Second Generation  

2. Arthur Finney (John¹) was born in 1866 in Longton, Staffordshire and died in 1937.

Arthur's parents died when he was young and he is reputed to have been adopted by friends of his parents who owned a crateyard in Monmouthshire, Wales. Family lore has it that Arthur's father was in the army and that both he and his wife died whilst abroad. Arthur was brought back to the U.K. to be educated and was adopted by a friend of Arthur's father - perhaps someone who was also in the army.

Arthur's son (Arthur) told his children that his father was adopted, and that he had a sister who was taken to America. She became a well known piano player and Arthur's son had to go and look in the Missing Persons section of The Times every week when he was young for someone named Peacock. This was to see if the sister was looking for her brother. It is unknown whether that was a surname the sister had been given (or maybe a married name).

Arthur Finney was married on 9 December 1889 to Caroline Gilbert. Arthur is listed on the marriage certificate as being aged 23 and was working as a miner. He was living at Gate Street at the time of his marriage and was married at St. James, the Parish Church of Longton. Witnesses at the marriage were Albert Birks and Catherine Edwards (who signed with her mark X). This marriage is listed on the Free BMD Project. Caroline must have been pregnant at the time of their marriage, as their first child Thomas was born between April and June of 1890.

The family moved to Wales for a time, as their daughter Amelia was born in Newport, Monmouthshire in 1893. By 1896, they were living in Hednesford, Staffordshire, as this is the birthplace of their third child Arthur. Their next child Richard is noted on the 1901 census as being born in Hanley, so it is probable that they settled at 17 Ward Street, Hanley sometime between 1896 and 1897.

Ward Street was known as "The Rocks" and was a rough part of town between Bucknall New Road and Northwood Park. The 1901 census shows Arthur Finney as being the head of the household at 17 Ward Street, Hanley where he worked on his own account as a Boot and Shoe Repairer.

Census 1901: 17 Ward St. Number of rooms occupied 4.
Arthur Finney Head 40 Boot/Shoemaker - On Own Account (self-employed) - Working at home - born Longton, Staffs.
Caroline Finney Wife 28 born Longton, Staffs.
Thomas Finney Son 10 born Longton, Staffs.
Amelia Finney Daughter 8 born South Wales.
Arthur Finney Son 5 born Staffs. Hedgford.
Richard J. Finney Son 3 born Hanley.
Caroline Finney Daughter 2 born Hanley.
William Finney Son under 1 month born Hanley.
Sarah Ann Gilbert Sister-in-Law 19 born Hanley.

The registration of the birth of their son William around a month later in May 1901 still has the family living at 17 Ward Street, although Arthur is documented as being a "Coalminer Hewer". A grandson of Arthur Finney confirmed that this was correct and that Arthur used to go down the pit by day, and then work as a cobbler by night. The 1901 census lists Arthur as being forty years old, which does not tie up with his age when married. Caroline's age on this census entry is also doubtful. Arthur could not read or write which possibly explains the anomolies on the census forms.

Arthur's job in the pit saw him working as a ganger; this was someone who would agree with the managers a set amount of coal and would be paid for this. He would then pay his gang of men out of this sum. Arthur's work as a Boot and Shoe Repairer earned him the nickname of "Cobbler Finney". It is a possibility that he learnt the trade from his father-in-law, as Thomas Gilbert was listed as a shoe repairer on the 1881 census.

I am told that Arthur was in two wars and that he suffered with his chest as a result of being gassed. However, he was too old for the Great War; maybe this relates to the Boer War. Arthur used to fly pigeons, as did his son Arthur. These birds were known as "milers" as they only used to race over short distances. Arthur won some money and hid it in a pigeon bowl to keep it from his wife Caroline, although she found it in spite of this!

There is an entry in the Potteries, Newcastle & District Directory of 1907 for Arthur which lists him as being a "Boot and Shoe Repairer". Arthur and his family were living at 19 Margaret Street by this time. This new address was not that far from Ward Street and used to have little cottages on it. Arthur had moved back to Ward Street, but to number 90 this time, by 1916 when his eldest son Thomas was killed in the First World War. He is again listed as being at 90 Ward Street in 1918 at the time of his son Richard's death. I am told that he may also have lived in the Trent Terraces for a while - these are just before the bridge in Abbey Hulton on the left-hand side of Leek Road going towards the Abbey. The backs of the houses are three-stories tall and go down to the back of the River Trent.

Arthur used to walk with his hands behind his back and when his grandaughter Amelia used to run behind him and ask him what he had, he'd give her a peppermint. He died when his grandaughter Amelia was around 15, so his death was sometime around 1937. He is buried in the same plot in Bucknall Cemetry as baby Tom Durose (his daughter Amelia's child). The grave does not mark Arthur or Caroline's presence though, only noting that Tom Durose is there.

Arthur married Caroline Gilbert , daughter of Thomas Gilbert and Elizabeth Hurst , on 9 Dec 1889 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire. Caroline was born on 17 Jul 1871 in Longton, Staffordshire and died on 1 Jun 1936 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

Caroline's birth is recorded in the district of Stoke T. in the third quarter of 1871 (6b 243). She was born at 15 Prospect Place, Longton to Thomas Gilbert (shoemaker) and Elizabeth Gilbert (formerly Hurst). Her birth was registered on 15 August 1871.

