Third Generation

3. Thomas Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born in 1890 in Longton, Staffordshire and died on 20 Jul 1916 in Somme, France.

Thomas Finney was the first son of Arthur and Caroline and was born between April and June of 1890.

Thomas was living at 17 Ward Street at the time of the 1901 census and was aged ten. Either Tom or his brother Richard were nicknamed "Soss". One of the brothers was killed in the Great War saving an officer . The office paid his mother Caroline Gilbert a monthly "pension" in gratitude. The other brother was a dispatch rider and was shot by a sniper. Thomas' younger sister Amelia had a photo of one of the brothers. The url http://www.cwgc.org.uk/detailed.asp?casualty=751898 has an entry in to mark Thomas' death which reads:

In Memory of
THOMAS FINNEY
Lance Corporal
11001
1st Bn., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
who died on
Thursday 20 July 1916 . Age 26 .

Additional Information: Son of Arthur and Caroline Finney, of go, Ward St., Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
Cemetery: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL Somme, France
Grave or Reference Panel Number: Pier and Face 4 D
Location: The Thiepval Memorial will be found on the D73, off the main Bapaume to Albert road (D929). Each year a major ceremony is held at the memorial on 1 July.
Visiting Information: The Panel Numbers quoted at the end of each entry relate to the panels dedicated to the Regiment served with. In some instances where a casualty is recorded as attached to another Regiment, his name may alternatively appear within their Regimental Panels. Please refer to the on-site Memorial Register Introduction to determine the alternative panel numbers if you do not find t>
he name within the quoted Panels.
Historical Information: On 1 July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure. In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to exploit the modest successes of the first day. However, the German Army resisted tenaciously and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained. At the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The village had been an original objective of 1 July. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Battle of the Somme finally ended on 18 November with the onset of winter. In the spring of 1917, the German forces fell back to their newly prepared defences, the Hindenburg Line, and there were no further significant engagements in the Somme sector until the Germans mounted their major offensive in March 1918. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. The memorial also serves as an Anglo-French Battle Memorial in recognition of the joint nature of the 1916 offensive and a small cemetery containing equal numbers of Commonwealth and French graves lies at the foot of the memorial. The memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was built between 1928 and 1932 and unveiled by the Prince of Wales, in the presence of the President of France, on 31 July 1932. The dead of other Commonwealth countries who died on the Somme and have no known graves are commemorated on national memorials elsewhere.

4. Amelia Ann Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born on 2 Jan 1893 in Mynyddislwyn, South Wales and died on 27 Jun 1989 in Camelot Court, Winghouse Lane, Tittensor, Staffs.

Amelia Ann Finney was born in Mynyddislwyn on 2nd January 1893, and her birth is recorded in the BMD index with a district of Newport, Monmouthshire. The 1901 census has Amelia living at 17 Ward Street (Hanley) as an eight-year-old daughter of Arthur and Caroline. She is the only of Arthur's children on the census who was born in South Wales.

A daughter of Amelia recalled that when her mother wanted her pension, she had to produce her birth certificate. This could not be located, and it was eventually found in Wales; this was only because she had described the place where she was born so vividly and it was recognised. Amelia's father (Arthur Finney) took her back to Wales when she was a child to show her where she was from

Amelia used to keep her younger brother William in check! She lived on Leek Road at the bottom of Abbots Road.

Amelia had a photo of either Thomas or Richard, the two brothers who were killed in The Great War.

Amelia died in a nursing home in Tittensor. The vicar conducting her service was from the same Welsh village as she was born. Amelia death was certified as being of Mycardial Infarction, and her daughter Caroline Hand was the informant. Amelia was noted on her death certificate as being a retired Pottery Worker. Her last address was listed as being Leek Road, Milton, and was the same address as her daughter Caroline.

Amelia married Amos Durose . Amos was born on 30 Apr 1890 in Fenton, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died on 21 Aug 1979 in Leek Road, Abbey Hulton, Staffs.

Amos was a tall and quiet man. He worked as a Potters Saggar Maker and lived at 1426 Leek Road, Abbey Hulton. Amos was noted on his death certificate as being at this address when he died in 1979.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 13 M    i. Amos Durose died in 1992.

+ 14 M    ii. Thomas Durose .

+ 15 F    iii. Caroline (Carol) Durose was born in Sep 1919 and died on 24 Nov 2001.

+ 16 F    iv. Living

+ 17 F    v. Pearl Durose died in 1997.

