James Rhodes (1893 - 1978)

Born 10 Jan 1893 in Dronfield [uncertain]

Ancestors

Died 17 Mar 1978 at age 85 in Sheffield

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Katharine Thompson [send private message]

Biography

Jim always said that he had been a "weakly baby" so his parents didn't have him baptised.He went to a dame school in Dronfield and probably didn't have any further education although he was a very astute and hard working farmer. After marrying Mamie Thompson who had been brought up at Povey Farm at the end of Lightwood Lane ,they rented Birley Farm. Birley was owned by Tom Fox who lived in Mosborough. It had a great big farmhouse kitchen and I remember that there was a "secret" back staircase which led up to the bathroom. Mamie kept hens and had a lovely vegetable garden. The Birley land began to be bought for housing and Jim bought Lightwood Lane Farm from Norton Parish Church. They had the farmhouse built and moved to the new house. I remember picking up hot chickens to get the eggs from underneath, climbing on the bales of straw and going up into the grain store. They retired to a house in Norton. Mamie died suddenly cutting sandwiches for friends. Jim spent his final days at Hartington Road Old Peoples Home .

Sources

• Family history from Peter Haigh, his nephew, Molly Haigh and Katharine Thompson his great-niece.