Shelmerdine Family Line      
James  Shelmerdine.b1842-d1897      Parents: Josepth.1802  &  Phoebe Devonport.c1810    Married  Emma Harrop. b1841- d1902   Parents James Harrop		  

James was born c1842  I cant find a birth entry for him as yet but working out between his death certificate and given census entries which took place every April he's always stated a ?9 given age through the census returns and he married on the 9th June age 20 so he will have been born between the 9th April and the 9th of June of 1842.

James death certificate states he died of the 13th December 1897 age 55 at 12 Bright St, Hulme, South Manchester. Occupation Warehouseman, cause of death Chronic Renal disease and Anemia.  It states Emma was present at the death.

James doesn't feature in the 1841 census as he isn't born until 1842  

 

The 1851 Census return its of poor quality but its showing young James living with his father Joseph and his sister Elizabeth along with his mothers parents after the death of his mother Alice.

1851 census.   Gregson Street. Its in St John's Parish so on the boarder of Hulme and Deansgate.   Schedule Num: 73  piece2227  Fol 630 page 18
James Devonport.   age 71.      Head           occ. 'Spindle & Hatter'- unclear.  Born Prestwich, Lanc's.
Jane Devonport.  age 66.         Wife                                                                 Born Eddington, Staff's.
Joseph Shelmerdine.   age 43.  Son-in-law.  Widow. Occ Hatter.                   Born Manchester.
James Shelmerdine. age 09.     Grandson.                                                        Born Manchester.
Elizabeth Shelmerdine. age 5.  Grandaugter.                                                   Born Manchester.
Plus 2 lodgers.


1851 census return

In the 1861 census James is living with his father Joseph. There is an Elizabeth Chester  stated as a lodger, Joseph later on marries Elizabeth Chester so they may have been cohabiting before marrying. Joseph is working as a Slater so he's moved away from the Hat trade and is repairing of laying roof tiles. A trade later pick up by future family members in the 1970's. James is working as a warehouseman and there were plenty of factories around the area for such a trade. Elizather is mentioned as a Char Women, so shes doing the tea rounds in a factory providing cups of tea to the workers.

 


1861 census extract

  
         
  1861 census. 29 Bridgewater St, Hulme. Lancashire,  St Johns, Hulme.  RG9  2940 page7
Joseph Shelmerdine   age 53.  Head.  Widow. Occ Slater.  Born Manchester.
James Shelmerdine. age 19. Son.  Occ Warehouse.    Born Manchester.
Elizabeth Chester.   age 46.  Boarder.   Occ Char Woman ( tea lady!) Born
Manchester.


Although we don't have a picture of the house featured in the census other then the street its clear from some on-line pictures of Bridge Street its a more well proportioned street featuring larger houses and of better construction. 		   
       Bridge St, Hulme 1950   
 

On the 9th of June 1861 James marries Emma Harrop at St Marks Church in Hulme. In the register James is stated as age 20 and Emma is age 20 also. His given occupation is a Warehouseman and his home address is 16 Medlock Street. Parents are stated as; Joseph Shelmerdine occupation Hatter and James Harrop occupation is hard to read. Its noted that all those featured on the entry bare there signature as an X so there all illiterate.

It wasn't until 1880 that education for children became compulsory and made available to all. 


St Marks parish register entry, Hulme.

  
 
Medlock Street Junction with city road and Albion Street c1954		      
  We pick the family up in the 1881 census with further children and its noted their son James Vernon probably takes a middle family name from Emma's side of the family. They are still at Bright St which is a 2 up 2 down Terrence house, so its cramp but not uncommon and all the children would share one bedroom and a bed too. This is poverty living.

By time the 1871 census is completed they have moved house to Bright St, Hulme.

1871 census. 13 Bright St Hulme, Lancashire,    page321  St George parish, Hulme.
James Shelmerdine            Married  age 29  Packer at Warehouse   Hulme, Lancashire.
Emma Shelmerdine            Wife       age 29                                       Hulme, Lancashire.
Emily Shelmerdine             Daug      age 7      Scholar                       Hulme, Lancashire.
Minnie Shelmerdine          Daug      age 6      Scholar                      Hulme, Lancashire.
Annie?? Shelmerdine.     Daug      age 3                                           Hulme, Lancashire.
Edward. Harrop       B-in-law age22  Porter in Newspaper shop    Hulme, Lancashire.
Vernon Taylor     Cousin to Emma, age 14, Office Boy    Hulme, Lancashire

Its noted that in the 1871 census, clues are given to further family members living with them .  
Annie age 3 in the census later on dies in 1868 as recorded in the death index

 

  





















Bright Street to the left		  
 

1881 census 12 Bright Street, Hulme.

James Shelmerdine. age. 39. Head. Occ Cotton Warehouseman,  born Manchester.
Emma nee’ Harrop Shelmerdine. age 39. Wife.                born Manchester.
Emily Shelmerdine. age 19. Daug. Occ Weaver.               born Manchester.
Minnia Shelmerdine. age 16. Daug. Cotton Winder.                  born Manchester.
Sarah Shelmerdine. age 9. Daug.                                    born Manchester.
Fanny Shelmerdine. age 7. Daug.                                 born Manchester.
James V Shelmerdine. age 2. Son.                                  born Manchester.
Alice Shelmerdine. age 10m. Daug.                                born Manchester.

 

1881 Census return		  

1891 census 12 Bright Street, Hulme.

James Shelmerdine. age 49. Head  Occ. Warehouseman    All born in Manchester.
Emma Shelmerdine. age 49. Wife
Minnie Shelmerdine. age 26. Daug Occ. Unclear
Fanny Shelmerdine. age 17. Daug
James V Shelmerdine. age 12. Daug
Alice Shelmerdine. age 10. Daugh
Gertrude Shelmerdine. age 8. Daug
Jessia Shelmerdine. age 5. Daug

1891 census return
  This being a large family now and 5 girl and one boy and all living in a two up two down terrace house, so its cramped living and typical of the area. 

     
 

1901 census 12 Bright Street, Hulme.

Emma Shelmerdine. age 59. Widow. no occupation.   born Manchester
Alice Shelmerdine. age 20. Daug.   Cotton press folder
Gertrude Shelmerdine. age 18. Daug   Cotton press folder
Jessia Shelmerdine. age 15. Daug   cotton roles feeder

Also a family called Stansfield are named as boarders being a mother and two daughters. Emma is renting out a room to this family, so its a cramp house.

Emma dies in Spring of 1902 as featured in the national index for deaths.
  
1901 Census return		  
 

1901 census 

Jessia Shelmerdine. age 25 stationary packer boarding with a family at 76 Pilling St, Newton heath. She later on marries in 1913 to a Mr Gregory in Hume.
Gertrude married in 1909 according to the national marriage index.



Emma dies in Spring of 1902.		  
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