Jane Horton [h.1.12.3]

Jane Horton was born at Port Way & christened November 23rd, 1856 at Christ Church, 1856 at West Bromwich, Staffs, the third child of William Horton & Sarah Jones.

In 1861 Jane, her parents & 2 sisters were living at Mestey Croft, Wednesbury, Staffs.

Jane was still living at home in 1871 with her parents & sisters at Moxley, Wednesbury. She was a tailoress.

Jane married George Ward on August 26th, 1872, at St Martin’s, Bradley, Bilston, Staffs. Witnesses at the wedding were Thomas York, Jane’s brother-in-law & Maria Davis. George was born in 1854 in Heath Town, Wednesfield, Staffs, the son of Harriet Walford & Samuel Ward, a miner.

In 1881 Jane & George were living at 3c, 12h Old Moxley, Wednesbury & George was described as an iron mill furnace man. They had 3 children by this time – William (7), who was visiting his grandparents William & Sarah Horton at Holyhead Rd, Wednesbury at the time of the census, Esther (5) & Joseph (2) who were both at home. They had had another son, George, born in 1880 who sadly only lived for 20 minutes.

Jane & George were still living at Moxley in 1891 & George was still a labourer at the iron works. At home were Joseph, Amy (9), Sarah (7), George (3) & Annie (6 months). Daughter Esther was working as a domestic servant for the Barlow family in Wednesbury at this time.

In 1901 Jane & George were again at Moxley living at 1in 2ct Queen St & George was now a general labourer. Son George was a steel bolt shaper & also at home were children Annie & John T (2). Listed as a boarder was William Ward, aged 21, whose occupation was given as ‘galvaniser odd work’. This could possibly be nephew William who was still living with the family in 1911. Daughter Amy was working as a cook for Sarah & George Grey in Urmston, Lancs in 1901. Daughter Sarah was a domestic housemaid for Benjamin Knowles & family in Wednesbury in 1901. Sarah married Harry Page, a waggoner in the ironworks, in 1906 in Wednesbury.

Son George married Elizabeth Bolton in 1907 & in 1911 they were living in Darlaston with 2 young sons. George was a furnaceman in a chemical works.

Jane & George were living at 1 Darlaston Rd, Moxley in 1911 & George was now a blacksmith striker employed by the Axletree Company. It was noted on the census form that George & Jane had had 9 children, only 7 of whom were still living. Son John Thomas was still at home & granddaughter Maud Shakespeare (9) was with the family. Also still living with them was William Ward (30), a fire stoker at the iron works, now listed as nephew. William (Henry) had married Jane & George’s daughter Annie in 1908. They had a 1 year old son, William .

Granddaughter Maud was the child of daughter Esther who had married James Shakespeare in 1901. Esther & James, a commission agent, were living in Wolverhampton at the time of the 1911 census with 3 of their children. It was noted that sadly they had only 4 children (Maud, James, William & Benjamin) surviving of 9 born to Esther!

Esther Shakespeare (nee Ward) with granddaughter in 1941

Photo copyright of Rob Clark, great grandson of Esther

George & Jane were living in West Bromwich in 1921 & son John Thomas was still with them. John Thomas served with the Labour Corps & Northumberland Fusiliers during WW1 but had to undergo an operation for appendicitis & abcess, after which he suffered from debility.
John Thomas married Elsie Kidson in 1919 & at the time of the 1939 register they were living at 1 Darlaston Rd with their family & John was a machine tool fitter.

There is a record of George Ward, blacksmith, born May 4th, 1851 in Public Assistance Institute, Wolverhampton Rd, Coseley, Staffs in 1939.

The children of Jane Horton & George Ward were:

h.1.12.3.1 William Ward born April-June 1874 at Moxley, Staffs; buried March 18th, 1884 at Moxley

h.1.12.3.2 Esther Ward born January 31st, 1876 at Moxley, Staffs; died April-June, 1945

h.1.12.3.3 Joseph Ward born April 26th, 1878 at Moxley, Staffs; died December 30th, 1946 & buried at Wood Green Cemetery, Wednesbury

h.1.12.3.4 George Ward born April 1880 at Moxley; buried April 4th, 1880 at Moxley

h.1.12.3.5 Amy Ward born July-September 1881 at Moxley, Staffs

h.1.12.3.6 Sarah Ward born March 22nd, 1884 at Moxley, Staffs

h.1.12.3.7 George Ward born Oct-December 1887 at Moxley, Staffs

h.1.12.3.8 Annie Ward born Oct-December 1890 at Moxley, Staffs

h.1.12.3.9 John Thomas Ward born November 12th, 1898 at Moxley, & christened December 7th, 1898 at All Saints, Moxley, Staffs