James Colley

At the time of the 1841 census, 15 year old James was in Heeley at the house of John Pearson, an Edge Tool Grinder, as his apprentice.

By 1846 James was living in the Pitsmoor area so he might possibly have been back with or close by his father, who was living in Bower Street, Pitsmoor at this time.

On 22nd Feb 1846 James (20) married Mary Ann Sanby (20), who lived in  nearby Shalesmoor.

Their first child, William, was born on 3rd June 1846 at 234 Moorfields, Sheffield.They had four more children, Charles (1848-1891), Mary Ann (1850-1854), John (1852-1853) and Ann Eliza (1855-1856).

In 1851 they lived at 71 Brown Street, Sheffield, just up the road from Mary Ann's family who now lived at 48 Brown Street.

The 6th Dec 1853 saw the death of son John, aged 1, followed three months later  by the death of their daughter Mary Ann, aged 3, on 26th Mar 1854. Their remaining daughter Ann Eliza, died two years later on 19th Feb 1856, aged 1. All three died in Brown Street and were buried in St Mary's Church, Bramall Lane, Sheffield.

The family do a disappearing act on the 1861 census but at some point between 1856 and 1864, I believe they moved to Neepsend. James father and brother were both living in the Neepsend area around this time and it's possible that that's where they went.

The Great Sheffield Flood of 1864, cost nearly three hundred lives and one of the largest insurance claims of the Victorian period. One such insurance claim was filed by a James Colley, edge tool grinder, of Pearson's Houses, Neepsend. ( I believe this was situated at the bottom of Rutland Road/Neepsend Lane).

Just a thought, but do these houses belong to the same John Pearson who James was apprenticed to when he was 15? The Landlord is certainly called John Pearson but he is a Gardener from Aston. Maybe he changed occupations or he is somebody else entirely, don't know!!

Apart from furniture and the like, the main bulk of the claim was for the lost contents of a grocery shop. In 1881 Mary ran a grocery stores in St Stephens Road so maybe this was her first attempt.

By 1871 the family were now living in Woodland View in Stannington. Slight role reversal with son William as head of household.

Sometime between 1871 and 1879 James and Mary moved to 55 St. Stephens Road where on 20 Mar 1879, James died of pneumonia aged 53.

By 1881 Mary  had taken over the grocery stores further up St. Stephens Road and  in 1883 she remarried to become Mrs Samuel Murfitt. I've lost track of her after that.