Mortomley, Chapeltown, Sheffield

Sheffield Independent - December 24, 1878

On the 1881 Census, a Staniforth family is residing at Mortomley, now part of Chapeltown in Ecclesfield parish.

The census records the following family information:

  • George Staniforth – Head (Aged 50) Pork Butcher born at Wortley, Yorkshire
  • Harriet Staniforth – Wife (Aged 46) born at Worsborough Yorkshire
  • Everelda Staniforth – Daughter, Single (Aged 14), Scholar born at Mortomley
  • Friendly Staniforth – Son, Single (Aged 11), Scholar born at Mortomley
  • William H Campsall – Servant Butcher, (Aged 26) born at Wortley
  • Herman Fielding – Servant Butcher, (Aged 20) born at Swinscoe, Staffordshire
  • Ellen Haigh – Domestic Servant, (Aged 31) born at Ecclesfield, Yorkshire

On the next Census in 1891, the family is still at Mortomley Lane, Ecclesfield:

  • George Staniforth – Head (Aged 58) Pork Butcher born at Wortley
  • Harriet Staniforth – Wife (Aged 57)
  • Friendly Stnaiforth – Son (Aged 21) Baker, born at Ecclesfield
  • George H Fielding – Grandson (Aged 5) born at Ecclesfield
  • Walter Fielding – Boarder (Aged 37) Cake Baker born at Birdwell, Yorkshire
  • Mary Fielding – Domestic Servant (Aged 41), born at Wooley, Yorkshire
  • H A Peck – Servant (Aged 19) Pork Butcher, born at Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire
George Staniforth's Accident

In the Sheffield Daily Telepgraph - September 18, 1894 we find the following:

Sad Accident At Mortomley

Mr. George Staniforth, a well-known tradesman, living at Mortomley, Chapeltown, has just met with a serious accident under sad circumstances. He was recovering from a long illness, caused by falling and breaking his right thigh bone some five or six months ago. Whilst going about at his house one of his crutches slipped and he fell. When lifted up it was found that the thigh of the lame leg was broken but in a different place.

It appears George only survived a few more years as a death is recorded in 1897 for George Talbot Burton Staniforth at Wortley. A burial occurs under the same full name at Chapeltown Burncross Cemetery on July 5, 1897.

The mystery begins when we look into the two children, Everelda and Friendly Staniforth. Everelda Staniforth’s birth record is registered in 1867 with the mother’s maiden name FIELDING, Friendly Staniforth however is not registered.

When looking into the Grandson George H Fielding, present in the household in 1891, we find his birth record George Harvey Fielding, born 1886, mother’s maiden name CAMPSALL. Mysteriously, an Everelda CAMPSALL marries a Herman Henry Campsall at Sheffield. January 18 1886. Everelda lists her father as George CAMPSALL.

An obituary in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated July 31, 1923 reads:

The Death offered yesterday at the home of her parents Mr. and Mrs. William Mallinson, Hesley Bar, Thorpe Hesley, of Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Staniforth of Mortomley, widow of the late Friendly Staniforth.

There is no marriage record for Friendly Staniforth marrying Mary Elizabeth Mallinson, however Friendly CAMPSALL marries her in Thorpe Hesley, on June 1, 1897, she is noted as the daughter of William Mallinson, however Friendley’s father is not recorded, a line is put through the field.

In Mid-February 1914, advertisements are placed in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph which reads:

Business For Sale

To Pork Butchers – For Sale, as a going concern, owing to the death of proprietor, Friendly Staniforth, the old-established BUSINESS, which has been in the family for 50 years. The premises include House, Shop, Slaughter-house, Stable, Coachhouse, Bakehouse, etc. Apply Mrs. Staniforth, Mortomley, Sheffield.

Friendly's Business for sale

Friendly Staniforth’s death is recorded in 1914 at the age of 42 with burial occurring February 8, 1914 at Chapeltown, Burncross Cemetery, the same place as his father. Although his death is recorded under the Staniforth surname, his probate which notes his death on February 5, 1914 is under Friendly Staniforth CAMPSALL. In the probate he leaves £975 8s 9d to Mary Elizabeth Campsall, Widow.

The answer to this mystery appears to lie with Harriet Fielding. Harriet marries Joseph Campsall on October 12, 1852 and they had a son John in 1854, and another son William Henry in 1856. The couple appear to have seperated prior to 1861 as on the 1861 Census, Joseph is living as a boarder with a Charlotte Dransfield and the two marry in 1896. Harriet then goes onto be the housekeeper for George with her two sons living with their Campsall grandparents. The answer appears to be that Harriet and George Staniforth never actually married, however both Friendly and Everelda are George and Harriett's children, this would account for the mixing of the surnames.

The head of the household, George Talbot Burton Staniforth is another interesting man, he is baptised in Wortley to William Staniforth and Hannah Marsden, however there is another curious marriage at Brightside, Sheffield on December 4, 1876 which shows a Joseph George Burton Bean Staniforth, aged 23 marrying a Jane Elizabeth Bonham, his father is also listed as a William Staniforth, Labourer, however no baptism to William and Hannah, it could be that he is an illegitimate son of one of William’s daughters, however this has not been fully researched.