Connections: A Family History

In 1881 George and Martha lived at 80 Church Street, but by 1891 they had moved to 84 Church Street. Jim Evans, (Sarah Ann's son), told me that George was a coal miner and worked first at Cadeby Colliery and then at Denaby Main. George lived to be 90 years old and died in 1941. His wife, Martha, died when she was 47. Life must have been hard for such a large family without a mother.

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George and Martha’s children are:

• Sarah Ann Severn b 5 March 1873 -1 June 1948 married James ‘Jim’ Evans.

• James Severn b 15 November 1875. Disappeared

• Mary Severn b 12 June 1877 in Darfield. Disappeared

• William Henry Severn b 1 August 1879 in Darfield, Yorks. Died 1851.  He was an underground coalminer. He married Eva SMITH. She was born in Stainforth. Family tradition says she was the daughter of a boat-builder and sister of "Iron HAGUE" a well-known Mexborough boxer. That has yet to be proven.  The 1911 census tells us that they were married 1901. Ralph and Eva had only three children - quite unusual for those days, unless Eva died young. I know of

  • Charles Severn who married and had kids but we have no information and

  • Doris Severn who may have had a child named Joseph. In the 1911 census the family was living at 40 Church St, Mexborough. Also living them were Arthur and Lily Day. Lily Day was Eva’s sister.   In the 1901 census he was living with his brother-in-law John Dean at the Ship Inn in Church Street, Mexborough

  • Ralph Severn born 1903 Thorne. Ralph was a miner and married Lily STEVENS (born 1907). They lived in Church Street.  Ralph and Lily had the following children:

    • Elsie Severn married Albert Darlington who worked for British Rail. Their children were:

      • Pamela Darlington born 1949 and believed to be living in London

      • Neil Darlington born 1952 and also believed to be in London - a lecturer.''

      • Faye Darlington

  • Ralph Derrick Severn married Edith Wain (born 10 November 1930 in Conanby).  Edith started work in a butcher's shop at the age of 14. She met Derrick on the banks of the canal at the Ferry Boat Inn. They were married on 9 June 1951 and three months later, Derrick was in the Army on National Service from 1951-53. He was in the Medical Corps. On his discharge he finished his bricklaying apprenticeship. Later Derrick and Edith ran a shop at 43 Adwick Road. Their children:

    • Joy Severn born 23 June 1952. Joy left school and worked in a sewing factory. She met Robert Carman on a blind date and they were married on 11 September 1971. Joy and Robert have two children: Nicola Carman b 1 August 1974 and Louise Carman b 17 March 1976

    • Karen Severn born 29 December 1958, also worked in a sewing factory after leaving school, before joining the staff of GEC's electrical manufacturing plant. When her sister took over the running of a general grocers shop up Adwick Road, Joy and Karen opened a wool shop and ran it for 14 years (with 11 other competitors in the area!! There's only one wool shop now!). Karen married David Cummings on 18 March 1978. David works for Case International as a driver. They have three children:   Lisa, Stephen & Anneka Cummings

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Sadly the remainder of George’s clan take up little space because we know little about them:

• Ann Elizabeth Severn 7 January 1882 married Dean or Johnson. Stubbs family tree says that she married Thomas Gough in 1902. She died 1939 aged 58. Not known if there were children.

• John (called Jack) Severn 1 January 1884 in Mexorough, Yorkhire.

• Henry (called Harry) Severn 1 January 1886 in Mexorough, Yorkhire.. Married Ada Tagg (1886-1944). Known children: Hilda Severn b 1910 and Elsie Severn b 1912.

• Joseph Severn June 1887 in Mexorough, Yorkhire. had a daughter Doris Severn then - disappeared from history

• George Severn 29 July 1890 in Mexorough, Yorkhire. Disappeared from history

• Ernest Severn 29 July 1892 and lived at 84 Church Street Mexborough.  He became a coal miner. At the outbreak of the First World War, like so many other patriotic young men, he joined the Army and served thoughout the duratioErnest married Edith Thompson of Hull and they had issue, see below. Edith's father was a bargee.  Ernest died in 1961.

Ernest and Edith had 8 children, all born at Conanby. Their pictures are on the next page.

• Eva Severn born 22 August 1918 and married John Alderson with 2 children. Brian Alderson & John Alderson. She is buried in Conisbrough

• Ernest Severn born 31 January 1920, married Evelyn Jackson and had 2 children:  Pauline and Keith Severn 

• Edith Severn born 25 May 1922 married Alan Codling and had 2 children. Barbara & Geoffrey Codling

• George Severn born 22 August 1924 married Joan Riley and had 2 children:  Jean and Ann Severn

• John Severn born May 1927 married first to Lily Danford (divorced) and second to Kath ?. There were two children:  Jacqueline  & Alan Severn

• Lawrence Severn born October 1929. Developed diabetes and moved away to Hull and lost contact with the family.

• Henry Severn born November 1932, married Constance Beasley (divorced), She has since died. They had two children - Paul & Karen Severn

• Joseph Severn born 26 February 1935 at Conanby and attended Northcliffe School, Conisbrough. When he left school he became a factory hand and then married Mavis Senior. Mavis is the dt of Alfred & Edna May Senior of Conisbrough and was born 17 March 1937. They were married on 27 April 1957 at Denaby Main Church (now demolished). Between 1953 and 1955 Joseph did his National Service and was an RHA Lance Bombadier in Germany. His hobbies were wine making, walking, DIY, car maintenance and gardening. Sadly Joseph died before I could visit  him on my trip to England.

    Mavis attended Mexborough Grammar School and her hobbies include tapestry work, walking, gardening, knitting and     reading. She is involved in charity work for her church - St Peter's Conisbrough and has previously been a church warden and a Congregational pastor. She was heavily involved with a fund raising committee for local council protest to a proposed open-cast mine designed to be used as a landfill site. My thanks to Mavis for her hospitality - and a lovely lunch.