Person:Samuel Sprakes (2)

Description by his grandson

The following description was given in the 1960s by Samuel's grandson Arthur Douglas Sprakes to his grandaughter Susan.

My Grandfather Samuel Sprakes lived at the very top House in Church Street, he was brought up a farm labourer. He married a Stainforth woman by the name of England, she was in service at Lawyer Thorpes’ in South Parade where Hills & Middletons’ live. When she was 14 years old she weighed 16 stone, she liked to go dancing, my grandfather used to go watch her dancing, when they had been married a few days she said Sam, I am going to a dance, he said, not so I do not believe in dancing. But when he died she said "the old Devil - I can go dancing now!" My Grandfather learned the building trade after he got married and built that house where Sargentson lives now. He also he made his own furniture in the Coal house in the yard. He had a Big tub which he made lime in, and he sold it at 1’ a bucket for white washing the kitchen tops. He grew Rhubarb in the cupboard under the to stairs sold it a 2’ per bunch. He put it in back end of October or Early November and pulled it in February & March. He grew Cabbage and cauliflower plants in yard and sold them at 1’ per score. He also kept pigs.

Record of Samuel's birth

Samuel gets in to trouble for hitting a girl with a stick

1. ↑ England & Wales births 1837-2006
   23,602, 1839 Q1.
2. ↑ England & Wales deaths 1837-2007
   9C,469, 1908 Q3.

   Birth year - 1839
   Age - 69
   Death year - 1908
   District - THORNE

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Census.
4. ↑ Sheffield Daily Telegraph
   6, 17 Oct 1882.
5. ↑ Gravestone in Thorne Cemetary