Caroline is listed on the 1881 census as being ten years old (age verified by Caroline's birth certificate). She was living with her parents at 3 Russell Street. Her elder brother Richard was also at the address, as was her older sister Mary Ann and her younger sister Edith Mary.

Dwelling: 3 Russell St
Census Place: Stoke Upon Trent, Stafford, England
Thomas GILBERT - Married - Aged 39 - Male - Born: Eccleshall, Staffordshire - Head (of household) - Occupation: Shoe Maker
Elizabeth GILBERT - Married - Aged 40 - Female - Born: Aylesbury, Buckingham - Relationship to Head: Wife
Richard GILBERT - Unmarried - Aged 15 - Male - Born: Hanley, Staffordshire - Relationship: Son - Occupation: Potter Slip Maker
Mary Ann GILBERT - Aged 12 - Female - Born: Longton, Staffordshire - Relationship: Daughter - Occupation: Scholar
Caroline GILBERT - Aged 10 - Female - Born: Longton, Staffordshire - Relationship: Daughter - Occupation: Scholar
Edith Mary GILBERT - Aged 2 - Female - Born: Longton, Staffordshire - Relationship: Daughter

It may or may not be relevant, but there was a Mary Finney living next door to Caroline at 5 Russell Street, Stoke Upon Trent on the 1881 census:
Mary FINNEY - Widow - Aged 56 - Female - Born: Longton - Head (of household)
Mercy WILSHAW - Married - Aged 18 - Female - Born: Longton - Relationship: Daughter
Chas. Henry WILSHAW - Married - Aged 19 - Male - Born: Longton - Relationship: Son In Law - Occupation: Potter Printer

Caroline married Arthur Finney on 9 December 1889 in Stoke-on-Trent at St. James which was the Parish Church in Longton. She was working as a Transferrer at the time - this would presumably have been someone who transferred images onto pottery. The marriage certificate notes that she was resident at Gate Street at this time, as was her groom Arthur. Albert Birks and Caroline Edwards were present at the marriage as witnesses. The age on Caroline's marriage certificate ties in with that on her birth certificate.

The 1901 census shows Caroline as residing at 17 Ward Street, Hanley with her family as follows: Arthur Finney Head, Thomas Finney Son, Amelia Finney Daughter, Arthur Finney Son, Richard J. Finney, Caroline Finney, William Finney Son under 1 month, Sarah Ann Gilbert Sister-in-Law. She is listed as being 28 on this census, which is incorrect.

Census 1901: 17 Ward St. Number of rooms occupied 4.
Arthur Finney Head 40 Boot/Shoemaker - On Own Account (self-employed) - Working at home - born Longton, Staffs.
Caroline Finney Wife 28 born Longton, Staffs.
Thomas Finney Son 10 born Longton, Staffs.
Amelia Finney Daughter 8 born South Wales.
Arthur Finney Son 5 born Staffs. Hedgford.
Richard J. Finney Son 3 born Hanley.
Caroline Finney Daughter 2 born Hanley.
William Finney Son under 1 month born Hanley.
Sarah Ann Gilbert Sister-in-Law 19 born Hanley.

Caroline registered the birth of her son William in May 1901 and was still present at 17 Ward Street, Hanley. Six years later, in 1907, Caroline was living at 19 Margaret Street with her family, although she had moved back to Ward Street - to number 90 - by the time of her eldest son Thomas' death in 1916. She was still there in 1918 at the time of her son Richard's death.

It has been said that Caroline liked her alcohol, and that she drank a pint of rum a day! Her husband won some money and wanted to hide it from her. As he kept pigeons, he put the money under one of his birds, although Caroline found the cash in spite of her husband's best efforts to conceal it! One of Caroline's grandaughters remembers that she had beautiful long hair and was known as Kitty.

Caroline died on 1st June 1936 (GRO Death Index 1936 Q2 - District: Stoke T.; Vol. 6b; Page 161) at the age of 63. Her death certificate lists (a) Myocardial Failure and (b) Bronchitis and Asthma as the causes of death. She was still living at 90 Ward Street in 1936 at the time her death. The informant was A. Finney (her son Arthur). Caroline is buried in the same plot as the baby Tom Durose (her daughter Amelia's child) in Bucknall Cemetery. This was because money was short and the plot had been bought for three people, baby Tom being the first.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 3 M    i. Thomas Finney was born in 1890 in Longton, Staffordshire and died on 20 Jul 1916 in Somme, France.

+ 4 F    ii. Amelia Ann Finney was born on 2 Jan 1893 in Mynyddislwyn, South Wales and died on 27 Jun 1989 in Camelot Court, Winghouse Lane, Tittensor, Staffs.

+ 5 M    iii. Arthur Finney was born on 26 Jun 1895 in Hednesford, Staffordshire and died on 22 Mar 1971 in Abbey Hulton, Stoke-On-Trent.

+ 6 M    iv. Richard J. Finney was born in 1897 in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died on 29 May 1918 in Somme, France.

+ 7 F    v. Caroline Finney was born in 1899 in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

+ 8 M    vi. Bill Finney was born on 27 Mar 1901 in 17 Ward St., Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent and died in 1963.

+ 9 M    vii. Frank Finney died in 1988.

+ 10 F    viii. Lydia Finney .

+ 11 F    ix. Emily Finney .

+ 12 F    x. Elizabeth Finney .