In Anne’s situation, in addition to the same information that we have for Frederick, we have some personal recollections by grandson Tommy Kell and great grandchildren Harry and Jim Robinson. There are also two letters written by her sister Elizabeth. We know that Anne and Elizabeth were very close and kept in touch with each other. This can be seen by the number of photographs received, and the content of the two letters.
Anne was born in Grampound Cornwall. We do not know when Anne’s grandfather Joseph started work in Grampound, we know he married Mary Hore in Creed in 1799. (Creed and Grampound are basically joined communities.) We know he was a carpenter and joiner by trade and had property with a yard and other land. This is shown on the 1831 street map of Grampound.
In Anne Shorthouse’s photograph album, there is a group photograph including the family of Joseph and Jenifer posing on a beach. Elizabeth and Anne as children are sitting at the centre and right hand end of the front row respectively. Judging by their ages, we would date this photograph to about 1863.
Grampound was an important ancient town in Cornwall and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book. It is located on the river Fal which had a number of mills driven by the water. The principal industries were, wool cloth fulling mills, leather and farming. Some adjacent communities also had tin and lead mines.
It seems that the family only lived in Grampound for about 75 to 80 years before they dispersed throughout the country. None were living there at the time of the 1881 census. The population of the two communities peaked 1841 to 1851 and was in decline by 1861. While Grampound was not dependant on the metal mining industry, this was the time when the mining industry collapsed in Cornwall due to the much lower price of imported metals. A mass exodus of Cornish miners happened as they left to find work in other parts of the country and indeed the world.
We do not have any record of Anne having a formal job. It is understood from family legend that Anne was a (pupil?) teacher at Better Miss School in Grampound. This could be true since her Aunt, Ann Osborn, was the schoolmistress in Grampound. However her marriage certificate was only signed with a mark.
There were chapels for the Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians and Independents in Grampound in addition to the traditional Anglican church in Creed. The chapel was always part of Anne’s life and we think this started in Grampound.
The 1871 Census shows Anne at 16 years old living with her sister Elizabeth Nicholls at Pontypridd in Glamorgan,Wales. This is where she met Frederick, a coal miner, their marriage certificate shows they were married 11 March 1873, In Sardis Chapel, Pontypridd, Frederick (Father John) to Annie Osborne (Father Joseph) Residence Tenyr Llantrisant. Witnesses Thomas Osborne and Elizabeth Nicholls. (Sister). Their first child Sarah Ann was born here in 1875.
Elizabeth’s husband Jacob Nicholls worked as a bolter in a coalmine, we do not know the circumstance or any other reason why both families moved from Wales. The mining industry in South Wales was booming at that time and there were lots of jobs available. It may have had something to do with Frederick having spent six months in prison or that his brothers were facing more serious criminal charges in 1874. We know they lived in Wigan 1876 to 1880, from the place of birth of their children. Then they moved to Burnley. The 1881 census shows both families living next door to each other in Habergham Eaves, Burnley, Lancashire. The Durham coalmines were expanding rapidly at this time and must have provided better job opportunities for the family. They moved to Hetton le Hole in 1881-1882, Jacob and Elizabeth stayed in Burnley.
Frederick and Anne moved and the Electoral Registers show that they were living in Trunk Row, George Street, and Easington Lane in Hetton le Hole, Co Durham from 1882 to 1891. Their final move was to New Trimdon (Trimdon Colliery), first to Bicknell Street, then to No. 7 Pringle Street where Frederick died in 1925. After Frederick died, Anne moved to 36 Station Road West, Deaf Hill with her unmarried daughter Annie. Annie was working in the accounts department at the Station Town Co-op store and they took in a boarder, a teacher from the local school.
Towards the end of her life Anne developed an ulcer on the left side of her face, which eventually spread, and she lost the sight in her left eye. She wore a fancy piece of cloth on her head to cover the eye when she was walking about. She became bedridden and granddaughter Minnie Craggs was working as her maid. Minnie had to live in and wear a formal maid’s outfit at all times. Minnie did not like this job as she was always treated as a maid, not a family member.
Anne Shorthouse is remembered as a kind person, grandchildren (and also great grandchildren) visited each Sunday in their best clothes to received pocket money after attending the morning Chapel Sunday School. (Recalled by Tommy Kell and Jim Robinson). Everyone who visited had to be on their best behavior, children were not allowed to sit and had to stand up straight, no slouching. She was very Victorian in dress and a strong Chapel member, Tommy went to chapel three times each Sunday as he was in the choir, the Robinson children who were members of the Church of England, also had to go to the chapel Sunday school as well as their own in the afternoon. Attending chapel was necessary to receive the pocket money.
Harry and Jim Robinson walked from Trimdon every Saturday and chopped sticks for lighting the fire. The wood was from packing boxes brought from the Co-op where daughter Annie worked as a cashier in the accounts dept., sticks had to be correct length and no jagged edges and enough to last one week. Pocket money was important as their dad William Robinson was out of work for nine years during the depression.
Within the family it is obvious that Anne had a very strong character and made sure that Frederick kept on the rails and her children were involved in activities that kept them out of trouble. This is reflected in the letters and postcards she received which are documented later. There was obviously a strong chapel connection throughout her life; this was passed on to her children. The children were educated, polite and could write good letters. Since their parents were not from the Durham area, the children did not speak with the strong local dialect, this was also apparent in the grandchildren. The family must have had musical talent; they had an organ and several violins. Ellen Kell (Shorthouse) in the latter stage of her life could still sing the hymns she learnt as a child and play along with her fiddle.
