and Ellen, a fourth child died
in miscarriage.
Albert Chesworth, born 2 December 1908 in 1, Doncaster Road Rotherham South
Yorkshire; died 18 December 1909 in 1, Doncaster Road Rotherham South
Yorkshire from Marasmus and Pneumonia
Harry Chesworth, born 30 July 1910 in 30, Doncaster Road Rotherham South
Yorkshire; died 21 December 1993 in Rotherham General Hospital; married
Lillian Doxey 23 February 1935.
Bertha Chesworth, born March 1913; died 5 January 1917 in Rotherham Hospital
South Yorkshire. Bertha Chesworth died from burns received after trying to
light a candle from the fire, whereupon her nightdress caught alight. She
was taken to Rotherham Hospital and died there.
Ellen Fairhurst Chesworth died 2/3/1914 at the age of 38 from parturition
miscarriage 4 months and 10 days haemorrhage and anaemia. Today of course
deaths like this or not as likely to occur, but such deaths whilst carrying
a child and in actual childbirth back then were fairly commonplace.
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Shortly after the death of her Mother, Margaret
returned home from School one afternoon to be confronted with her Father.
" Margaret that's it, you won't be going to School
anymore you will stay home and look after things. "So at the age of 9 with
the sad loss of her Mother to bear Margaret Jane Chesworth was then faced
with the daunting task of looking after her father, brother Harry, and also
her half brother William Jackson.
Around the age of twelve Margaret was sent to work in service as a maid, at
Birkenhead Liverpool. This was occasioned by her Father marrying for the
third time and reading between the lines from stories Margaret used to
relate, it seems that Johns third wife wanted Margaret removed from the
household. Perhaps she saw Margaret as a threat. Perhaps Margaret resented
her role being taken from her and this resentment showed to the extent that
it portrayed a real threat to her future Step Mother. Perhaps the new Step
Mother did not want to share the household with a very determined young girl
who was capable of looking after a Family.
At Birkenhead Margaret was employed by the Baxter family, she soon became
cook to the household. This move also placed Margaret in the same location
as her half brothers and sisters from her Dads first marriage, and perhaps
her Father had approached his first wife's family with a view to finding his
daughter a position. Later on in life Margaret would often fondly recall
those days working for the Baxter's.
Upon her return to Rotherham Margaret was employed by a local family as a
servant, and one of her duties was to take an old lady in a wheelchair for a
walk. One day on one of the walks Margaret had an accident and slipped
falling backwards, as she fell the wheelchair and its occupant overturned
and landed on Margaret's legs. She was not sent to a doctor nor was she
given any treatment, the result being a lifetime of swellings and pain on
her legs.
Sometime around 1936 Margaret was asked to take care of her brother Harry's
brother in Law * Isaac Doxey and his family, as Isaac had just lost his
wife. Margaret and Isaac were later married and they had five children. We
were to enjoy the benefits of the cooking skills our Mother had learned in
her time with the Baxter's. Often she would say " Rich people don't eat as
much in one meal as you do. "
Margaret used to make toffee and also would make toffee apples, and during
the time she lived at School Street she would sell toffee apples to the
neighbours.
Although her education was poor by today's standards and Margaret finished
her Schooling close to ten years of age, it was said by those that knew her
she was a very intelligent woman . Her pastimes were Knitting, reading,
writing letters, solving cryptic crosswords, the latter she continued doing,
even days before her death at the age of 92.
One of the fondest memories I have of my Mother, is when she visited me here
in Australia for six months, I took her to a gold mining town called Hill
End in the back of beyond for a week end. There she was at the age of 74
paddling in a stream, gold pan in hand panning for gold with all the
enthusiasm of a ten year old, and a happy smile on her face. I was proud I
gave her that moment.
* Brother and Sister married Brother and Sister.
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