George Holland 1834-? and Elizabeth (Everall)
George Holland was my great-grandfather. George Holland was the youngest son of Thomas Holland and Mary (Bywaters) He was baptised in Culmington on 16th March 1834 and probably born in February or March of that year. He was seven years old at the time of the 1841 census and was living in Halford with his family. His father was illiterate, but the children may have attended the school in Stokesay - at any rate they were able to sign on the various documents which survive.
His mother died in 1849 and his youngest sister Martha remained to keep house for her father. In the 1851 census, the rest of the family have moved away from Dinchope and many of them have yet to be located. George Holland, now aged 17, was one of the missing ones.
In the 1861 census, George (now 27) was living at "Nettleton" Common in Stokesay and working as a "woodman labourer". Soon afterwards, on 18th August 1862, he married Elizabeth Everall. On the marriage certificate he was described as "labourer" and the son of Thomas Holland, labourer while his wife was described as widow and daughter of Thomas Everall, farmer. Both parties were living in Ludford at the time of the wedding.
At the time of the wedding, Elizabeth had four children from her first marriage to Richard Everall (no relation of hers in spite of the same surname). These were Thomas (aged 13), Mary (aged 11), Edward (aged 9) and Lucy (aged 8).
His eldest son William Holland was born on 16th March 1863 at Longville Chappel in Wistanstow. George Holland was working as a farm labourer, and the birth was registered on 30th March by his mother.
In 1865, when his son Alfred was born, George was described as a railway breaksman
and they were living in Wistanstow. In 1869, when his daughter Alice was born, they were living at
Buck Yard, Stanton Lacy and George was described as a "general labourer".
After this, George became a coal miner and the whole family moved to Staffordshire. In the 1871 census,
they were living at 29 High Bridge, Pelsall in Staffordshire. George Holland, aged 35 and born in
Culmington was working as a coal miner. His wife Elizabeth was aged 37 and born in Bishops Castle.
His two sons, William (aged 8) and Alfred (aged 6) had been born in Wistanstow, while his daughter
Alice (aged 2) had been born in Ludlow. Regarding the children from Elizabeth's first marriage,
Lucy (now 16) was living Stapleton and working as a servant while her sister Mary (now 20) was
living in Hope Bowdler and said to be the “neice” of the householder. Their two brothers have not
yet been found.
Some time later, his wife left him and ran away with one John Everall, taking the two children with her. George is said to have followed them to regain his "little girl", though it is not clear whether he was referring to Alice or Elizabeth. George was said to have been close behind them when he was killed in a railway accident. After this, the fugitives settled at Buckley near Chester and in the 1881 census they were found at Lane End, Petrobin, Buckley. The children were brought up believing their surname to be “Everall” and it was some twenty years later when Lucy (now married to Thomas Morris and living at the farm at Charlton Hill) told Alice the true story. Her brother Alfred was furious when he heard of it, quarreled bitterly with both his mother and his sister (not that it was Alice’s fault) and denied it for the rest of his life.
I have yet to find the correct death certificate for George Holland. It probably
occurred between 1871 and 1881. Both Alfred and Alice claimed to have remembered nothing about
their father and were deeply shocked when they were told about it many years later. However
Alfred was six years old in the 1871 census and it seems surprising that he did not remember
either his father or his brother. I have searched the indexes of death certificates from March
1868 to December 1880, and purchased some of the most likely ones, but without success.
The most recent one, showing the death of George Holland, collier, in a mine explosion is more
likely than some. The age is wrong - 44 instead of 41, but the other details agree.
William Holland did not go to Buckley with his mother and the descendants of Alice and Alfred do not seem to have known of his existance. I have tried to trace him and have possible entries in 1881 and 1891. In 1881 there was a William Holland, aged 19, living at Darlaston and working as a servant. In 1901, William Holland (aged 38 and born in Wistanstow) was working as a railway signalman and lodging with another signalman Mark Sotherton and his family in Birkenhead. Since he was still unmarried at the age of 38, the chances of contacting any of his descendants do not seem very high.
Relevant Records:
Parish Registers: 1834 Mar.16 George s.of Thomas Holland (lab) & Mary of Culmington, bap, p.43 no.340.
