The Goodliffe Family of NottinghamWilliam Stafford Goodliffe
William Stafford was born in Melbourne Australia in 1860. Soon after his birth his family returned to Nottingham. He was recorded in the 1871 census, aged 10, living at 40 Bridlesmith Gate. I cannot find him in the 1881 census. By 1885 he is listed in the Wrights Directory as Tobacconist at 65 Wilford Road, Nottingham. By 1891 he is listed at 4 Colliery Road. William Stafford married in Nottingham in 1884 to Adelina HALLAM. Tragically, Adelina died on 30 December 1886, aged 24. Their daughter Adelina Goodliffe was born in late 1886, suggesting that Adelina may have died in childbirth or soon after. Their address at the time was 3 Clyde St, Nottingham. Her parents were living at 15 Clyde St in the 1881 census. William Stafford married again in Nottingham in 1889 to Julia ALLEN. William and Julia had three daughters: Ethel, Maud and Annie.
In the 1891 census they lived at 4 Colliery Rd, Wilford. The family consisted of William (a hosiery warehouseman), Julia (23), Addie (Adelina), (4), Ethel M (1) and Emily Hudson a servant (13).
William Stafford died on 23 January 1897, aged 36. For probate, his estate was valued at £104/14/9. His address was given as Victoria Park, Nottingham. In 1901 Julia was a widow living at 106 Arkwright St Nottingham working as a "fancy draper" from home, with Adeline 14, Ethel M. 11,
Maud M. 9, and Anne 7.
In 1911 Julia was still a Fancy Draper, but only her youngest daughter Anne was still at home, now at 108 Arkwright St. Arkwright St runs south from the Nottingham Railway Station into the area known as the "Meadows". A large part of The Meadows was demolished as part of an urban renewal project in the 1970s.
There is no further information about Julia until her death in Nottingham on 21 August 1947. The probate record is interesting. She was living at 314 Mansfield Road, and her estate was now valued at £2260/18/6, considerably more than when her husband died 50 years earlier. Probate was granted to her three daughters - her stepdaughter Adelina had died in 1909.
The family of William Stafford, Adelina HALLAM and Julia ALLENAdelina GOODLIFFEAdeline was born in late 1886 to William and Adelina (Hallam). Addie is listed in the 1891 and 1901 census records and then vanishes from the English lists. She can be found arriving in Boston USA on 18 November 1905 onboard the ship "Ivernia". The shipping record shows that she was to join her Uncle William CLARK at 106 Yakima Av, Tacoma, Washington. Her ticket had been paid for by her grandmother, presumably Ann (STAFFORD) GOODLIFFE. By this time her mother and father had both died.
Adeline did not live long in Washington. She died there on 13 November 1909. Ethel May GOODLIFFEEthel May was born to Julia ALLEN, William's new wife in 1890. She is in the 1901 census with her mother and 3 sisters. In 1911 she is visiting her sister Maude, who by this date had married Charles NEALE, a bank clerk. They were living at 246 Fordhouse Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham.
She married Harry Capel FIELD in Nottingham in 1916. It appears that Harry came from Birmingham, and after the marriage they went back to Kings Norton to live. This locality is where Ethel's sister Maud had been living, so Ethel may have met Harry whilst staying with her sister. Ethel and Harry had two children: Donald born 1917 and John born 1925, both in Birmingham. In the 1945 electoral roll. Harry C. and Ethel M. were at 3 St Edwards Road, Kings Norton. In 1955 they were both at 79 Weoley Park Road, Birmingham
Harry Capel died at Selly Oak Hospital Birmingham, on 5 March 1959, late of 110 Station Rd, Kings Norton, Birmingham. Probate to Ethel May, valued at £1655/10. Although the record is not clear, I think Ethel May died in Birmingham in 1967. Maud Mary GOODLIFFEMaud Mary GOODLIFFE was born in Nottingham in 1892. She is in the 1901 census with her parents at 106 Arkwright St. Maud married Charles Vesty NEALE, a bank clerk, in 1910 at West Bromwich and by the time of the 1911 census they were living at 246 Fordhouse Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham. Charles had been born in Bedford, Bedfordshire on 22 July 1881.
Charles joined the Royal Navy during the war. In the 1915 and 1921 Kelly's Directory, Charles Vesty NEALE was living at 50 Vicarage Road, King's Heath, Birmingham. He is alone
at this address in the 1920 electoral roll as well. By 1925 Maud and Charles had parted company. The 1920 roll would suggest they had parted by this date. Charles filed for divorce, citing Maud and a Columba DALY. Charles died in Kent on 18 December 1963. Probate was granted to his son, Charles Goodliffe NEALE. After the divorce, in mid 1926 Maud Mary NEALE/GOODLIFFE married Denis DALY in Nottingham. Charles Goodliffe NEALE was the son of Maud and Charles NEALE, born 31 August 1912. He was a church furniture supplier, but also a well-known magician. He began a weekly publication for professional magicians named Abracadabra that ran for 63 years. "Goodliffe" as he wished to be known died on 26 December 1980. Editorship of the magazine was taken over by Walt LEES. It is interesting to note that "Goodliffe" married Adelaide Anne LEES in Solihull in 1938. Walt could have been a nephew. In the 1939 electoral roll, Charles Goodliffe and Adelaide Anne are recorded as living at 208 Widney Manor Road, Solihull. Annie GOODLIFFEAnnie was born in Nottingham in 1894. She is in the 1901 and 1911 censuses with her mother. She married Walter Sam VARNEY in Nottingham in 1916. The marriage index records her name as "Nancy". There is one other complication in the index. "Nancy" is recorded on page 7b/550 whereas Walter is on page 7b/580. We can be sure that this is the correct marriage. The probate record for Annie's mother Julia grants probate to her three daughters, including "Anne VARNEY wife of Walter Sam VARNEY". In the 1911 census, Walter was a Merchant's Clerk, living at 76 Dryden St, Nottingham with his parents Samuel and Emma, and four of his five siblings. Annie and Walter had three children: Kenneth born in 1917; Jean born 1920 and David born 1927. Walter died at 86 Beechwood Ave, St Albans, Herfordshire on 8 April 1957. Probate was granted to his wife Annie. Annie died at St Albans in February 1988. Return to William Thomas GOODLIFFE home page Last updated: 26 June 2021 |
