My mum (adoptive) was born in Derbyshire. But her mother was born in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, in 1904. My Grandma was Nellie Clayton (nee Hirons). Nellie Hirons was one of what looks to be 3 children, 2 girls and a boy (Thomas), though the boy seems to have died in infancy.
The story goes that my great-grandmother, Clara Jane Hirons (nee Howell), died young. Thomas Hirons was left alone with the children, but then also died young, in his 40s. Gran (Nellie) and her sister (Alice) were taken in and cared for by the Craddock Family in Uttoxeter.
I have found this to be a tricky bit of family history. I’ve made SOME discoveries, but some of the Hirons’ data is proving a bit tricky.
I asked my mum to do a DNA test to try to see if we could locate some of her mum’s family. We had limited success so far, but we do have an ethnicity report that suggests someone on her mum’s side was Welsh. So that must be either Howells or the Hirons. I’m no expert, but my money would be on the Howells.
If my simplistic level of research is correct. Clara Jane’s parents were Charles Arvell Howell and Mary Sankey. It looks as though they were in Aston, now part of Birmingham, in the 1870s.
Birth
| Name | Clara Jane Howell |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Father’s Name | Charles Arvall Howell |
| Father’s Sex | Male |
| Mother’s Name | Mary Howell |
| Mother’s Sex | Female |
| Event Type | Christening |
| Event Date | 13 Aug 1871 |
| Event Place | Aston Brook, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Event Place (Original) | Aston-Brook, Warwick, England |
“England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975”, database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NF6J-YB5 : 5 February 2023), Clara Jane Howell, 1871.
Now, getting back to my original story, we have Clara in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. I have no idea exactly what she was doing there but it’s likely that she was with her husband Thomas Hirons. She certainly married him there in 1900. The marriage document can be viewed here at Findmypast.org. Here are the key details summarised.
Marriage
| Name | Thomas Hirons |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 |
| Residence Place | Uttoxeter |
| Birth Year (Estimated) | 1868 |
| Father’s Name | Edward Hirons |
| Spouse’s Name | Clara Jane Howell |
| Spouse’s Age | 29 |
| Spouse’s Residence Place | Uttoxeter |
| Spouse’s Birth Year (Estimated) | 1871 |
| Spouse’s Father’s Name | Charles Howell |
| Event Type | Marriage |
| Event Date | 28 Jan 1900 |
| Event Place | Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Event Place (Original) | Uttoxeter, St Mary, Staffordshire, England |
“England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26SW-RW7 : 22 May 2014), Thomas Hirons, 1900; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1900, quarter 1, vol. 6B, p. 448, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
Death
The next entry is that Clara is Dead by 1907. They had just 7 years together. At this time, I haven’t been able to view the certificate for the cause of death.
| Name | Clara Jane Hirons |
|---|---|
| Age | 35 |
| Event Type | Death |
| Event Date | 1907 |
| Event Place | Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England |
| Registration District | Uttoxeter |
| Page | 214 |
| Volume | 6B |
| Affiliate Line Number | 192 |
| Registration Quarter | Oct-Nov-Dec |
| Registration Year | 1907 |
| Birth Year (Estimated) | 1872 |
“England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NBB-WY7 : 31 December 2014), Clara Jane Hirons, 1907; from “England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
1911 Census
The 1911 Census data shows Thomas and the girls living with the Craddocks‘ as lodgers in Uttoxeter
| NAME: | Thomas Edward Hirons | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGE IN 1911: | 47 | ||||||||||||
| ESTIMATED BIRTH YEAR: | 1864 | ||||||||||||
| COUNTY/ISLAND: | Staffordshire | ||||||||||||
| COUNTRY: | England | ||||||||||||
| HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS: |
|
But then, by 1912 Thomas is dead.
| NAME: | Thomas Hirons |
|---|---|
| AGE: | 46 |
| ESTIMATED BIRTH YEAR: | 1866 |
| REGISTRATION QUARTER: | Jan-Feb-Mar |
| DEATH REGISTRATION PLACE: | Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, United Kingdom |
| DEATH DATE: | Mar 1912 |
| INFERRED DEATH PLACE: | Staffordshire, United Kingdom |
| VOLUME: | 6b |
| PAGE: | 462 |
“England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N13-HHK: 31 December 2014), Thomas Hirons, 1912; from “England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com: 2012); citing Death, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
If you are researching the Howell or Hirons Families and have information or would just like to compare notes, please get in touch by leaving me a comment below.
