James Stone was the fifth child of James Stone & Eliza Woolley born at Varteg, Monmouth & christened April 7th, 1833 at Trevethin, Monmouth.
In 1841 James was living with his parents & brothers & sisters at Hall Fields, Bilston, Wolverhampton.
James was still living at home in 1851 at Old Meeting St, West Bromwich. His father had died by this time, but there were 2 brothers & 4 sisters still at home. James was an iron shearer.
James married Sarah Langstone in Oct-December 1855 at West Bromwich. Sarah was christened May 17th, 1835 at Sedgley, Staffs, the daughter of Sarah & David Langstone.
In 1861 James & Sarah were living at Broadwater, Wolverley, Worcs & James was a tin plate shearer & draper. He was also noted as being a local Methodist preacher. Sarah was a milliner & mantle maker & they had a 2 year old son Thomas L.
By 1871 James & Sarah had moved to Hill Top, West Bromwich & James was now described as a tailor & draper. As well as son Thomas they now had William Henry (9), Alfred E (6) & James Albert (4). They also had a domestic servant Sarah Bullock (16).
The family were still living at West Bromwich in 1881 but now at 18 Dudley St. James was still a tailor & draper & still at home were James Albert & John B (9). They had a general servant Elizabeth Kingston.
There is a certificate showing son Alfred Edward was registered as taking an examination to become second mate on August 7th, 1885 at Liverpool. This shows a record of Alfred’s service on a number of ships from 1880 until 1885. He received a certificate of competency on August 15th 1885 to become a second mate in the Merchant Service. His address at this time was Cordely Villa, Dudley Rd, West Bromwich. Alfred was granted a replacement certificate in March 1893, as his original certificate had been destroyed by fire at his place of residence in Santiago, Chile, on January 16th, 1892, at the conclusion of the late civil war in Chile.
Sarah died in West Bromwich in July-September 1888, aged 53.
The children of James Stone & Sarah Langstone were:
st.2.5.1 Thomas Langstone
Stone born Jan-March 1859 at Wolverley, Worcs; died September 1st, 1917 at 307 High St, West Bromwich
st.2.5.2 William Henry Stone born January 17th, 1862 at Wolverley, Worcs
st.2.5.3 Alfred Edward Stone born 1864 at West Bromwich
st.2.5.4 James Albert Stone born Oct-December 1866 at West Bromwich; died May 2nd 1895 at 32 Lombard St, West Bromwich
st.2.5.5 John Benjamin Stone born July-September 1871 at West Bromwich; died May 14th, 1915 at the White Swan Hotel, Market Place, Leicester
James remarried at Christ Church, West Bromwich on December 31st, 1890. His second wife was Mary Ann Hodgetts. Witnesses at the wedding were James’ son John Benjamin Stone & Ada Sarah Woolley. Mary Ann Bailey was christened September 1st, 1833 at Wednesbury, the daughter of Ann & Thomas Bailey, who had married Abraham Hodgetts in April-June 1854 at West Bromwich. Abraham was a butcher on the High St in West Bromwich in 1871. In the 1881 census Mary Ann was described as a butcheress on the High St. & although her status was given as married, Abraham was not found at this time. Abraham died aged 52 in Jan-March 1885 at West Bromwich.
In 1891 James & Mary Ann (listed as Aime on Ancestry.co.uk index) were living at 302 High St, West Bromwich & James was still a tailor & draper. Still at home were James Albert, now married & also a tailor & draper, & John B, an apprentice woollen draper. They had a 28 year old domestic servant, Elizabeth Earp, born in Hampshire.
Apparently James retired from the tailoring trade which was then carried on by sons Thomas & James. Thomas carried on business from the High St & James from a premises on Lombard St., a short distance away. James concentrated mainly on the woollen drapery trade before tragedy struck for him in 1895. (Leicester Daily Post, May 4th, 1895)
James died on July 12th, 1895, aged 62, at Alma House, Old Meeting St, West Bromwich. Probate was granted at Lichfield on September 10th, 1895 to sons Thomas Langstone & John Benjamin Stone, both tailors. James’ effects were £507.5s.1d.
In 1901 widowed Mary Ann was living at 47 Old Meeting St, West Bromwich & was described as retired. She still had the same 38 year old domestic servant born at Hampshire now listed as Betsy Hurp.
Mary Ann was still at 47 Old Meeting St in 1911. This was an 11-roomed house & to help look after it Mary Ann had 2 domestic servants, one of whom was still Betsy (now listed as Lizzie) Earp.
Mary Ann died on July 7th, 1914, aged 80, at Alma House, Old Meeting St, West Bromwich. Probate was granted on September 10th, 1914 to step-son Thomas Langstone Stone, tailor & draper. Her effects were £1,878.10s.4d.