+ 18 F    vi. Living

+ 19 M    vii. Living

5. Arthur Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born on 26 Jun 1895 in Hednesford, Staffordshire and died on 22 Mar 1971 in Abbey Hulton, Stoke-On-Trent.

Named after his father, Arthur was aged 5 on the 1901 census and was living with his family at 17 Ward Street. He is noted as being born in Hedgford, Staffordshire on the census - his son and one of his grandaughters have confirmed that this should read Hednesford.

Arthur was working as a miner and was living in Well Street in 1914 when he married Adeline. Edward Hankey and Amelia Ann Durose were the witnesses at the wedding.

Like his brothers, Arthur fought in the First World War, although Arthur returned home safely in stark contrast to Thomas and Richard who were killed. Arthur's son has a picture of his father in his war uniform. Arthur used to box.

Arthur is listed on his mother Caroline's death certificate (registered on 2nd June 1936) as the informant, and was living at 46 Palmerston Street, Hanley at the time (Palmerston Street is actually in Joiner's Square as opposed to Hanley).

Arthur also lived in Newhouse Road, Bucknall. He bred dogs for a time, and he also flew pigeons, as did his father. He worked as a miner and is known to have travelled to Yorkshire with his brothers Bill and Frank for work. Arthur knew how to mend shoes, as did his brother Bill, a craft presumably learnt from his father.

Arthur was living at 99 Woodhead Road, Abbey Hulton when he died in 1971. His death certificate cites him as being a retired pipe-fitter. Arthur died of chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumcoonicsia(?). The certificate notes that his death was as a result of industrial disease sustained while working as a collier.

Arthur married Adeline Sherratt on 4 Oct 1914 in Wellington Church, Stoke on Trent. Adeline was born on 10 Jan 1897 in Shelton, Stoke-On-Trent and died on 1 Nov 1986 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

Adeline Sherratt was living in Talbot Street in 1914 at the time of her marriage to Arthur Finney. She also lived in Newhouse Road, Bucknall for a time. She died in the City General Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent in 1986. Her son Thomas Richard Finney (Tommy) was in attendance and is named on the death certificate.

Research Notes (Private): aunt addy.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 20 F    i. Phoebe Finney .

+ 21 M    ii. Arthur Finney .

+ 22 F    iii. Living

+ 23 F    iv. Irene Finney died in 1994.

+ 24 M    v. Thomas Richard Finney was born on 24 Jul 1925 in Northwood, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died on 28 Oct 1993.

+ 25 F    vi. Living

+ 26 M    vii. Living

He never married.

+ 27 F    viii. Connie Finney .

+ 28 M    ix. Arthur Finney was born in 1937 and died in Jan 2004 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

+ 29 F    x. Living

6. Richard J. Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born in 1897 in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died on 29 May 1918 in Somme, France.

Richard is aged 3 on the 1901 census entry for 17 Ward Street, Hanley. One of the two brothers who were killed in the Great War was known as "Jubilee" - maybe that is what the J. in Richard's name is short for. The name comes from the fact that he was born in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee..

Richard's great-nephew Bernard visited the site of his grave in April 2003 and took the photograph of the headstone.

http://www.cwgc.org.uk/detailed.asp?casualty=111374 commemorates his sacrifice:
Debt of Honour Register
In Memory of
R FINNEY
Private
49211
10th Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers
who died on
Wednesday 29 May 1918. Age 20.

The following information is also provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site:
Son of Mr. A. and Mrs. C. Finney, of 90, Ward St., Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
Cemetery: MAILLY WOOD CEMETERYSomme, France
Grave or Reference Panel Number: II. N. I8.
Location: Mailly Wood Cemetery is 9 kilometres north of Albert on the D919. The Cemetery is situated on the outskirts of the village of Mailly-Maillet on the left hand side of the road to Amiens, where it is signposted from the main road onto a 500 metre mud track.
Visiting Information: Access can be difficult during winter due to the condition of the mud track and a four-wheel drive vehicle would be required. It should however be emphasised that even with this type of vehicle there is a danger of the vehicle slipping as the track is narrow, becomes very muddy and the fields are below the level of the track.
Historical Information: Mailly-Maillet was within the line taken over from the French in the summer of 1915, and several British cemeteries were made in the commune. Mailly Wood Cemetery was begun by the burial of thirteen men of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, who fell on the 25th June, 1916. It was used again by the 51st (Highland) Division, who buried in it many of their dead from the Capture of Beaumont Hamel in November, 1916. From that time it was little used until the period April-August, 1918, when the German attack on Amiens brought the front line very close to the Cemetery and the 12th Division (in May) and the 21st (in August), among others, used it for burying their dead. After the Armistice graves from the battlefields immediately North-East of the village were brought into the Cemetery. They included a group of 30 graves in the village itself known as Mailly Maillet Military Cemetery, begun in June, 1916, and used again in July and August, 1918. It was, however, found that six British graves in the Military Cemetery had been destroyed by shell fire, and they are represented by memorials at the North West end of Mailly Wood Cemetery, behind the Cross; and memorials to two British soldiers, whose graves in the Cemetery cannot now be identified, are on either side of these six. There are now over 700, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 60 are unidentified. The cemetery covers an area of 2,099 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall.

