Hannah Ellis was the fifth child of John Ellis & Elizabeth Watson born at Canal Houses & christened November 11th, 1832 at Pinxton, Derbyshire.
In 1841 Hannah & her 3 sisters & parents were living in Pinxton where their father John was a coal miner.
In 1851 Hannah was living with her parents & 2 sisters & 2 brothers at Greenwich, Ripley, Derbyshire. Hannah was working at a candlewick manufacturers.
Hannah married John Frost, a foundryman, on May 30th, 1853 at Christ Church, Bridge Hill, Belper. Witnesses at the wedding were Paul Anthony & Priscilla Martin. John was born June 15th,1835 at Turnditch, Derbyshire & christened July 22nd, 1835 at Primitive Methodist Church, Belper, Derbyshire, the son of Eliza & Sampson Frost, an agricultural labourer.
In 1861 Hannah & John were living at Summerfield, Ripley, Derbyshire & John was a pipe moulder. Living with them was John’s brother George Frost, aged 14, also a pipe moulder.
By 1871 they were living at Cromford Rd, Ripley & John was now described as an iron moulder.
They continued to live at Cromford Rd but in 1881 John was now working as a farm labourer. Living next door was John’s brother George & wife Emma & their family.
In 1891 Hannah & John were living at South Place, Ripley & John was described as an agricultural labourer. John’s father Sampson, aged 77, was living with them & also described as an agricultural labourer.
In 1901 John & Hannah were at Albert Rd, Ripley & John was still an agricultural labourer. They appear not to have had any children. Living next door however was John’s brother George & his large family.
Hannah died on April 26th, 1903, aged 69, at Ripley.
In 1911 widowed John was still at Albert Rd & was now an old age pensioner. Living with him was niece Harriet Hunt (50) & two children, Elsie Hunt (14) & Arthur Hunt (2) who were listed as niece & nephew. There was also a boarder, Percy Herring (19), who was a grocers assistant.
John, aged 90, died in April 1926 registered at Albert Rd, Ripley, the home of his nephew, Mr G Hunt. An article in the Ripley & Heanor News & Ilkeston Division Free Press of April 16th, 1926 described John as one of the oldest inhabitants of Ripley. He had moved to Ripley with his parents at the age of 8 & could remember many of the families & changes that had taken place there over 80 years. He was described as an interesting conversationalist & his knowledge of birds & their habits was extensive. He began work at High Holborn Colliery, then became a pipe moulder, before moving on to work as striker for a smithy at the Butterley works. John, who turned the scales at 23 stone, then became a tenant at Holly Bush Farm & he was noted as an expert gardener. John was buried at Ripley Cemetery.