Charles Thornton
Charles was born 8 April 1846, the fourteenth child of William and Ann. He was born at Heck, although precisely where, his birth certificate does not say. Certainly by 1851 the family were living at the Bridge House where Ann in later years was turning the swing bridge over the Aire and Calder canal at Heck.
At the age of 14, Charles was working as a servant at Heck Hall, which was occupied by Mary England, a widowed farmer.
At some point in the 1860s or early 1870s he arrived in Sheffield, part of the drift at the time from country to towns, seeking regular work. He married on Christmas Day 1874 Annie Eliza Dewsnap, daughter of Edwin and Eliza, at Christ Church in Sheffield. At the time of marriage both were living in Carver Street, and Charles was described as a labourer. Annie already had a son, Joseph, whose father is unknown.
In 1881 the family were living at number 21 Court 3 Corby Street, in the Brightside area of Sheffield, together with Joseph, who was now 16 and employed as a carter, and daughters Ada, Ann Eliza, and Mary Jane, aged 3, 2, and 1 month. The middle daughter, Ann Eliza, died later that year, and nothing further is known of the other two, who may also have died in childhood. Charles at the time was a steel warehouseman.
Their son, William, was born in 1883 at their home at 44 St Charles Street in Attercliffe.
On 7th September 1885 Annie died (the death certificate records 'of diarrhoea') leaving Charles with young William. It was decided that the best place for William was with his uncle Miles who was a railway inspector at Mexborough. Charles' death record has not yet been found.