6 - The Noblett Family
Our sixth household consisted of five family members. Peter (33) and Emma (32) Noblett with three children: Mary (10), Martha (8) and George William (6).
Peter Noblett was born in New Mills, Derbyshire. He lived in Woodford, Cheshire before the family moved to Cross Moor, or Romiley as it was then known. His father William worked as a block printer at the Chadkirk Calico Printworks, along with Peter's brother James. Peter was a labourer at the printworks.
In 1859 he married Emma, who was also recorded as Emilia or Emily on various records. She originated from Werneth. They moved into a house on Redhouse Lane in Bredbury and Peter found work as a coal miner. In 1860 their daughter Mary was born.
Peter continued to work as a coal miner and Emma took work as a cotton weaver, likely at the Oakwood Cotton Mill, and they moved to Romiley Road. The family had a double tragedy when their baby son Thomas passed away in 1873 followed by James Edward in 1875. In 1879 their eldest daughter Mary died aged 18.
The family then moved to Bradford where Peter found a position as a Fireman at the coal mine, which he kept for over 40 years. They had a daughter named Agnes here. Their son George William worked as a wagoner at the mine and married Mary Dones in 1884. She sadly passed away in 1891 and George returned to the family home with his daughter Amelia. Like her aunt, Amelia, who had been working as a confectioner, would also meet her end at just 18 years of age. George's sister Agnes also died at an early age of 27.
On 12th August in 1908, whilst working for the Bradford Colliery Company, Peter was burnt on the arms, neck and face when there was a "slight explosion of gas" after he fired two shots using an ordinary firing fuse instead of electricity. The brattice cloth, which formed partitions in the mine, had set alight. He was attended to by Dr Booth until 19th and then moved to the Royal Infirmary. He was conscious immediately after the explosion but died shortly after being moved to the hospital. He was described as a "reliable and steady man".