Sarah Ann Ellis was the first child of John Thorpe Ellis & Ann Mills born April-June 1858 at Blackwell, Derbyshire.
In 1861 Sarah Ann & her parents & younger sister Eliza were living at New Row, Coppull, Lancs.
By 1871 Sarah Ann, her parents & younger sister & brother had moved to Tibshelf, Nottinghamshire & were living at the Cottage. A 1 year old niece was visiting, Sarah A Nix, born at Tibshelf.
On July 4th 1875 Sarah Ann, aged 17, married Frederick Dickens, an 18 year old miner, at St John the Baptist, Tibshelf. Witnesses at the wedding were William Ellis, Sarah Ann’s uncle & his future wife, Elizabeth Smith. Frederick (Dicken) was born April-June 1858 at Wednesfield Heath, nr Wolverhampton, Staffs, the son of Mary & James Dicken, a coal miner.
In 1881 Sarah Ann & Frederick were living next door to Sarah Ann’s parents at Hoyland, Hoyland Nether, Yorks. Frederick was a coal miner & he & Sarah Ann had 3 children – Mary (5), Jno James (3) & Frederick (1).
By 1891 Sarah Ann & Frederick (Dickinson in census) had moved to Church St, Elsecar, Hoyland Nether & Frederick was still working as a coal miner. There were 4 children at home – James, now a coal miner at the age of 13, Frederick, Eliza (7) & Edith (4).
In 1895 daughter Mary married Harry Walter Steer in Barnsley. The 1901 census shows Mary & husband Harry, a colliery blacksmith, living at Hoyland Nether, Elsecar with their 2 young daughters & visiting was Mary’s sister Eliza. Harry was a prominent member of the Wesleyan Reform Church for over 50 years during which time he fulfilled many duties.
Son John James married Martha Sellars on June 12th, 1900 at Holy Trinity, Elsecar, Barnsley. John James worked as a miner in Elsecar & in 1933 sustained a stomach injury caused by a strain, after which time he could no longer work & received compensation. He died at home in 1936. (Penistone, Stockbridge & Hoyland Express, June 27th, 1936) A memorial service was held for him at the Wesleyan Reform Church in Elsecar in July 1936. It was noted at this time that his father Frederick was President of the Wesleyan Reform Church.
The family were still at Elsecar in 1901 & were now living at St Helens St & Frederick continued to work as a coal hewer. At home were Edith, Walter (8), Alfred (6) & son Frederick, also a coal hewer, & his wife Clara. (Clara Taylor & Frederick had married on June 20th,1898 at Wath upon Dearne. Frederick enlisted in January 1915 & served with the York & Lancaster Regiment during WW1 but sadly, due to gunshot wounds received during action he died on December 4th, 1915 in France. His wife Clara’s address was given as 47 St Helens St, Elsecar & she was awarded 21shillings a week pension to support herself & her 2 children, Hilda & Willie.)
On November 26th 1901 daughter Eliza married George Widdison, a miner, at Holy Trinity, Elsecar. A witness at the wedding was John Charles Dimmock. This could be Eliza’s cousin, the son of Sarah Ann’s sister, Eliza Ellis and her husband John Dimmock. Eliza & George were living in Hoyland Nether in 1939 with son Kenneth & George was a colliery worker.
Daughter Edith emigrated to the US in 1907. It was noted that she was travelling with Mr & Mrs Simpson. Edith married Clifford Simpson on November 2nd, 1907 in Manhattan, New York. Clifford was the son of Sarah Downs & William Simpson born in 1882. The 1910 US census shows Edith & Clifford, a carpenter, living in Fairfield, Connecticut with a 10 month old son, Arthur F. Edith, Clifford, son Arthur Frank & daughter Elsie (3 months) were recorded travelling from Liverpool to New York in 1911 with their final destination being Bridgeport, Connecticut. They had been visiting Clifford’s sister, Mrs G Garner, in Bradford. (Clifford had visited his brother Arthur Simpson living in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1906.) Edith returned to England in 1915 with daughter Elsie & another daughter Gladys (2) & their intended address was 155 St Helens St, Barnsley, the home of her parents.
Sarah Ann & Frederick were still at 155 St Helens St in 1911 & there were 2 children still at home – Walter & Alfred, both labourers below ground at the colliery. Sarah Ann’s mother, Ann Ellis, was living with them at the time of the census. It was noted on the census that Sarah Ann & Frederick had had 10 children, only 7 of whom were still living.
Son Walter married May Steeples on July 22nd, 1913 at St Peter’s, Hoyland, Yorks. On Christmas day 1913 son Alfred married Phoebe Lee at Wombwell.
Sarah Ann died at 155 St Helens St, Elsecar in 1925, aged 66 & was buried on March 31st 1925 at Holy Trinity, Elsecar.
Frederick died on April 27th, 1937, aged 79, at 155 St Helens St, Elsecar, Barnsley. After a service at the Wesleyan reform church he was buried in Elsecar Cemetery.
The children of Sarah Ann Ellis & Frederick Dickens were:
el.6.4.2.1.1 Mary Dickens born Jan-March 1876 at Newton, Derbyshire; buried June 9th, 1925 at Elsecar, Yorks
el.6.4.2.1.2 John James Ellis Dickens born Oct-December 1877 at Newton, Derbyshire; died June 20th, 1936 at 11 Ezenezer Place, Church St, Elsecar, Barnsley, Yorks
el.6.4.2.1.3. Frederick Dicke(i)ns born Jan-March 1880 in Jump, West Yorks; died December 4th, 1915 in France
el.6.4.2.1.4 Samuel Dickins born Jan-March 1882 at Elsecar, West Yorks; buried January 25th, 1883 in Elsecar
el.6.4.2.1.5 Eliza Dicke(i)ns born December 20th, 1883 at Elsecar, West Yorks; died Jan-March 1953 at Rotherham, Yorks
el.6.4.2.1.6 Edith Dicke(i)ns born April-June 1887 at Elsecar, West Yorks
el.6.4.2.1.7 Charles Dickens born July-September 1889 at Elsecar, West Yorks; buried December 17th, 1890 at Elsecar
el.6.4.2.1.8 Walter Dickens born November 13th, 1892 at Elsecar, West Yorks; died April-June 1971 at Barnsley, Yorks
el.6.4.2.1.9 Alfred Dickens born December 14th, 1894 at Elsecar, West Yorks; died December 29th, 1959 at Royal Hospital, Sheffield
el.6.4.2.1.10 David Dickens born August 13th, 1900 at Elsecar, West Yorks; buried August 30th, 1900 at Elsecar