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Family History
Francis Wozencroft (1845-?1875)
*** WORK IN PROGRESS ***
The starting point for the story of Francis is Annie
Wozencroft's birth certificate (15th March 1871) which shows her father as 'Francis
Wozencroft, Silver Buffer' at 'Back 30, Egerton Lane, Ecclesall Bierlow,
Sheffield'. This address leads us to the 1871 census {Sheffield Local Studies Library - Microfilm N747 - Ecclesall Bierlow,
Enumeration District 10, Folio 59, Page 25. Schedule 140} which shows Francis and his
family in the township of Ecclesall Bierlow at Back 30, Egerton Lane ...
Francis Wozencroft, Head, Married, Age 25, Silver Buffer, Born
Warwickshire, Birmingham.
Rachel A Wozencroft, Wife, Married, Age 29. Silver Burnisher, Born
Yorkshire, Darnall.
Eliza A Coates, Daughter in Law, Age 7, Scholar, Born Yorkshire,
Sheffield.
Ann Wozencroft, Daughter, Age 1 month, Born Yorkshire, Sheffield.
(see Annie's page for more details of the birth certificate and census.)
From the census we have a rough date and place of birth for Francis (~1846, Birmingham, Warwickshire).
His occupation as a Silver Buffer would explain their address since the Egerton Lane area included a number of works as well as courts of back-to-back houses. The works included 'Eye Witness Works' which is marked on the 1890 1:500 OS map as a Cutlery Works. Eye Witness Works is still there. (See Egerton Lane Page.)
Civil Registration Index (Births) Search
Search at www.ancestry.co.uk found -
Name: Wozencraft, Francis [Note spelling - WozencrAft]
Quarter: September
Year: 1845
District: Birmingham
County: Warwickshire
Volume: 16
Page: 327
'Best Matches' Search on www.ancestry.co.uk shows ...
Name: Francis Wozencroft
Estimated Birth Year: 1846
Birthplace: **
Relationship: **
Civil parish: **
County: Derbyshire
** details and 'View Image' are paid enquiries (or try libraries).
It would appear that Francis had moved from Birmingham, where he was born, to Derbyshire - Where in Derbyshire? What was he doing? Had his family moved here? Where was he in 1851? Can we get hold of the census?
Civil Registration Index (Marriages) Search
Search at www.freebmd.org.uk found -
Surname: Woxencroft [Note spelling - WoXencroft]
Given Name: Frank [Note not Francis??]
Quarter: September
Year: 1867
District: Sheffield
Volume: 9c
Page: 508
Other names shown on the same page include 'Rachel Ann Coates' - Annie's mother's name from her birth certificate and the 1871 census.
The same details can be found using a search at www.ancestry.co.uk, which is sourced from FreeBMD.
Sheffield Burgess Rolls (eligibility to vote)
The Burgess Rolls include the following ...
1870-71 - No Wozencroft registered in Ecclesall Ward.
1872-73 - (Sheffield Libraries Reference 324-241S)
Page 176 - Entry no. 22387 - Wozencroft Francis - a house - 9, court 5,
Egerton Street.
1873-74 - No Wozencroft registered in Ecclesall Ward.
Court 5, Egerton Street is shown on the 1890 1:500 OS Map of the centre of Sheffield (see Egerton Lane page). The court of back-to-back houses had entrances on Egerton Street and Egerton Lane. 'Back 30, Egerton Lane', as shown in the 1871 census, could well be the same address as '9, Court 5, Egerton Street'.
Notes provided by Miriam Middleton (Annie's daughter, Francis' grand daughter) say that Francis died when Annie was 5 years old (~1876-7). The 1881 Census (Sheffield Libraries Microfilm M 1822) shows Annie as an orphan in the Union Workhouse, which seems to confirm that he had died (or at least was no longer around) by 1881. No reference has yet been found in a Civil Registration Index (Deaths) Search, possibly because the records have not yet been transcribed (try the library or Sheffield Archives).
General Cemetery Register (Sheffield Local Studies Library)
(Only partially checked. Only one reference found to a Wozencroft so far)
Non C of E - Reference H2
Burial Number 19002, Grave K15.
Died December, Buried 4th January 1876.
Henry Wozencroft, no age, profession or last residence given. Officiating
Minister - John Hirst.
This date fits with the supposed death of Annie's father when she was 5 years old. Could it be that the wrong name was given intentionally or accidentally.