Genealogy
Whiston Families
Simmonite
A Martin Simonite married Ann Ardron(b 1709 Laughton-en-le-Morthen). in 1728 at Rotherham. (Is there a connection with Ardron of Treeton?) . They had 3 sons:
- Martin born 1730. Married 15/7/1751 Anne Dobson
- John born in 1732
- Joseph born in 1736.
Joseph Simmonite (1735-1817) married Esther Capper in 1765 at Whiston. Children:
- John Siminite christened 22 Feb 1769 at Whiston
- Mary Siminite ch.28/7/1774 Whiston
- Isaac Simmonet ch.18/11/1781 Sheffield Cathedral Yorkshire
- Mary Siminite ch.2/4/1782 Whiston Yorkshire
Joseph Simmonite, (1783-1807) married in 1804 at Rotherham to Frances Aukland They had a daughter Hannah born 1806. He died in Whiston in 1807.
Frances Auckland was born in 1786, daughter of Elizabeth Revell and Ephraim Auckland. She married a Joseph Simmonite (1783-1807) at Rotherham in 1804, he died in 1807.
After Josephs death, Frances (nee Auckland), now Simmonite, married. another Joseph Simmonite in 1808 - Boot and Shoe Maker was listed in the 1833 Directory.
Joseph and Frances had at least 2 children, Henry, born about 1822 and Martha, born about 1816, who married William Hogton
In 1871 Frances(Fanny) now aged 86 was living with her daughter, Martha Hogton, a widow aged 55 and Martha's children: Tom, a gardener, aged 14? and Frederick aged 11.
Henry Simmonite, age 59 born Whiston, Yorks. Son of Joseph Simmonite and Frances Aukland(her second husband), He married in 1848 at Sheffield , Sarah Haywood, born 1821 at Southey Hall, Sheffield. Henry was a Medical Botanist . Living with Henry and Sarah on census night, 1881 at White Cottage , Macro St Brightside Bierlow, Sheffield:
- Clara Elen Harlow, Daughter, age 30, born Sheffield
- Henry W. Simmonite, Son age 20 born Sheffield. Joiner & Builder
- Florence Simmonite, Daughter age 17 born Sheffield
- William Harlow, Son In Law age 30 born Liverpool. Concert Hall Traveller (Performer)
- Sarah Harlow, Granddaughter age 6 born Sheffield
- Madalene Harlow, Granddaughter age 3 born Sheffield
- William Harlow, Grandson age 1 born Sheffield
On 21st May, 1887, The Sheffield Coroner held an inquiry into the death of Mary Elizabeth Drew, a single woman aged 26, who was alleged to have died from injuries inflicted during an unlawful operation performed upon her. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Mary Clay, Henry Simmonite, a medical botanist and Ellen Pearce a midwife, they were committed for trial.
The trial was at Leeds before Mr. Justice Grantham on 9th May, 1887. Mary Clay, 47 a seamstress, Henry Simmonite, 66, a medical botanist and Ellen Pearce, 47, midwife were charged with the wilful murder of Mary Elizabeth Drew at Sheffield on the 9th March, 1887. Mr. Coltman and Mr. Banks prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury; Clay was defended by Mr. C. Mellor; Simmonite by Mr. L. A. Kershaw; and at the request of the Judge, Mr. Gerald Hardy defended Pearce.
The deceased woman finding herself pregnant consulted Simmonite, who carried on business in the house where Clay lived. According to the prosecution, two operations took place at the house of Pearce, as a result Drew died 10 days after miscarriage from peritonitis.
The case rested mainly on the statement of the deceased just before her death. The jury found all the prisoners guilty of wilfully procuring an abortion and thereby causing death.
The Judge said the finding of the jury amounted to murder. The foreman asked if the prisoners were charged with murder or wilful murder and said the jury thought they were not guilty of wilful murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
After further discussions, the Judge returned a verdict of Manslaughter. Clay and Simmonite were sentenced to life in prison and Pearce to 10 years in prison.
Extracted from 1881 census
John Simmonite, aged 78, a farmer, was born in 1803 at Whiston. He married Matilda Taylor of Killamarsh in 1828. Living with him in 1881 at The Angel Inn, Killamarsh, Derbys:
- Henry Simmonite, son age 40 born Herringthorpe, Rotherham, a farmer
- Maria Simmonite, daughter age 37 born Norwood, Derbys
- Anne Blackwell, Grandaughter age 29 born Norwood, Derbys
- Joe Booth, Grandson age 30 born Norwood, Derbys, a farm labourer
- John Marcus Carr, Grandson age 6 born Norwood, Derbys
Living at High Moor Gannsrow House, Killamarsh, Derbyshire was another son of John and Matilda: John , aged 43, was born at Herringthorpe, Rotherham, He was farming 22 acres. Living at Gannsrow House (on census night) was:
- Mary A. Simmonite, his wife, aged 48 ,born Baslow, Derbys
- Mary E. Simmonite, age 17 born Killamarsh,, Derbys
- John Simmonite, age 13 born Killamarsh
- Elizabeth Peat, Visitor, age 17 from Wales, Yorks
- Alice Varley, Servant, age 15 from Hasland, Derbys
Thomas Simonite born 1815 in Whiston married Hannah (born 1814 Rawmarsh). Thomas was a Stonemason, (by 1871 unable to work) Children below all born in Whiston:
- Emma born 1839
- Thomas born 1841
- Elizabeth born 1847
- Mary H born 1850
- William, born about 1852 and a Grocers Shopkeeper in 1871.
William Simmonite was born about 1852 in Whiston. He moved to Chesterfield sometime after 1871, and was living in Newbolt Road, Chesterfield. William married Eleanor Madin (or Maiden) in 1876 at Holy Trinity in Chesterfield.
It is thought and Eleanor's father was John Madin. John, who possibly lived in St Helen's Street, Chesterfield.
William and Eleanor had a daughter, Ida May Simmonite
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