Person:Rose Nicholls (1)

Childhood

Rose and her parents and siblings in about 1918.

Rose Nicholls was born on 2nd July 1901 at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, daughter of a straw hat machinist named Annie Maria Nicholls, formerly Moles, and her husband George Nicholls, a bricklayer's labourer. Rose was the couple's second child, but when Rose was two years old her elder brother James died, leaving Rose as the eldest surviving child.

When Rose was born, both her grandmothers were still alive, whilst her paternal grandfather, Daniel William Nicholls, had died less than three months before she was born. Rose's paternal grandmother, Maria Nicholls, formerly Hornet, came to live with Rose's parents until her death in 1906. Rose's maternal grandmother, Fanny Moles, formerly Worbey, lived about 15 miles away from Harpenden in Hitchin. She survived until 1922, when Rose was 21.

Rose and Jack's wedding.

In later life Rose annotated a photographic history of Harpenden to indicate pictures of her childhood homes. She indicated that the children had all been born at the house now called 109 Southdown Road (although at the time the road was called Wheathampstead Road). They then moved to another house on Southdown Road opposite the Skew Bridge (a distinctive railway bridge on the Midland Railway where it goes over Southdown Road). That house is no longer there, having been demolished to make way for Heath Close in the 1960s. They then moved again, with Rose's third home being 68 Cravells Road, which is where her parents were to stay for the rest of their lives.

Adulthood

Rose and Jack's wedding, family group.

On 11th April 1925, aged 23, Rose married a fettler named Stewart John (known as Jack) Marshall. He was from the neighbouring town of Luton. Apparently they met at Harpenden station. They married at the parish church of St Nicholas in Harpenden. Their marriage was reported in the Herts Advertiser.

Rose, Jack and grandchildren circa 1961.

Both Rose's children married in the 1950s, and she knew all four of her grandchildren, who were all born between 1954 and 1956. Some time between 1957 and 1959 Jack and Rose left 37 Trent Road and moved to 3 Poets Green, a newly-built house to the west of Luton. Having been council tenants for most of their lives at Trent Road, they managed to buy the house at Poets Green, which was to be their home for the rest of their lives.

Jack died on 23rd April 1966. He was 67. Rose outlived him by nearly 20 years, and knew six of her seven great grandchildren. She died on 1st June 1985 at St Mary's Hospital in Luton, aged 83.

1. ↑ Birth certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT Saint Albans
   1901. BIRTH in the Sub-district of Harpenden in the County of Hertford
   No.	When and where born	Name, if any	Sex	Name and surname of father	Name, surname and maiden name of mother	Occupation of father	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   459	Second July 1901 Wheathampstead Road Harpenden Urban U.D.	Rose	Girl	George Nicholls	Annie Maria Nicholls formerly Moules	Bricklayers Labourer	A.M. Nicholls Mother Wheathampstead Road Harpenden Urban	Thirtieth July 1901	L.C. Gifkins Registrar

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Baptisms register, in Church of England. Harpenden Parish Registers.

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Harpenden in the County of Hertford in the Year One thousand nine hundred and one
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   886	1901 Aug[ust] 25 Born July 2nd 1901	Rose	George & Annie Maria	Nicholls	Wheathampstead Road, Harpenden	Labourer	W.A. Long, Assist[ant] Curate

3. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 7656; Schedule 170, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: Wheathampstead Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   George Nicholls, head, male, 36 [1874/5], married, General Labourer, worker, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Annie Maria Nicholls, wife, female, 38 [1872/3], married 12 years, 7 children born, 5 children still living, Straw Hat Machinist, worker, working at home, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Rose Nicholls, daughter, female, 9 [1901/2], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   Minnie Nicholls, daughter, female, 7 [1903/4], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   Lily Nicholls, daughter, female, 6 [1904/5], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Nicholls, son, male, 2 [1908/9], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   George Nicholls, son, male, 1 month [1911], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 41 Trent Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Marshall, Stuart J. / male / 7 Mar 1899 / married / Iron Foundry Fettler Heavy Worker
   Marshall, Rose / female / 2 Jul 1901 / married / Unpaid Domestic Duties
   [two records closed]

5. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   DEATH
   Entry No. 86
   Registration District: Luton
   Sub-district: Luton
   Administrative area: County of Bedfordshire
   1. Date and place of death: First June 1985 St Mary's Hospital Luton
   2. Name and surname: Rose MARSHALL
   3. Sex: Female
   4. Maiden surname of woman who has married: NICHOLLS
   5. Date and place of birth: 2nd July 1901 Harpenden Herts
   6. Occupation and usual address: a Canteen Cook retired Widow of Stewart John MARSHALL a Fettler 3 Poets Green Luton
   7a. Name and surname of informant: Peter John MARSHALL
   b. Qualification: Son
   c. Usual address: 10 Mortimer Road Kempston Beds
   8. Cause of death: 1a. Acute Myocaridal Infarction Certieid by L Pandyg MB
   9. I certify that the particulars given by me above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Peter J Marshall Signature of informant
   10. Date of registration: Third June 1985
   11. Signature of registrar: S H Baker Registrar

6.   Herts Advertiser, Saturday 18 April 1925
   "For Better or Worse." EASTERTIDE MARRIAGES SOLEMNISED AT HARPENDEN MARSHALL-NICHOLLS The Rev. E. Michell officiated at the wedding of Miss Rose Nicholls, eldest daughter of Mr. George Nicholls, of 68, Cravells-road, Harpenden, and Mr. Stewart John Marshall, third son of Mr. John Marshall, of 44, Cambridge-street, Luton, which took place at the Parish Church, on Saturday. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a dress of white crepe-de-chene, with lace sleeves and white panels ornamented with silver beads. Her bouquet was composed of white lilies and roses. The bridegroom's gift to her was a silver bracelet. There were three bridesmaids the Misses Minnie and Lily Nicholls (sisters of the bride) and Miss Vera Marshall (niece of the bridegroom). Their dresses were of cornflower-blue crepe-de-chene, beautifully embroidered, while their hats were of silver-grey crinoline with cornflower-blue trimmings to match the dresses. They carried bouquets of pink carnations and tulips. The best man was Mr. George Marshall (brother of the bridegroom). A reception was afterwards held at the home of the bride.