The Goodliffe Family of Lambley Lodge, Rutland

William Frederick GOODLIFFE

William Frederick - apparently known as "Billy Pitt", married Eliza Ann BROWNSON in Dec qtr 1858 in Nottingham. They had six children and a rare portrait is preserved in the Nottingham Archives. Two of their daughters, Clare and Ada, were reported to have been war casualties, killed on 11 April 1941:

William Francis	25 July 1860	27 Jan 1936
Frederick	23 Nov 1861	17 Apr 1920
Ellen Martha	21 Oct 1866	7 May 1937
Clare Mabel	5 Apr 1868	11 Apr 1941
Ada Margaret	7 Dec 1869	11 Apr 1941
John Henry (Harry)	10 Jan 1872	Sep 1922

William Frederick Goodliffe

William Frederick's wife Eliza Ann (nee Brownson).

William Frederick and Eliza Ann's six children as recorded on a page held in Nottingham Archives.
Clockwise from top left: William Francis, Ada, Frederick, Ellen Martha, Harry, Clara.

In the 1851 census, William (hosier's Apprentice aged 15) was living with his uncle Henry Pitt (36, married) in (?7) Melville St, Nottingham. Henry (36) was a Silk Warper. Also at this address were Ann Stokes (14, niece) and Jane Seldon (22, visitor).

1851 census

By 1861, William (25), a Manufacturer of Hosiery, had married and was living at Talbot St, with wife Eliza (24) and William Francis (8 months).

1861 census

In 1871 William was a "Junior Partner in Hosiery Firm", living at Carlton Rd. On census night, 2 April 1871, the occupants were William and Eliza, children William, Frederic, Ellen, Clara and Ada, Henry and Martha Pitt (Uncle & Aunt aged 56 and 57) and 2 servants.

1871 census

On 20 Feb 1875, Eliza Ann died. William married early in 1876 to Elizabeth Hardy COOPER, and they had a son - Arthur Alexander - born Feb 1877 but died 11 weeks later on 15 May 1877. The headstone for Eliza and Arthur is in Nottingham General Cemetery, next to the grave of my Froggatt family.

The headstone for Eliza Ann in Nottingham General Cemetery.

The other side of the Goodliffe stone.

General view of the Goodliffe stone with the Froggatt grave in the background between the two upright stones.

In 1881 William and his new wife Elizabeth were living at Woodthorpe Rise, off Mansfield Rd.

1881 census

In the 1891 census, William was visiting his brother Simpson at Lambley Lodge. The rest of the family were still at Woodthorpe House:

1891 census

In 1901, William and Elizabeth had moved to Norton Hall, Norton, near Sheffield, where they lived with daughters Ellen (34) and Ada (31) and 4 servants.

1901 census

A Note on Norton Hall
Norton Hall is now part of Graves Park, the largest park in Sheffield. It was originally Norton Estate, with earliest references in the Last Will and Testament of Wulfic Spott in the year 1002. The Norton Estate remained with the Shores until 1843, when the then Lord of the Manor, Offley Shore, was forced to dispose of the Estate, owing to the failure of his bank. The next resident at Norton Hall was James Yates who came, not as Lord of the Manor, but as a tenant. The sale by auction of the Shore Estate in 1850, received no bid, but was eventually secured by Charles Cammell. The Cammells were followed by John Sudbury who sold the Estate to W.F. Goodliffe and in turn it was sold to Bernard Alexander Firth in 1902. - quoted from a paper on Norton Estate.

Photos of Norton Hall

Norton Hall, Sheffield, date unknown - ?1950	The stables before conversion	The Orangery, being used as a Maternity Hospital after the Sheffield hospital was bombed in 1940.
Norton Hall today. This view is of the left side in the photo above.	The stables today.	The stables today - taken from a real estate advert. Note the windows have been retained.

Finally to Bournemouth

Following the sale of Norton Hall in 1902, William Frederick took out a 99-year lease on Lisle House, Grove Road, East Cliff, Bournemouth on 24 October 1902. This document is recorded in the Hampshire Archives as record D167/38.

In the 1911 census, William and Elizabeth are at Lisle House, Bournemouth, with 3 servants:

1911 census

William Frederick died at Lisle House, Bournemouth on 15 September 1913 (Christchurch 2b/755) aged 78. He left an estate worth £95,000.

Elizabeth Hardy Goodliffe died in early 1923 at Lisle House, in Bournemouth.

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Last updated: 2 April 2023