Ellen CARTNER née SHINGLETON (1902 - 1972)

Ellen's childhood

My wife's great grandmother Ellen CARTNER nee SHINGLETON was born in 1902 in the village of Esh just outisde Durham in the North East of England. When she was born Ellen already had an older brother, 2 year old William Edward, who was also born in Esh. Ellen's father John SHINGLETON was 29 and from Roundsgreen in Worcestershire and her mother Ellen BROOKS, for whom she was named, was 28 and from neighbouring Smethwick, across the border in Staffordshire. Her parents had been married 3 years and had married in the district of Kings Norton (probably in her mothers home town of Smethwick which the district covers). It's not clear when or why her father moved to Esh, presumably for work.

P icture to the left courtesy of Ordnance Survey Opendata on wikipedia.

Esh was a small rural village 5 miles from Durham with strong links to the coal industry. The Esh Colliery specialised in coal mining and by the time Ellen lived in the village the manufacture of coke, a fuel made from coal. At it's peak the Colliery would go on to to employ 870 men before the start of World War I after which it declined in line with the British coal industry.

The family were still living in the area when, in the first quarter of 1904, the birth and death of Ellen's brother William was registered. This was followed by the birth and death of a second brother Edward at the end of the same year.

At some point the family moved 5 miles from Esh to Nevilles Cross, a residential suburb of the city of Durham. This is where, in 1908 when Ellen was 6, her younger brother Richard was born and again in 1910, when Ellen was 8 her younger brother Frederick was born.

On the night of the 1911 census Ellen, aged 8 was still living in Nevilles Cross with her father John (aged 37), mother Ellen (aged 36) and brothers William (aged 10), Richard (aged 3) and Frederick (aged 1). The address was Alma Terrace and her father was working as a Coke Drawer.

A coke drawer was the individual responsible for drawing the finished coke from the coke-oven. Coal was mined locally, placed within the coal oven and heated. The Coke Drawer used a shovel like implement known as a “rake” hanging from a crane to scoop out the coke onto the ground behind him, known as the “coke bench”. Next to the coke bench was a miniature railway onto which the coke was shovelled.

The First and Second Balkan Wars and WWI

On the 8th October 1912, when Ellen was 10, the First Balkans War began when Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia attacked the Ottoman Empire. The British Empire supported the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire however encouraged Greek entry in the attacking force to reduce Russian power.

On 30th May the following year the Treaty of London was signed dealing with changes in territory during the previous conflict. The countries involved were unhappy with the distribution of territory and 17 days after signing the treaty, on 16th May 1913 the Second Balkan War began. On 10th August 1913 the Second Balkan War ended.

On the 28th June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated by a small group of Serbians. The Duke and Duchess were visiting Bosnia, a province that Austria-Hungary had annexed from Serbia. In response Austria-Hungary decide it was time to take a firm line against Serbia and gave the country a list of ten demands, hoping they would be rejected. As Serbia at this time was supported by Russia the Austro-Hungarian Empire sought support from their ally Germany. France and the United Kingdom in turn allied themselves with Russia against Germany and the Empire.

By July Germany declared unconditional support to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the war. On 23^rd July Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia with 48 hours to comply. After a request for help Russia mobilised forces to support Serbia. France provided support to Serbia and in response Germany considered declaring war with France and plans to send armies through Belgium. The German Chancellors asked the British Ambassador for Britain to stay out of the situation. Britain asked France and Germany to support Belgium's neutrality. Frances agreed but Germany did not respond. Eventually Germany declared war on Russia and France and demanded free passage through Belgium.

On the 4th August, when Ellen was aged 12, Germany invaded Belgium. Having promised support for Belgian neutrality Britain declared war on Germany and entered World War I. Britain had a treaty with Belgium giving an official reason to declare war however Britain's close relationship with France and Russia was equally significant factors. Honouring the Anglo-Japanese alliance Japan declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary.

By the end of the month many coins in Britain were replaced with paper notes, Britain had also declared war on Austria-Hungary and the British Expeditionary Force had arrived in France. At home the Defence of the Realm Act 1914, known commonly as DORA, had been passed imposing security controls and censorship on the civil population. By the end of the 2014 many unskilled workers are taking on the work once reserved for skilled workers, an anti-conscription group had been formed and a German raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby killed 137, mostly civilians. This was followed by outcry due to the attack focusing on civilians and for the Royal Navy's failure to prevent the raid.

During 1915 German air raids over Britain began and an unrestricted blockade of the United Kingdom was put in place. British manufacturing was forced to accept any contract from the government that was related to the war and a shortage of ammunition at the front was announced. Anti-german riots followed the sinking of British civilian ships and businesses in the United Kindom with German owners and names were targeted by mobs. By the summer women were are encouraged to work on the land, Emmeline Pankhurst led a suffragette demonstration in London while men become required by law to register their address. A scheme was started to give men the chance to put their names down as reservists but number refusing the scheme led to increased pressure for conscription.

In 1916 conscription began for single men between the ages of 18 and 41. In the same year the Ministry for Food was established to regulate the supply and consumption of food.

1917 was a year of agricultural change in Britain. A shortage of bread lead to bread being made from other crops including potato. Minimum prices for staple crops and minimum wage for agricultural workers were introduced. The law was changed that could force land owners to cultivate their land for food production. Aiding the war effort the Women's Land Army and Women's Forestry Corps were introduced. Meanwhile raids increased with the introduction of German heavy bombers. This led to the London Metropolitan Police introducing air raid warning systems. In response to the war the Royal Family changed their name to the House and Family of Windsor from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. By December the first ration cards were introduced.

