Sarah Ann Ellis was the seventh child of Susannah Thorpe & Humphrey Ellis christened January 25th, 1847 at Tibshelf, Derbyshire.
In 1851 Sarah Ann & her parents were living at Tibshelf where her father was a cotton framework knitter. She had 2 brothers & 3 sisters at home.
Sarah Ann was the oldest child still at home in 1861 & she had a younger brother & sister. The family were still at Tibshelf & her father was now a coal agent.
In 1867 Sarah Ann married Samuel Dobbs at the Register Office, Belper, Derbyshire. Samuel was born in 1828 in Blackwell, the son of Jane & George Dobbs, a framework knitter. Samuel was a widower having been married previously to Sarah Clay, with whom he had 1 daughter & 4 sons. This Sarah died in 1865.
In 1871 Sarah Ann, listed as Ann, & Samuel were living at the George & Dragon, Blackwell where Samuel was the innkeeper. With them were Samuel’s children, Mary, Samuel, Edmund & Arthur. Sarah & Samuel now had 4 children of their own – Charles (3), Emma (2), Clara (1) & Albert (8 months). They were to have another child, Sarah, later that year.
Samuel died in 1872 at Blackwell, aged 44 & was buried December 1st, 1872 at St Werburgh, Blackwell.
The children of Sarah Ann Ellis & Samuel Dobbs were:
el.6.4.7.1 Charles Dobb(s) christened May 31st, 1867 at Blackwell
el.6.4.7.2 Emma Dobbs christened May 31st, 1868 at Blackwell; buried March 28th, 1873 at St Werburgh, Blackwell
el.6.4.7.3 Clara Dobbs christened August 8th, 1869 at Blackwell; died at 160 Main St, Newton, Blackwell & buried December 29th, 1945 in S. Normanton
el.6.4.7.4 Albert Dobbs christened August 21st, 1870 at Blackwell; died at Main St, Blackwell & buried June 14th, 1919 in Blackwell
el.6.4.7.5 Sarah Dobbs christened October 29th, 1871 at Blackwell; buried February 27th, 1872 at St Werburgh, Blackwell
Sarah Ann married for the second time on December 24th, 1873 at St Werburgh, Blackwell. Her husband was Garman Gascoigne, a private with the 52nd Oxfordshire Regiment who was in Malta in 1871. At the time of their wedding he gave his occupation as collier and no father’s name was given. Witnesses at the wedding were John Ellis & Mary Mowbray. Garman was born on March 8th, 1846 & christened June 16th, 1846, at South Normanton, Derbyshire, the son of Sophia Gaskin, single woman.
In 1877 Sarah Ann was a witness at the wedding of her niece Eliza Ellis [el.6.4.1.2] to Joseph Sanders.
Garman, a publican, died on October 22nd, 1878 & was buried on October 25th at St Werburgh, Blackwell. Administration of his estate was granted to widow Sarah Ann & his effects were under £50.
The children of Sarah Ann Dobbs (nee Ellis) & Garman Gascoigne were:
el.6.4.7.6 Lily Gascoigne born June 17th, 1874 at Newton & christened October 18th, 1874 at Blackwell; died at 3 Haddon St, Blackwell & buried March 4th, 1933 at Tibshelf
el.6.4.7.7 Ada Gascoigne born June 22nd, 1876 at Newton & christened July 23rd, 1876 at Blackwell; died at 12 West View, Tibshelf & buried March 9th, 1954 at Blackwell
Sarah Ann married again on December 25th, 1879 at St Werbergh, Blackwell to George Riley. George was born in 1856 at Blackwell, the son of Hannah & Thomas Riley, a labourer. Witnesses at the wedding were Emma & James Bacon. Sarah Ann was described as a publican on the marriage certificate & George was a collier.
In 1881 Sarah & George were living at Newton Green, Blackwell & George was a coal miner. With them were Charles Dobbs, a coal miner, Clara & Albert Dobbs, 6 year old Lily Gascoigne & 4 year old Ada Gascoigne. Sarah & George had a 9 month old son, George Riley.
Daughter Clara Dobbs married Joseph Renshaw on Christmas day 1888 in Blackwell. Sadly Joseph was killed in 1895 in an explosion in Blackwell coal mine leaving Clara with 3 children. Widowed Clara married again in 1908. Her second husband was widower Albert Beal, a farmer.
Sarah & George were living at Hollow Lane, Blackwell in 1891 & George was still a coal miner. Children at home were George, William (8), Walter (5), Thomas (2). Also with them were Sarah’s sons Charles & Albert Dobbs, both coal miners, & her daughter Ada Gascoigne.
Son Charles Dobbs was to marry his cousin Sarah Ann Nix on March 13th, 1892 at Blackwell. Sarah Ann was the daughter of Elizabeth Ellis [el.6.4.5] & Emery Nix.
Son Charles Dobbs was to marry his cousin Sarah Ann Nix on March 13th, 1892 at Blackwell. Sarah Ann was the daughter of Elizabeth Ellis [el.6.4.5] & Emery Nix.
Daughter Lily married William Sparrow, a coal miner, in 1894 in Blackwell.
In 1901 Sarah & George were living in Newton, Blackwell & with them were Albert Dobbs, coal miner, Ada Gascoigne & Thomas Riley. George was a coal miner hewer. Sons George, William & Walter were all working as draper’s assistants for Joseph Goodacre, draper, in Lower Somercotes, Alfreton, Derbyshire.
Daughter Ada Gascoigne married Thomas Bembridge on June 29th, 1904 at Blackwell & step-father George Riley was one of the witnesses.
Sarah Ann died in 1910, aged 64, & was buried on January 4th, 1910 at Blackwell.
Son George Riley, a draper’s assistant, married Lucy Clay in 1910 in Blackwell & in 1911 they were living in Mansfield Woodhouse with Lucy’s widowed father & 2 of her sisters.
Widowed George was still living in Newton in 1911 & now working as a colliery horse keeper below ground. With him were Albert Dobbs, coal miner, Walter Riley, colliery banksman & Thomas Riley who was described as an imbecile. They had a 16 year old servant, Elsie Sparrow who was the child of George’s step-daughter Lily Gascoigne & her husband William Sparrow. Son William Riley was visiting Samuel Ellis [el.6.4.4.1] in 1911 & he was to marry Samuel’s daughter Mary Ellis later in 1911. In 1939 William & Mary were living in the Hight St, Tibshelf where William was a draper’s assistant.
Son Walter was to marry another of Samuel's daughters, Elizabeth Ellen Ellis [el.6.4.4.1.4], in 1914 at St Werburgh, Blackwell.
George died on February 18th, 1929 at Hollow Lane, Newton. Probate was granted to sons George & William Riley, drapers & his effects were £299.10s.
The children of Sarah Ann Gascoigne (nee Ellis) & George Riley were:
el.6.4.7.8 George Riley born May 26th, 1880 at Blackwell
el.6.4.7.9 William Riley born March 12th, 1883 at Blackwell; died at 6 High St, Tibshelf & buried May 15th, 1947 at Tibshelf
el.6.4.7.10 Walter Riley born April 28th, 1885 at Blackwell
el.6.4.7.11 Thomas Riley born Oct-December 1888 at Blackwell; died at Hollow Lane, Newton & buried July 29th, 1922 at Blackwell
el.6.4.7.12 Clarice Eveline Riley born April-June 1890 at Blackwell; buried March 21st, 1891 at St Werburgh, Blackwell