It is interesting to note that most of Anne’s daughters, grand and great granddaughters inherited her genes and had strong personalities. This trait has also passed to later generations. Within the family, the Shorthouses’ were always seen as good Christian people with a squeaky clean reputation, without any hint of Frederick’s previous transgressions.
My (John Robinson) recollection is of visiting my great grandmother Anne with my mother Eveline and seeing this old woman in bed with the left half of her face raw and bleeding. Even though I was only 4 or 5 years old at the time, after 80 years, the memory of this visit is still vivid.
Correspondence received by Anne and daughter Annie on the deaths of Joe and Fred in 1916 has survived including two letters from her sister Elizabeth. We have been unable to find any letters written by Anne. Contact was made with our Australian cousins but they did know of any existing documents. Similarly we have tried to find and contact Elizabeth’s descendants around the Burnley area without success.
Anne died 26th July 1939 at 36 Station Road, Deaf Hill, Trimdon Station, age 85, widow of Frederick Shorthouse, coalminer. Senile Degeneration of the heart, deep Rodent Ulcer of the left side of face. Henry Kell, grandson in attendance of 109 Thornlaw North, Thornley. She was buried in the same grave as Frederick in the graveyard of St Paul’s Church at Deaf Hill 29 July 1939. The funeral and expenses were as follows:
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. Friday July 28th 1939.
DEATHS.
SHORTHOUSE. – At 36 Station Road, Deaf Hill, Trimdon Station, on July 28, aged 85 years, Anne, beloved wife of the late Frederick Shorthouse. – Internment, Saturday at Deaf Hill Churchyard. Cortege to leave residence at 1-45 for service in Wesleyan Church, – Friends please accept this (the only) intimation.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. Monday July 31st 1939.
DEAF HILL.
Late Mrs. A Shorthouse. – The funeral of Mrs. A. Shorthouse of Station Lane, Deaf Hill, who, at the age of 85, was one of the oldest women in the parish, took place at Deaf Hill Churchyard on Saturday. Mrs. Shorthouse took an active interest in Grange Road (Wesleyan) Methodist Church, where her late husband. Mr. Frederick Shorthouse, was a local preacher and Sunday School superintendent for over 30 years. A service in Grange Road Church was conducted by Rev. W. Grieve, Circuit Minister, Wingate. Family mourners included: Miss Shorthouse (Deaf Hill), Mrs. Kell (West Hartlepool), daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Craggs (Hartlepool), son-in-law and daughter.; Mr. and Mrs. Robinson (Trimdon Village), Mr. and Mrs. Kell (Thornley), Mr. and Mrs. Thornton Seaham Harbour, Mr. and Miss Craggs (Hartlepool) Mr. and Mrs. Anderson (Nunthorpe), grandchildren. Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Nichols (Burnley), nieces;. Mrs. Pinkney (Derby), Mr. Miller (West Auckland).
STATION TOWN, SEAHAM & HORDEN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
31 July 1939
The Exors of the late
Anne Shorthouse
36 Station Road
Deaf Hill
Trimdon Station
Dr to Funeral Furnishing Department.
To: £ s d
Coffin and attendance 11 0 0
Hearse 1 7 6
2 – Coaches 2 8 0
Adverts (Echo and Mail) 1 4 6
Subject to Dividend £16 0 0
Paid: J. W. Brown Aug 3 / 39
STATION TOWN, SEAHAM & HORDEN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
31 July 1939
The Exors of the late
Anne Shorthouse
36 Station Road
Deaf Hill
Trimdon Station
Dr to Funeral Furnishing Department.
To: £ s d
Minister 1 3 0 Nett
Burial Fees
Paid: J. W. Brown Aug 3 / 39
A 03000
STATION TOWN, SEAHAM & HORDEN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
W. Brown Secretary
M Shorthouse Share No. 1077
Date: Aug. 2 / 39
1 Wreath 14/6 14 6
2 – do – 10/- 1 0 0
3 – do – 7/6 1 2 6
1 Spray flowers 4/6 4 6
______________
£3 1 6
Paid
W. Brown Aug 26 / 39
B 03000
STATION TOWN, SEAHAM & HORDEN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
W. Brown Secretary
M Shorthouse Share No. 1077
Date: Aug. 2 / 39
2 Cut loaves 1/8 1 Brown 4½ 2 0½
1 Malt Loaf 3 2 Pear Sp.3/- 3 3
1 Rasp. Sp 1/2 2 Gateau 3/- 4 2
1 Battenburg 1/- 1 Almond Fruit 1/- 2 0
1 Maderia 1/- 1 Walnut10½ 1 10½
1 Orange Gateau 10 2 Coffee Gateau1/4 2 2
2 Str. Creams 1/- 1 Mince 9 1 9
1 Fruit 1/1 4 Btls Milk1/2 2 3
½ Tea 2/0 4lb Sugar1/5 3 5
1½lb Butter 2/4 Pickles ½ 3 6
2lb Tongue 3/0 5lb Ham 12/6 15 6
____________
£2 1 11
Rebate on 2lb Ham 5/- 5 0
______________
£1 16 11
Paid: J. W. Brown Aug 26 / 39
Page 15
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