Ernest Broadbent, 1860 – 1821(?)
Ernest Broadbent was another of my Yorkshire miner ancestors – third (known) generation. He married Hannah Holt/Hoult, herself sister, daughter, grand-daughter and great-grand-daughter of miners. So mining was in his blood, had strengthened then worn down his ancestors, had crept in through the air they breathed.
I get the impression that his family may have been slightly better off than his wife’s, but his side of the family is proving much more elusive than Hannah’s so I can’t be sure yet.
Born in Churwell, he met and married Leeds girl Hannah in St Albans the Martyr Church, Leeds, in 1884. Together he and Hannah had 16 children, the youngest being my grandmother. 13 of these 16 survived infancy, but I’m still to find evidence of their names, maybe they did at birth before they had a chance of baptism? Not sure where I would find out, I think perhaps stillbirth records are registered separately, to prevent identify theft?
What I would like to find out about Ernest, my great-grandfather, is the date of his death. There was an accident in or around the pit (he was a coal miner/ hewer) and he was brought home by horse-drawn ambulance; not long after that his grandson recalled seeing a horse-drawn hearse taking Ernest from his home for the last time. He, and many years later Hannah, were buried in Burmantofts Cemetary in what were then called Guinea Graves. 15-20 people would be buried in a grave; that was all they could afford. His grandson thought this would have been in about 1916, but I’ve found another entry for 1921 so I’m following that up too.
I would love to hear from anyone in the family, or any Yorkshire historian who knows about mining history, not many of the sites are easily searchable, I suspect being run by former miners rather than a genealogy corporation. I’d also like to know to find out also which pit he (and all my other miner ancestors) worked in.
©2014 copyright owned and written by Lynne Black
Original post at https://starryblackness.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/52-ancestors-3-ernest-broadbent
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Sarah and Jane were two of the children who died, they died of diphtheria, I think we have a photograph of them. My grandma Lillian said her parents Ernest and Hannah were very strict, and would whip the children if they spoke at the dining table.
Sorry I think it was Clara and Jane who died, not Sarah and jane
Hi Diane, I have a Clara Jane but the last info I have about her is that she was still alive in 1911 at the time of the census; Sarah definitely grew up and married – I’m in touch with her great-grandson! Perhaps it was William and James?
My grandma was sarah :-), she spoke a lot of Lillian