Who was Mrs Starkey ?

One of my g.uncles was KIA in 1918 in WWI. His wife pre-deceased him in 1912, in Mansfield, after which he appears to have moved back to the village where he was born - Hurley, Warwickshire.

According to his Army papers, after he was KIA, his personal property (a steel mirror and a leather purse - how sad is that?) were returned to his 8yo son who's address was given as

c/o Mrs H Starkey
Malt House
Picadilly
Hurley, Warks

I do know that Mrs Starkey wasn't one of his married sisters, but other than that I don't know anything about her, so am wondering why she took in my g.uncle's three children.

I've tried to find her on the 1911 census, but even though Hurley is actually in Warwickshire, it comes under Tamworth registration district and Ancestry hasn't indexed Staffordshire yet.

Could anyone find her for me please and give me the district/sheet number etc so that I can have a look at her myself?

Any help much appreciated.

STG



Edited to say : I see from the Free 1911 census website that there are two Harriet Starkeys in the Tamworth district, one b. 1863 and the other b. 1880, but I really need to see the image to see if that tells me more about her.

Another thought : The "H" might not be her initial, it might be her husband's - i.e. she could be Mrs Henry/Harry/Hwhatever Starkey.

Going backwards there is a Harriet Starkey in 1901 born Hurley so she could be your girl. She is 36 and married to Joseph. They have a couple of boarders but I can't read Josephs occupation - looks like lime thief!

Maybe they just took in boarders and had no family connection - how old were the other 2 children? If they were old enough to look after the 8 year old then the boarding theory makes sense.

Error in my first message, for which many apologies - there were only two children, not three.

When their father died, Oliver was eight and Edith was six.

Poor little mites. As if it's not bad enough that their mother died when they were four and two, respectively, their father then dies in the trenches four year later.

I was hoping that someone (vron?) with FMP might happen along and be able to do an address search for 1911 for me.

STG

Ah right so they were too young to be fending for themselves then.

Does this surname mean anything - Simins - could have been Harriets maiden name as there is a marriage in 1891 with Joseph Starkey on.

Yes hopefully someone will get the 1911 info for you.

My g.uncle was Joseph Allton. His wife was Elizabeth Dring, b.and d. Mansfield.

One of Joseph's brothers, Vincent, was also KIA on 29 October 1918 - sooooo close to the end of the war!

STG

ok well the harriett starkey born 1863 is on 1911 census still married to Joseph. married 24 years with one child born and 1 child dead. they have a boarder dennis saunders - single - living with them. the address is just down as hurley village.the places of birth were written as hurley and then crossed out and Kingsbury, warwickshire written over it.

TAMWORTH, Staffordshire
Reference RG14PN16853 RG78PN1043 RD366 SD1 ED27 SN19


the other harriett starkey born 1880 is single and the daughter of henry and sarah starkey who have been maried for 55 years and had four children - all living. she is aged 31 in transcription but it looks like 51 to me in the image. she was born tamworth as was henry . sarah was born Wilnecot, warwickshire. address 23 albion street.

TAMWORTH, Staffordshire
Reference RG14PN16828 RG78PN1043 RD366 SD1 ED2 SN202

malt houses, hurley appear three times on 1911 census

firstly Charlotte Boultsridge ( born Colesbury) a widow with her three children ( born kingsbury). RG14PN16853 RG78PN1043 RD366 SD1 ED27 SN43

secondly Edward Pinfold, wife Martha, daughter Emma and Mother emma salt (widow) - all born Kingsbury, Warks. RG14PN16853 RG78PN1043 RD366 SD1 ED27 SN44

thirdly George Clifford ( born Tewksbury) and wife Laura ann ( born Kingsbury)
RG14PN16853 RG78PN1043 RD366 SD1 ED27 SN45

oh and i looked at all the male h starkey in case as you said it was mrs h starkey and they were all married with children and none gave an indication of any connection eg no other names other than starkey with them etc

Oh, thanks vron.

Joseph Allton had an older brother called Samuel. I have Samuel married to a Charlotte Boulstridge (b. abt 1883 in Kingsbury parish - which includes Hurley) in 1906 and them having three children (Charlotte, b.1912, Samuel, b. 1916 and John b. 1922). Samuel snr didn't die until 1975.

This is going to take a bit of untangling.

STG

i think your charlotte who married Samuel is the daughter of the Charlotte who is in malt cottages in 1911!

> I think your Charlotte ..

Phew! That's a relief.

I've found a posting in the Great War Forum on The Long, Long Trail website from 2006 where someone was asking about Joseph's brother, Vincent, who was KIA in 1918. Vincent served with the 1st Bt. Northamptonshire Regiment and was awarded the Military Medal.

I'm now trying to make contact with the chap who posted the query about Vincent. Think it's likely that we are related somwhow - the Alltons went in for BIG families - and he just might know something about Mrs Starkey.

Thanks for all your help.

STG

Just for info Charlotte and family are at the same address Malt Houses in 1891.
And in 1901 her family is on the same census page as the Allton family including Samuel.

The Allton family in 1891 are living next door to a John Starkey with wife Ann and son Joseph. Joseph is 22 and a coal miner.

So there is a neighbourly link between the names if nothing else and food for thought.

So, in 1916 when Joseph Allton was KIA, his small children were probably in the care of a 53yo non-relative. There MUST be a reason for this. I just don't know what it is!

Joseph's own mother had died in 1904, so that would explain why the children didn't go to his parents to be cared for. But he was one of 14, so I'm really puzzled as to why none of his siblings took in the children - especially as the boy was named Oliver Tom after one of Joseph's older brothers. Oliver Tom snr got married in 1917 (the year after Joseph was KIA) and doesn't appear to have had any children of his own until 1921, so maybe he took Oliver jnr and Edith after he got married.

Oh I wish I knew what happened and why!!

STG

dont forget that the war was on so the men were mainly away from home and the women were left to cope best as they could. this could mean moving in with relatives, moving away from bombed areas etc etc . dont forget just because the efffects were sent to that person it doesnt mean they spent years living with them it could have been just a temporary thing while more permanent living arrangements were made.