Part Six

John Worrall was married to Hannah and they were living at number 11 The Crescent with their four children, Robert, Eva, Beatrice and John B. John was a Rim lock maker and an employee. It was about 1895 when Thomas's two sons, George and Thomas decided to go into partnership with George making the keys and Thomas the locks. Sadly George's wife, Emily, died in 1897 leaving him with seven children. The partnership finished but in 1901. Thomas was a manufacturer of locks, and working from home in Walsall Road.
He was also an employer. At that time Thomas and his wife, Elizabeth had four children, Elsie, Maud and Harold. They later had more sons Frank and Ernest (Ernie). Thomas's three sons Harold, Frank and Ernie joined him in the business, but when their father died, it was Elizabeth their mother who became head. Thomas had left a will leaving everything to his widow, and on her death, the sons inherited the factory and the girls the residue.  


The Picture House, Willenhall. From an old postcard.
By 1901, Daniel and Helen's son, Thomas, (father of George and Thomas) had died. His widow, Mary Ann, had moved to Temple Bar and was living with son John and Hannah. I think she had changed her name from Fanny who was a Book Keeper and Mary who was a Fore-Woman of Fancy Work. There was also a boy, Albert Saunders Worrall, aged 15 living with them. He was born in Oxley and recorded as being the son of Mary Ann, who was then aged 64. He was a Nickel Plater like David.

Their second son, Daniel, who was aged 60 was living at Newcomer Street, West Southwark, with his wife, Mary Ann. Their son Daniel had stayed in Willenhall, and was working as a Mortice lock maker. He was married to Florence and they had a family. I have no record of the others in this family.


Willenhall Market Place. From an old postcard.

George the youngest son of Daniel and Helen left Willenhall after his parents and his grandmother had died. He first moved to Birmingham, where Mary E. was born in 1879 and then to Leicester, where Daniel was born in 1880. 

In 1881 he was living in Southwark and working as a locksmith. He then went with his family to America and whilst they were there they had a daughter, May, who was born about 1889.

They returned to England and in 1901, the Census records George with his wife Jane and daughter, Louisa, living at The Cottage, Basildon, Essex, where George is a Locksmith manufacturer, and an employer, working from home.

His other children, however, were living near to their Uncle Daniel, also in Newcomer Street. West Southwark. The eldest daughter Anna M. (now Maria) was head of the family. Mary E. (now Nellie) was employed as a Book Keeper. David, who was then a 20 year old man, was a Locksmith, working at home. However, only John, the youngest son of John and Mary of King Street, was still alive at the age of 72. He and his wife, Mary, were living in Chapel Street, Willenhall, and they had a lodger.

And finally, the line of Worralls from which I and my mother Eliza, are descended from. My Grandfather George, (fifth generation), was the eldest son of Thomas (4th generation) and Mary Ann Rutter. Thomas was the eldest son of Daniel (third generation) and Helen Meanley. Daniel was the eldest son of John (second generation) and Mary Taylor. John was the second son of John (First generation born about 1858) and Mary.
This was George Worrall, my mother's father. He was born in Cannon Street Willenhall, on the 18th December 1860. He married Emily Dean, who was born on the 6th June, 1863 in Russell Street, Willenhall. Her parents were John Dean, a Master Locksmith, and Harriet Fletcher. Their children were Elizabeth, born in 1884, George, born in 1888, Eliza, born in 1889, William Leonard, born in 1891, Harry, born in 1894 and his twin Bertie and Mary Ann (Polly), born in 1896. Their mother died in 1897, when Polly was about four months old.


George Worrall.

Their father engaged a Housekeeper, Elizabeth Hunt. She was the daughter of John Hunt, who was an apprentice in 1841 and 1851 and was living with John and Mary Worrall in King Street. George Worrall married Elizabeth Hunt in Russell Street Primitive Church, and they had one daughter, Lily. He died on the 29th November 1919 in Halifax.
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