THE FROGGATT FAMILY OF ROTHERHAM, YORKSHIREBeginning with James Froggatt (1815-1862)IntroductionHere is the Froggatt of Rotherham family tree as best as I can determine it. There may be errors and omissions; I may have assumed connections that do not stand up to more scrutiny. You are welcome to email me with more information or to tell me where I have erred. (paul at frogs.co.nz) The FROGGATT of Rotherham family tree in outlineThis is the outline of the family tree from James (1815) down to Joanne, as best I can determine it. All the information here is in the public domain, compiled from publicly available data sources. You can click on the highlighted names to go to more information about that person and their family, or scroll down and follow the links. As I developed the tree I found that the family of Martha YELLAND was a fascinating study in itself. Click on the link for Martha and explore the YELLAND family. (The generation numbers start at 6 to remain consistent with the YELLAND tree.)
William FROGGATT (?)The marriage for James FROGGATT to Mercy COLDWELL in 1837 identifies his father as William FROGGATT. William's occupation is "Agent" - for whom or what is not stated. Mercy's father was a "Clothier" or tailor, so it is possible that William was also in the clothing trade. The 1851 and 1861 censuses indicate James was born in Scholes or Kimberworth, two villages to the north-west of Rotherham and north of Sheffield. It is evident that the family moved around and few life events are found in the parish records. There are several William Froggatts in this general area at this time, so identifying the correct one is problematic, especially as the baptism for James is not in the extant parish records, nor the non-conformist registers for Yorkshire. The 1841 census has a William and Susannah FROGGATT living at Middleton Green in Ecclesfield, another village to the north of Sheffield and close to Scholes. With them is Henry FROGGATT, farmer. Henry was baptised in Ecclesfield St Mary in 1820 and William was a tailor living at Middleton Green - all information consistent with the 1841 census. Although this William and Susannah had several children, none were named James so this is unlikely to be the correct family. JAMES FROGGATT (1815-1862)Based on the census and other records, James was born in Scholes or Kimberworth, both villages are a few miles northwest of Rotherham, Yorkshire. I cannot find a parish record for the baptism. Marriage to Mercy Ann COLDWELL James married Mercy Ann on 23 October 1837 at the Cathedral of St Peter & Paul, Sheffield. Both signed with an "X". James was a wheelwright (maker of wooden wheels) and both were living at Green Lane, Sheffield. Green Lane is in central Sheffield, close to the western bank of the River Don.
1841 census: James and Mercy are in the 1841 census with Elizabeth aged 3 and William aged 1. James was now a carpenter, aged 25 (but remember ages in the 1841 census are rounded to the nearest 5 years). They were living at "Dimpledale" with the adjacent localities being Carr and Briestfield. Dimpledale Cottage can be found today at WF12 0NY. Note that the head of house was Robert "COUGHILL". This was Mercy's father and Dimpledale or the surrounding area may have been where Mercy was born or brought up. A search of the records reveals that at some point around 1830 people with the COWGILL surname started to change the name to COLDWELL. There are several census entries under COWGILL where another researcher has added a name change to COLDWELL. Despite Mercy COLDWELL being born as Mercy COWGILL I cannot find her baptism in the church registers either. Where was she baptised??
1851 census: By 1851 James and Mercy had moved to Rose Hill Valley, Rawmarsh Rotherham, closer to where James was probably born.
Their family had now expanded to six children although Alfred had died soon after birth. Note that I cannot find the births for Elizabeth and William in the GRO records, but the records for George and Alfred are recorded with mother's maiden name of COWGILL, confirming that Cowgill and Coldwell were interchanged:
1861 census: In 1861 the family was living at Rawmarsh. William their oldest son had died in 1852, but there is now Fred, aged 4, Grandson, illegitimate son of Elizabeth.
Death of James in 1862: James died in late 1862, the event being recorded at Rotherham in the December quarter. James was buried at Swinton parish church on 27 December 1862.
1871 census: By 1871 most of the family had married, leaving Mercy with son George (aged 27) and her grandson Fred, although he is recorded as "son". Elizabeth had married in 1863 but it apprears that Fred continued to live with his grandmother. Fred was aged 14 but already an apprentice.
1881 census: In 1881 Mercy was 66 years old. She was living with her youngest son Robert at 50 Crossland St, Swinton, Rotherham. Note that her older son George was living at 53 Crossland St with his wife and two young daughters.
Mercy died a few weeks after the 1881 census. She was buried at Swinton on 26 June 1881.
Generation 7: The Children of James and MercyElizabeth FROGGATT (1838-1910)Elizabeth was born in 1838. Her birth was registered at Dewsbury Union, but is difficult to find in the civil registration records as it is listed under FROGETT and with mother's maiden name COWGILL. The details of Elizabeth's life are told here. George FROGGATT (1843-1923)George was born in 1843, at Briestfield according to the census. He was baptised on 16 July 1843 at Thornhill by Dewsbury, Yorkshire. George is in the 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses
living with his mother Mercy. In 1871 he was still unmarried and working as a railway fireman. George married Sarah Jane ALLEN in 1878. The marriage was registered at Grantham (Mar
quarter 7a/551) which is in Leicestershire. Sarah Jane was born at Lowesby, Leicestershire, suggesting the marriage took place in her home town. But note that in 1871 Sarah Jane and
her family (William and Mary ALLEN) were living at Wath upon Deane, a few miles from Swinton. William ALLEN was a railway station clerk at Swinton, George FROGGATT was a train
fireman, probably on the trains that passed through Wath. The two families probably attended the same church.
In subsequent years the family remained living at 53 Crossland St, but by 1911 they had moved elsewhere. In 1911 Sam and Mary Ann ROGERS were living at 53 Crossland St. George and Sarah Jane FROGGATT were visiting their daughter and her family on census date so we do not know where they were now living.
Sarah Jane died in 1922 aged 82, the death registered at Rotherham (Dec quarter 9c/583). George died a few months later aged 79 (1923 Mar quarter 9c/819). Sarah Ann FROGGATT (1848-1887)Sarah Ann was born in mid-1848, at West Gate Hill according to the 1851 census. The birth was registered at Rotherham (Jun quarter 22/536). Sarah is with her parents in the 1851 and 1861 census records. She married Charles WALKER in mid-1870, the marriage registered at Rotherham (Jun quarter 9c/684). Charles and Sarah are in the 1871 census living at 135 Kimbermarsh St.
Charles and Sarah Ann had nine children, only four appear in the baptism records:
Baptism records for four of the children.
In the 1881 census Charles and Sarah were living at 21 Glasshouse Road, Kilnhurst.
From the early 1880s onwards the family becomes increasingly difficult to find in the records. The birth of their daughter Carrie does not seem to have been registered. They are difficult to find in the 1891 census. Sarah Ann appears to have died in 1887 (March quarter Rotherham 9c/406) and Charles remarried to Charlotte BOWLES in 1888. Robert FROGGATT (1850-1927)Robert was born in Wath in 1850. He married Martha YELLAND in 1875 at Swinton. Last updated 8 August 2023 |