In Memory of
Private R FINNEY
49211, 10th Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers
who died age 20
on Wednesday 29 May 1918.
Private FINNEY, Son of Mr. A. and Mrs. C. Finney, of 90, Ward St., Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
Remembered with honour
MAILLY WOOD CEMETERY
Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

7. Caroline Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born in 1899 in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

Caroline is on the 1901 census as the two-year old daughter of Arthur and Caroline of 17 Ward Street, Hanley. There is the record of the birth of a Caroline Finney in Stoke-on-Trent in the second quarter of 1899 in the Free BMD project which may be for "our" Caroline.

We are assuming that Caroline and Aunt Kitty (Kate) are the same person.

A niece of Aunt Kitty remembers her as being tall and big busted.

Caroline married Jack Lowe .

Children from this marriage were:

+ 30 F    i. Living

+ 31 F    ii. Living

+ 32 F    iii. Living

+ 33 F    iv. Living

8. Bill Finney (Arthur², John¹) was born on 27 Mar 1901 in 17 Ward St., Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent and died in 1963.

Bill was born on 27 March 1901 in Stoke-on-Trent. The family were still at 17 Ward Street at the time. William is noted as being less than one month old on the 1901 census. He had blonde hair and was a builder (he worked at Tern Hill) and was versatile and clever. He was very versatile and could mend shoes (probably learnt due to his father's trade), make furniture and was a good gardener. He built his sister Amelia's greenhouse. He married his wife Margaret Bagnall on 15th January 1922; Bill was twenty at the time and was working as a coal miner. The address for Bill and Margaret at the time of their marriage was given as 44 Bold Street.

The couple had several children who died before the birth of Billy. In 1925 when Billy (William Vernon) was born, Bill lived at 48 Victoria Street, Hanley and was working as a coal hewer. A hewer used a pick to extract coal from the coalface. His daughter Joan recalls that he was strict. Bill had a bad heart. He had a damaged thumb from an accident when he was mining.

Sometime around 1936, Bill's wife Margaret Bagnall died while giving birth - she was living at Dale Street at the time. He wore a green scarf in memory of his first wife Margaret.

A resident of the Abbey remembers "old Bill" who [subsequently] married Mrs Rowley. Bill lived at 71 Priory Road, Abbey Hulton. Next door at number 73 Priory Road were the Banners, and a sister-in-law of one of the Banners went to school with Bill's son Bernard. She remembers that one of Bill's daughters was a local beauty queen, and that one daughter was a dancer in the pantomime and went on to the stage "which we all thought was very exciting at the time". She also recalls that Bill's son Bernard was the fastest runner at school (Our Lady and St. Benedicts, and then St. George and St. Martins at Birches Head).

Bill was still at 71 Priory Road in July 1950 when his daughter Margaret Mary was killed. After his death, a small crucifix was found in his pocket which used to belong to his daughter Margaret Mary. Bill and his wife Margaret are buried with their son Bernard in Hanley Cemetery. The plot was bought by their eldest son Billy.

Bill married Margaret Mary Bagnall , daughter of Roland Bagnall and Margaret Unknown , on 15 Jan 1922 in Northwood, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire. Margaret was born in 1901 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died in 1936 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

Marriage Notes: The General Records Office Marriage Index has entries for the marriage of William Finney and Margaret Bagnall in the first quarter of 1922 (District: Stoke T; Vol: 6b; Page 267). William and Margaret were married on 15th January 1922 at the Holy Trinity Church in the Parish of Northwood, Stoke-on-Trent. This was the parish church and the marriage was according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, which is interesting seeing as the Bagnalls are reputed to have all been Catholic. The witnesses at the marriage were George Bagnall (probably the bride's grandfather) and Caroline Finney (mother of the groom), and the marriage was conducted by G.S. Hall.

