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JOHNSON Sissy Maude - Handsworth

S

Samina

proper brummie kid
Hi all,

First off i hope i'm posting in this right section, if not, please mods feel free to move this thread.

I work at a school in Brum, and i had a phonecall today from an 80 year old lady named Betty Wilkes. Betty asked me if we has any information on her mother, Sissy Maude Johnson. She wasn't sure whether it was spelled Sissy, Sissy or Cissy. Or on her aunt, Ethel May Johnson. Unfortunately we didnt have any records dating that far back (Her mother went to our school in roughly 1907). I did spend a good 45 minutes talking to her though about life back then, i was fascinated.

Anyway im wondering if anyone has any information at all? I dont have much info to go on but i know Sissy lived in Handsworth, near the Soho road end. Would anyone know anything?

I would love to help Betty out, she sounds like such a lovely woman, it would mean a lot to me if i could help her even a little bit.

Hoping to hear something soon. Thanks all.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

In 1911 there is a Cissie Johnson, 12 years of age, 2 back of 106 Villa Road, Handsworth, with a sister, May Johnson.

Bugger, I still haven't got to grips with these 1911 references. RG14PN17218 RG78PN1059 RD371 SD1 ED13 SN163

:culpability:
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

What do i do with those references :/ Sorry i'm not familiar with that :culpability:

It's possible that could be her Ken. Betty told me the family got separated just before the War, and she that was the last time she had seen her mother. So who knows what happened after that? It would be fantastic to find out...
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Oops. I was posting in Brit-Gen mode forgetting that I was actually viewing the Brum forum.

To flesh it out, the Father is shown as Ambrose Johnson, born 1871, shown as an Urban District Council Employee Roadman, born Bilston. Wife of 20 years shown as Marcey Johnson, born 1873, Great Werley?

4 children born. 4 still living.

Other children. Lilly, born 1891 & Alfred, born, 1894, a Brass Polisher.
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

I have no idea if that could be correct. I might have to speak to Betty again. Do we have anything linking Betty or May Johnson? I dont know much about Betty's father.
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Samina. The reference is a short cut to the actual page(s) in the 1911 Census. A bit like a URN (Unique Reference Number).

It's what most Researchers use to avoid confusion.
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Nothing to connect to Betty (presume Christened Elizabeth) but she wouldn't have been born at the time. We have members here who have access to Electoral Rolls, 1920's (ish) onwards, so addresses between then and 1960 would be pertinent.

Ages of any siblings are important as they can help in tracing back the Birth Registrations.
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Thank you Ken. I will speak to Betty soon and hopefully post again on here.
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Ambrose married Harriet Mary M Upton in 1890 (Atcham 6a 1333)
Looking at the original census,it possibly says Mary,married 20 years.
There was an Ambrose Alfred and Mary Johnson living at 1 back 108 Villa Road until 1930.In 1891 the family lived at 3 House 10 Court, High Street, Aston.
Cissie M Johnson married Arthur Wilkes 1919 (Birmingham 6d 450) and
1935-1939 they were both listed at 93 Unett Street. 93 Unett Street was the home of Arthur Wilkes' parent, Cornelius and Harriet. Arthur Wilkes was listed there in 1918 (service number T36621, Dvr., 3 B.H., T.D., A.S.C).
1945,Cissie was listed at 15 Park Avenue with Stanley, born 1925 and Denis born 1922. Stanley was listed at the same address with a Margaret Wilkes in 1947,though they didn't marry until 1955. Her maiden name was McCartney.
By 1947,Cissie was listed at 16 Soho Rd with son Denis (1922) and in 1950 and 1955 with daughter Audrey(1928).
Audrey married William Mitchell in 1955 and they were listed with Cissie at flat 1, 16 Soho Rd in 1960.
Cissie's death was registered in the 1st quarter of 1983 (vol 32 page 1774)
 
Re: Sissy Maude Johnson - Handsworth

ladylinda said:
Ambrose married Harriet Mary M Upton in 1890 (Atcham 6a 1333)
Looking at the original census,it possibly says Mary,married 20 years.
There was an Ambrose Alfred and Mary Johnson living at 1 back 108 Villa Road until 1930.In 1891 the family lived at 3 House 10 Court, High Street, Aston.
Cissie M Johnson married Arthur Wilkes 1919 (Birmingham 6d 450) and
1935-1939 they were both listed at 93 Unett Street. 93 Unett Street was the home of Arthur Wilkes' parent, Cornelius and Harriet. Arthur Wilkes was listed there in 1918 (service number T36621, Dvr., 3 B.H., T.D., A.S.C).
1945,Cissie was listed at 15 Park Avenue with Stanley, born 1925 and Denis born 1922. Stanley was listed at the same address with a Margaret Wilkes in 1947,though they didn't marry until 1955. Her maiden name was McCartney.
By 1947,Cissie was listed at 16 Soho Rd with son Denis (1922) and in 1950 and 1955 with daughter Audrey(1928).
Audrey married William Mitchell in 1955 and they were listed with Cissie at flat 1, 16 Soho Rd in 1960.
Cissie's death was registered in the 1st quarter of 1983 (vol 32 page 1774)
Click to expand...

