Chesterfield, Calow, Hasland, Thrandeston

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Edgar HARROLD (1852-1915)

Edgar HARROLD was born in 1852 in Thrandeston, Suffolk. He was the second son of Charles HARROLD (a labourer) and Betsy HARROLD (formerly Browne). He was baptised at St Margaret’s Church in Thrandeston.

Edgar HAROLD married Thirza Fairweather in 1873 at Chesterfield Parish Church. At the time they both lived in Derby Lane, Chesterfield and Edgar was a miner. Thirza was born 1851 in Brome, Suffolk, the daughter of George and Emily Fairweather. Among his other children George Fairweather had a daughter Alice who was aged 18 in the 1881 Census. She was living with her father at Great Green, Thrandeston - in the Census he is described as a widower aged 59.

At the time of the 1881 Census Edgar was living at 14 Mansfield Road, Hasland with his wife Thirza and gave his occupation as a 'Master Shoemaker employing 1 man’. Sadly Thirza died in 1882 in Hasland of septicaemia and exhaustion. Her sister Alice was with her when she died and she was buried in Spital Cemetery in Chesterfield.

In 1883 Edgar HARROLD married Jane Fisher (a spinster aged 24) at the Independent Chapel, Soresby Street, Chesterfield. Edgar gave his occupation as a cordwainer.

An interesting footnote to Edgar and Jane HARROLD’s wedding in 1883 is that the witnesses at the wedding were William Bullen and his wife Sarah. In 1881 William and Sarah Bullen lived at Derby Road, Hasland and William gave his occupation as ‘Missionary Country Towns Mission’ - William was born in Denton in Norfolk and Sara hailed from Wiltshire. Edgar HARROLD and his family were staunch Methodists and Edgar clearly had a role in the building of the Methodist Chapel on Hampton Street in Hasland. The photographs show not only the Chapel in 2003 but also the subscription stone (on the left hand side of the Chapel when viewed from the front) with Edgar’s name on it. I was christened at the Chapel and so was my father – it was also here that my father’s funeral service was held in 1990.

Edgar and Jane HARROLD had six children:

	Mabel was born in 1884 in Mansfield Road, Hasland. She married Walter Longden in 1905 at Mount Zion Chapel in Chesterfield. Mabel died, at Hasland, in 1958, aged 73. break
	Ethel was born in 1886. In 1910 Ethel married Albert Wheatcroft at the Primitive Methodist Church at Holywell Cross in Chesterfield. Albert was killed on the night of 19 November 1933 in an explosion at Grassmoor Colliery near Chesterfield. Ethel died in Hasland in 1961. break
	Bernard was born in 1888 and died aged 6 months at Hills Row, Hasland in September 1888. He is buried in Hasland Cemetery. break
	Dorothy was born in 1890 at Mansfield Road, Hasland and was known as Dora by the family. She never married and lived with her mother and brother at 49 Storforth Lane. In later life she shared her family home with Evelyn Haston. She died in Hasland in 1967 aged 76. break
	Oliver was born in 1893 at Mansfield Road, Hasland. He lived in the family home in Storforth Lane until his death 1940 in Chesterfield Royal Hospital aged 46. He was buried in Hasland Cemetery in the same grave as his father. break
	Douglas was born in 1896 at Mansfield Road, Hasland. In 1921 he married Kathleen May Weeks at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Saltergate, Chesterfield. Douglas died, aged 50, in 1947 at 30 Smithfield Avenue in Hasland.

Edgar HARROLD died in 1915 at 18 Mansfield Road. He was a 62 years old boot and shoe maker and is buried in Hasland Cemetery.

Readers will be interested to note that at 49 Storforth Lane, Hasland lived Jane HARROLD and her adult children (Dora and Oliver) and next door at number 47 lived Ethel HARROLD, her husband Albert Wheatcroft and their children. Across the road at 48 Storforth Lane lived Mabel HARROLD (my grandmother) and her family.

Jane HARROLD was a widow for another 29 years and died in 1944 at 49 Storforth Lane, aged 85. She is buried in the same grave as Edgar and Oliver in Hasland Cemetery.

The family story ends with the photograph of 18 Mansfield Road, Hasland. Edgar and Jane were keen Methodists. It was a shock, therefore, in 2004 when I took the photograph of the shop and family home to find that it is now a betting shop. Edgar’s former home and shop at 14 Mansfield Road was a greengrocers at the beginning of 2004.

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