Margaret was probably born in 1901, and there is a likely entry in the Free BMD project (Births Q4 1901: Bagnall Margaret; Stoke T. 6b 175). Margaret married Bill Finney early in 1922 at the age of twenty and was living at 44 Bold Street at the time. The marriage certificate gives us the name of her father - Roland Bagnall. There was also a George Bagnall who witnessed the marriage. Margaret was living at 48 Victoria Street, Hanley in 1925 when her son William Vernon (Billy) was born. She died in 1936 (GRO Death Index 1936 Q1 - District Stoke T.; Vol. 6b; Page 199) giving birth to a child. The baby is buried in the coffin at her feet. Grandma Bagnall threw two women out of house as one tried to look at baby. At the time, the family were living at Dale Street, Hanley. At present, the GRO cannot find the death certificate relating to this entry at the given index page.

Margaret is buried in Hanley Cemetery and is with her husband William and her son Bernard. The Bagnalls were all predominantly Catholics whereas Margaret's husband William Finney's denomination was that of the Church of England.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 34 F    i. Irene Finney was born in 1922 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died in 1922 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

+ 35 M    ii. Rowland Finney was born in 1923 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died in 1923 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

+ 36 M    iii. Billy Finney was born on 13 Feb 1925 in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died on 18 Apr 1999 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

+ 37 F    iv. Margaret Mary Finney was born on 19 Sep 1927 and died on 8 Jul 1950 in Huntingdon.

She never married.

+ 38 F    v. Living

+ 39 F    vi. Living

+ 40 M    vii. Bernard Finney was born in Aug 1935 and died on 18 Feb 1999.

+ 41 M    viii. Baby Finney was born in 1936 and died in 1936.

Bill married Annie Rowley . Annie was born in 1901 in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire and died in 1962 in Abbey Hulton, Stoke-On-Trent.

Mrs. Rowley was knocked down in Abbey Hulton in the fog sometime in 1960s.

Bill's daughter remembers her as being a good step-mother.
Annie wanted her children with Bill to keep her name of Rowley as opposed to being Finneys.

A resident of the Abbey recalls the Rowley children, and remembers that "they were all hard working just like their mother".

Children from this marriage were:

+ 42 M    i. Living

+ 43 F    ii. Living

+ 44 M    iii. Derek Rowley died in 2001.

9. Frank Finney (Arthur², John¹) died in 1988.

There is a possible entry for Frank Finney's birth in the Free BMD Project: Births Jun 1906 - Finney Frank; Stoke T. 6b 200. Frank lived in Abbey Hulton and died sometime around 1988. He is buried in Carmountside Cemetery. His wife Helen Owen died quite a while before this.

Frank married Helen Owen .

Helen lived in Abbey Hulton and was a small lady with dark hair.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 45 F    i. Living

+ 46 F    ii. Living

+ 47 F    iii. Living

+ 48 F    iv. Living

10. Lydia Finney (Arthur², John¹).

There is an entry in the BMD Index in the last quarter of 1903 which may be for Lydia: Lydia Finney - Stoke T. - 6b 203. Similarly, the entry in the third quarter of 1906 could also be the one: Lydia Finney - Stoke T. - 6b 300.

Lyddie lived first on Alsager Road before moving to Malvern.

Lydia married Bill Harrison .

Lydia married James Brassington .

Children from this marriage were:

+ 49 M    i. Living

11. Emily Finney (Arthur², John¹).

Emily lived off Priory Road in Abbey Hulton.

Emily married Harry Smallwood .

Harry had his own taxi business and was also a good singer in the clubs. He was killed when he was electrocuted when he was setting up his equipment for a performance.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 50 M    i. Edward Smallwood .

+ 51 M    ii. Robert Smallwood .

12. Elizabeth Finney (Arthur², John¹).

Possibilities for Elizabeth's birth in the BMD Index are:
Q2 1903 Elizabeth Finney - Stoke T. - 6b 280
Q2 1904 Elizabeth Finney - Stoke T. - 6b 317

Elizabeth lived opposite The Steps. This is on the left hand side of Leek Road as you travel from Limekilm Bank towards Abbey Hulton in Stoke-on-Trent.

Elizabeth married Bob Glover .