In early 1918 rationing increased. During this time also the Women's Royal Naval Service and the Women's Royal Air Force were introduced. The age of conscription was increased to 50. Also for the first time women over the age of 30 were given the right to vote. On 10th November 1918, when Ellen was aged 16 a truce was declared.

Elsewhere in the world on the 16th January 1919 in the United States of America prohibition began. Back Europe, on the 28th June 1919 the controversial Treaty of Versaille was signed between the Allied Powers (including the United Kindom) and Germany..

In 1921 a war memorial was unveiled at Neville's Cross, near where Ellen lived.

Ellen's brother William married Mary MADDISON in 1922 in the Durham district. William was to spent he rest of his life in the Durham area until he died in 1982.

Marriage and motherhood

At some point Ellen moved to Smiths Croft in Highburton, an area in the town of Kirkburton in West Yorkshire just outside of Huddersfield.

This was her residence until, on the 2nd January 1928 Ellen, aged 26, was married at the Kirkburton parish church to 30 year old Henry Wood CARTNER, known as "Harry". At the time of marriage Ellen's father was working as a gas regulator and her new father-in-law James was working as a labourer. Witnesses to the wedding were George Alfred CAXTON and Herbert Cox E. GRIFFITHS, no relationship to the couple known.

Her new husband worked as a male nurse and living at the Ministry of Pensions in the nearby rural village of Thurstonland just outside of Kirkburton. He was probably working at Storthes Hall Mental Hospital shown below closed and in disrepair (picture from wikipedia) which was founded as an asylum and operated as a psychiatric hospital from 1904 to 1991. Previously the building had been the private residence of a mill owner.

In an article for the examiner (http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/look-storthes-hall---memories-8524435) most of the inmates were “pauper lunatics” who were “detained under the “Lunacy Act 1890”. The article also explained the house was also home to women who had children out of wedlock who had to spend the rest of their lives there.

The article went on to explain that eventually the unwed mothers became institutionalised and whose lives consisted of brewing the tea and pushing a brush around because “they didn't know anything differently”. But things weren't entirely dark here. The hospital was the fourth to be built in the area and was part of the new wave of psychology research and social desire for greater care for mental patients. The hospital had its own shop, farm, hairdressers, ballroom and regular entertainment and holidays for the inmates.

A little later later her first daughter was born in the hamlet of Stocksmoor around a mile from Thurstonland. By this point Harry had been promoted from nurse to asylum attendant.

At some point the family moved to the village of Linfit Fold just outisde of Kirkburton where, in 1929, Ellen's second daughter was born. Harry was still employed as an asylum attendant.

 

Meanwhile in 1929 Ellen's brother Richard, living at Neville's Cross was listed in the Durham Chronicle as the best man at the wedding of Mr J Vickers also of Neville's Cross and Lily Clennell, daughter of a local councillor.

In 1932 Ellen's younger brother married Isabella LLOYD in the district of Durham. In 1938 Ellen's other younger brother, Frederick, married Verna ABBS in the same district. All of Ellen's brothers would spend their lives in Durham and have their deaths registered there.

In 1933 it was reported in the Sunderland Echo that a bus conductress was injured when her arm went through the bus window as it lurched to miss a child running across the road. The conductress, Elizabeth SHINGLETON was listed as living at Alma Terrace, where Ellen herself was living on the 1911 census. Presumably the bus conductress was some sort of cousin of Ellens.

On 20^th January 1936 King George V died aged 70. His body was interred at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. His son King Edward VIII ascended the throne but by 11^th December the same year was forced to abdicate because of his desire to marry his married American mistress and divorcee (from first marriage) Wallis Simpson. His brother, King George VI reluctantly ascended the throne and his coronation took place on 12^th May 1937.

On 3^rd September 1939 Germany invaded Poland. In response Britain and France declared war on Germany and World War II began.

On the 18^th September 1943, when Ellen was 41 her father died in Durham district, aged 69.

On the 2^nd September 1945 with the signing of the Japanese surrender documents World War II had ended.

By 1949 Ellen, Harry and their two daughters moved to Taunton in Devon where in 1949, her younger daughter, aged only 19, married a 26 year old estate agent. By now Ellen was 47 and her husband Harry 52 had been promoted to Wardmaster (what this actually is I don't know!) The marriage was at St John's church and announced in the Western Morning News.

In 1952, Ellen aged 50 became a grandmother for the first time when her youngest daughter gave birth to a son.

On 6^th Feb 1952 the nation was in mourning with the anouncement of the death of King George VI. Stress from the war and a life of heavy smoking had led to a period of illness and he developed lung cancer. He died of Coronary Thrombosis aged 56. His funeral took place on 15^th February. He was succeeded to the throne by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II and a coronation was held on 2^nd June 1953. Ellen, now 51, would have street parties and celebration being held up and down the country. The coronation was also the first to be televised and was the first major international event to be broadcast on tv. Millions across the country watch the event live

In 1954 Ellen's eldest daughter, aged 26 and worked as a saleswoman and married a 37 year old Hotelier in Cornwall. They had one child, a daughter (year of birth to be confirmed). Ellen was 52 at this point and her 56 year old husband, Harry, was working as a civil servant.

In the same year Ellen's mother died in Durham district.

In 1955 Ellen, aged 53, became a grandmother for the third time when her youngest daughter gave birth to her second son.

In 1956, the death of Ellen's husband, Harry, aged 59, was registered in the parish of Liverpool S. Without the death certificate it is not yet clear if he (and presumably Ellen) were living in this area or it is just where he was when he died.

At some point Ellen moved to Cornwall, presumably to be near her daughters and their families. In 1972 Ellen's death was registered at the age of 70 in the Cornish district of St. Austell.