Humphrey Ellis was the fourth child of John Ellis & Sarah Reynolds christened February 20th, 1810 at Tibshelf, Derbyshire.
Humphrey married Susannah Thorpe on December 3rd, 1832 at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire. Witnesses at the wedding were Isaac Thorpe & William Buck. Susannah was christened January 24th, 1813 at St James, Papplewick, Nottinghamshire, the daughter of Catharine & Thomas Thorpe, a tailor.
After the birth of 2 sons Humphrey & Susannah had twin girls, Sarah & Catherine in 1837 but sadly Sarah died aged just 3.
A tragedy occurred in the family as reported in the Nottingham Review for Midland Counties of May 3rd, 1839. On April 10th, 1839 mother Susannah left the house to get some water which was about 60 yards away to wash her mop. She told her young son, Charles aged 6, to take care of the 3 children in the house until she returned. On her return she was met by one of the younger children who told her ‘Charley’s pinafore was on fire’. When she got back to the house her neighbour, Sarah Baker, was putting out the fire. Charley was badly burned and taken to the General Hospital. Susannah stated that he was very fond of getting close to the fire & she repeatedly flogged him for it. Charley died as the result of his severe burns & a verdict of accidental death was recorded.
In 1841 Humphrey & Susannah were living at Hucknall Torkard, Notts where Humphrey was a cotton sto…(stocking?) maker. They had 3 children alive at this time– John (5), Catherine (3) & Elizabeth (2 weeks).
By 1847 they had moved to Tibshelf, Notts. In the 1851 census Humphrey was described as a cotton framework knitter. Son John was a coal miner at the age of 15 & Catherine, just 13, was also a cotton framework knitter. Elizabeth was still at home & they now had 3 more children – Charles (7), Sarah Ann (4) & Emma (9 months).
Humphrey & Susannah were still living at Tibshelf in 1861 & Humphrey was now a coal agent. Children living at home were Sarah A, Emma & a new arrival William (5). Daughter Catherine, now married to James Ashmore, was visiting at the time of the census with her children Samuel Ellis (3), Joseph Ashmore(1) & Sarah A Ashmore (2 months). Daughter Elizabeth was working as a servant for John Sampson & family, a farmer & nurseryman at Ashover, Pilsley, Derbyshire.
Daughter Elizabeth married Emery Nix on August 10th, 1863 at St Lawrence, North Wingfield. They had a daughter Sarah A Nix in 1869 who was living with her uncle John Thorpe Ellis at the time of the 1871 census. Elizabeth was working as a servant for William Sampson & family, a farmer & publican, in Tibshelf at this time. She was listed as married but the whereabouts of Emery are unknown.
(It appears that Emery Nix was a ‘bad egg’. He was reported in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of June 15th, 1874 as being held by the Clay Cross Police on a charge of having stolen a quantity of bacon from the Three Horseshoes at Pilsley. He was described as an old offender of Pilsley who had appeared before the bench on a number of occasions for stealing & being drunk & had only been released from custody a fortnight before. He appears to have continued to be caught stealing a number of times, & in 1883 he was charged with sleeping at the Pilsley Colliery Company’s works for which he received 14 days imprisonment. In May 1885 Emery was again in trouble, this time for stealing a fowl, & after noting that there were 11 convictions against him he was sent to Derby for 2 months with hard labour. Not having learned his lesson, Emery was again caught stealing a fowl & this time received a sentence of 6 months imprisonment with hard labour in 1886. There is a death for Emery Nix in the Chesterfield Workhouse in 1887.)
By the time of the 1871 census Humphrey had become a coal banksman & he & Susannah were still living at Tibshelf. Son William was still at home & now a coal miner at the age of 15. They had a general servant Mary Simmonds, aged 13. A banksman at the colliery draws the full tubs from the cages at the surface, and replaces them with empty ones. After weighing the coal, he tranfers it to the screens. It is also his responsibility to keep an account of the quantity of coals and stones drawn each day.
Susannah died in 1876, aged 63, at Newton, Blackwell & was buried on July 4th, 1876 at Tibshelf.
Humphrey died in 1878, aged 68, at Newton, Blackwell & was buried on September 22nd at Tibshelf, Derbyshire
The children of Humphrey Ellis & Susannah Thorpe were:
el.6.4.1. Charles Ellis christened May 12th, 1833 at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Notts; died April 26th, 1839 at General Hospital, Nottingham
el.6.4.2 John Thorpe Ellis christened July 8th, 1835 at Hucknall Torkard, Notts; died August 4th, 1896 at Newton, Blackwell & buried August 8th at Tibshelf, Derbyshire
el. 6.4.3 Sarah Ellis born October 30th, 1837 & christened May 17th, 1841 at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Notts; died May 15th, 1841 at Hucknall Torkard
el.6.4.4 Catherine Ellis born October 30th, 1837 & christened May 17th, 1841 at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Notts; died Oct-December 1886 at Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts
el.6.4.5 Elizabeth Ellis born April 7th 1841 & christened May 17th, 1841 at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Notts
el.6.4.6 Charles Ellis born August 24th, 1843 & christened September 4th at St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall Torkard, Notts
el.6.4.7 Sarah Ann Ellis born Oct-December 1846 & christened January 25th, 1847 at Tibshelf, Derby; buried January 4th, 1910 at Blackwell
el.6.4.8 Emma Ellis christened June 27th, 1850 at Tibshelf, Derby; buried October 7th,1925 at Shirland, Derbyshire
el.6.4.9 William Ellis born July-September
1855 at Tibshelf, Derby; died at Station Terrace, Newton & buried on July 13th, 1926 at Blackwell.