Edith Marsh, 1899 - 1935

Edith Mabel Marsh was born in March 1899 at Crown and Anchor Yard, London Road, Nottingham and christened at St Phillip's in Sneinton. She was the daughter of Charles and Henrietta Marsh. Charles Marsh was a lace maker, working at one of the many local lace factories. Henrietta Marsh was a lace winder.

Lace winders at work

Edith was one of 9 children and along with Alfred, Charles, Maria, Hettie, Lizzie and Rose she appears in the 1901 census as living at 9 Crown and Anchor Yard, but strangely under the surname Stanley.

We are unsure about Edith's early life but we know she married John Ambrose in April 1921. John was a french polisher and son of an upholsterer and life was probably comfortable for them both living in Guy's Terrace in the St Anns area of Nottingham. Shortly after there marriage Edith gave birth to their daughter Miriam, named after John's mother. It was therefore tragic that in July 1922, just 15 moths after their marriage, John died leaving 23 year old Edith alone with a small baby to care for.

Miriam Ambrose

Edith appears to have remained living at Guys Terrace, Blue Bell Hill Road. We are unsure what support she had or at what point she met the younger George Noble who was also living at Guy's Terrace at the time, a near neighbour. George and Edith married in May 1925 at St Anns Church in Nottingham. George was 21 and Edith 25 year old widow. This was shortly followed by the birth of their first son Ken Noble. Six years later there followed their second child Ray.

George was described as a labourer and plasterers labourer. Shortly after Ray's birth the family of five moved to Wendover Drive in Aspley to a newly built council house. However in April 1935 tragedy struck again when, at the age of 36, Edith died, at home, from a stomach ulcer. George was unable to cope with looking after the three children who were now 14, 10 and 4, and the family moved in with Edith's sister Hetti and her husband in Joe Kirkham.

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Email us at k.noble@coventry.ac.uk
October 27, 2006