Thank you so much Ladylinda! That looks like her! I wonder if there's any pictures of that road/address on this site. Where would be the best place to look?
 
Re: Cissey Maude Johnson - Handsworth

You're right, the old house was where the temple is now. I spoke with Betty today, and she confirmed those details were correct. I got a few more street names from her which i will do a search for now. Also a correction in my first post, her aunts name was Elsie May Johnson, not Esther. Any information on her?

ladylinda;4 78172 said:
View attachment 8431016 Soho Rd was probably where the Temple is now near the corner of Villa Road.Unett Street is no longer as it was, and 15 Park Avenue may have been one of the larger houses turned into flats. Google doesn't show house numbers very well!
There is a picture of Unett Street here
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=16483
Click to expand...
 
Hi I cannot see any exact ino on Elsie.
I have sent you an Instant message with some other info on,though!
 
Thanks very much linda, really appreciated! Shame we have to wait till September. But i will look up the school and see if they have any info!
 
Re: Cissey Maude Johnson - Handsworth

Samina said:
Elsie May Johnson, not Esther. Any information on her?
Click to expand...

Do we know if she was a 'JOHNSON' by Birth or did she marry into the family?

I've gone back a Generation.

1881 - High Street, Wellington, Shropshire. RG11, Piece 2678, Folio 21, Page 35.
Richard Johnson born Oxford 1827 - Shoemaker
Jane Johnson born Evesham, Oxfordshire (?) 1834 (That'd be news to the people living in Evesham)
William Johnson born Lichfield, Staffordshire, 1857 - Shoemaker
Andrew Johnson born Bilston, Staffordshire, 1868
Ambrose Johnson born Bilston, Staffordshire, 1868 [Must have been twins]
Thomas Johnson born St Paul's, Oxfordshire, 1871
Ben Johnson born St Paul's, Oxfordshire, 1876

1891 - 44 High Street, Wellington, Shropshire. RG12, Piece 2131, Folio 30, Page 11.
Richard Johnson born Oxford, Oxfordshire, 1828 - Shoemaker
Jane Johnson born Evesham, Oxfordshire, 1837
Andrew D Johnson born Bilston, Staffordshire, 1870
Thomas Hy Johnson born Oxford, Oxfordshire, 1872
Benjamin Johnson born Oxford, Oxfordshire, 1877

No sign of her prior to 1891.

They certainly moved about a bit. Oxford, to Bilston, to Oxford, to Wellington.
 
Elsie was the daughter of Ambrose Johnson, so she would have been born with the name.

Interesting about Ambrose may perhaps being a twin. Maybe Elsie was known as May, her middle name...?

They sure did move around a lot, not forgetting Handsworth too!
 
They were twins both age 2 on the 1871 census.
Ambrose Alfred Johnson and Andrew Douglas Johnson registered September quarter 1868 Woverhampton.
 
Here's a nice coincidence
Marriages Mar 1906
Andrew Douglas JOHNSON married Annie Evelyn M UPTON Birmingham 6d 133
Marriages Jun 1890
Ambrose Alfred Johnson married Harriet Mary M UPTON Atcham 6a 1333

Births Sep 1871
Harriet Mary M UPTON Wellington, Sh. 6a 756
Births Dec 1882
Ann Eveline M UPTON Wellington, Sh. 6a 759


1911 39 Phillip St Aston
Andrew Douglas Johnson aged 40 born 1871 St Lukes Bilston ,Shop Fitters Packer
Annie Evelyn May Johnson Wife aged 28 born 1883 Wellington
Samuel Upton Boarder Single aged 26 born 1885 Wellington Chauffeur Annie’s brother)
Eveyln Johnson Daughter aged 3 born 1908 Birmingham
Married 4 years

and another brother Ben Johnson also in Phillips Street

1911 37 Phillip St Aston
Ben Johnson aged 34 1877 Oxford Baker
Sarah Jane Johnson Wife aged 34 born 1877 Bromsgrove
Ben William Johnson Son aged 10 born 1901 Birmingham
Dorothy May Johnson Daughter aged 7 born 1904 Birmingham
Gilbert Arthur Johnson Son aged 4 born 1907 Birmingham
Florence Lily Johnson Daughter aged 1 born 1910 Aston
Married 11 years
Marriages Mar 1900
Ben Johnson married Sarah Jane Chance Birmingham 6d 115


Ambrose's son,Ambrose Alfred also lived in the same street in 1922!
 
Thank you Alberta and Linda! I guess they didn't go too far then. I'm still surprised at how much history we can see now..
 
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