Census Data 1861. Stokesay. Nettleton Common.
George Holland lodger unm. age 25 (actually 27) woodman labourer born Culmington.
1871 census for 29 High Bridge, Pelsall, Staffs.
George Holland head mar 35 coal miner b.Culmington.
Elizabeth Holland wife mar 37 b.Bishops Castle.
William Holland son 8 b.Wistanstow.
Alfred Holland son 6 b.Wistanstow.
Alice Holland dau 2 b.Ludlow
1881 Census for 14 Horton St, Darlaston, Staffs.
Edward Catshel head mar 56 cowkeeper dairyman b.Hereford
Ruth Catshel wife mar 61 b.Shropshire
William Holland servant unmar 19 man servant b.Shropshire
1901 census for 19 Burton St, Birkenhead.
Mark Sotherton head mar 27 railway signalman b.Hanwood, Shropshire.
Jane Sotherton wife mar 28 b.Nantrisant, Flintshire.
Robert J. Sotherton son 3 b.Birkenhead, Cheshire.
Florence G. Sotherton dau 9 months b.Birkenhead, Cheshire.
William Holland border single 38 railway signalman b.Wistanstow, Shropshire.
Certificates:
Marriage solemnised 18th August 1862 in the parish church at Ludford after banns. The bride was
Elizabeth Everall, a widow of full age, living at Ludford, and thedaughter of Thomas Everall,
farmer. The groom was George Holland, a bachelor of full age and a labourer, living at Ludford,
and the son of Thomas Holland, labourer. The witnesses were Sarah Carter and Elizabeth
Harrington (illiterate).
William Holland was born on 16th March 1863 at Longville Chappel. He was the son of
George Holland, a farm labourer, and Elizabeth (late Everall formerly Everall) and the birth was
registered on 30th March by his mother.
Alfred Holland was born on 29th September 1865 in Wistanstow. He was the son of George Holland,
a railway breaksman, and his wife Elizabeth (late Everall formerly Everall) and the birth was
registered on 1st November by his mother.
Alice Holland was born on 13th February 1869 at Buck Yard, New Road, Stanton Lacy. She was
the daughter of George Holland, a general labourer, and his wife Elizabeth (late Everall,
formerly Everall) and the birth was registered on 22nd March by her mother.
Death certificates for other George Hollands.
George Holland died on 19th June 1871 [June 1871 Rotherham 9c 316] at 1 Domine Will Lane,
Rotherham. He was a journeyman tailor, aged 41 and the death was reported by Mary Holland,
present at the death. (Born 1830).
George Holland died on 13th September 1875 [Sep 1875 Birkenhead 8a 289] in Morpeth Dock,
Birkenhead. He was a “commission agent” aged 47 and was “accidentally drowned”. An inquest
was held on the same day and the death was registered on 20th September.
(I suspect there’s an interesting story here, but I don’t think it relates to my George Holland.)
George Holland died on 16th October 1875 at Weaver near Northwich [Dec 1875 Northwich 8a 210].
He was a stone mason, aged 40, who died of consumption and the death was reported on 19th
October by his widow M.A. Holland.
George Holland died on 30th April 1875 [June 1875 Newcastle L 6b 58] at Banthers Hill, Colliery.
He was a collier, aged 44 and it was adjudged to be an "accidental death by explosion of fire
damp". It was certified by John Booth, coroner for Staffordshire on 20th May after an inquest
on 10th May.
Other possible entries might be the following (George’s age is given alongside): -
Civil Registration Death Indexes.
George’s age.
Dec. 1868 George Holland age 36 Dudley 6a 37 age 35
June 1869 George Holland age 32 St Luke 1b 466 age 36
Dec. 1870 George Holland age 36 Bury 8c 313 age 37
June 1871 George Holland age 35 Liverpool 8b 207 age 38
Dec.1872 George Holland age 36 St Olave 1d 112 age 39
Dec.1872 George Holland age 36 Sunderland 10a 318 age 39
Dec.1875 George Holland age 46 Mansfield 7b 35 age 41
Page maintained by Susan Laflin. Last updated February 2006.