Thorntons girl Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Hi everyone I have some information and then a question Mr Clarke lived on Monmouth street Sheffield in the 1930s He ran a firewood business and his Son lived nest door to him. Every day logs would be delivered by truck down Monmouth Lane and they would go in to his workshop, Mr Clarke would then use a machine to saw the logs down into chunks where they would then be chopped with an axe into firewood size sticks, a machine then bound the sticks up with wire, ready for sale. What was amazing about Mr Clarke was that he was totally blind and did all the above work unaided!! My elderly neighbour was friends with George Clarke, Mr Clarkes Grandson and one day he went round to his workshop and he was amazed to find Mr Clarke's premises were totally in the dark and Mr Clarke was busy chopping sticks!! How amazing!! Totally awe inspiring. Now for the questions, could anyone help with information on how Mr Clarke became blind? Was it the war,illness etc? Has anyone got access to the census or Sheffield directories to show his business and his family? I would be grateful for any information, documents, maps or photos of the area. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmund Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I think this cutting from 1939 should answer your questions. It was under the heading "SLIP WOULD BE DANGEROUS", which was a masterpiece of understatement.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skelton Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Edmund beat me to it with the newspaper article. 1911 census - 26 Fitzwilliam Street, Sheffield. John William Clarke, 34yrs, head, mar, House Carpenter (joinery works), born Nottingham. Sarah Jane Clarke, 38yrs, wife, born Sheffield. Children: Lilian 12, Harry 11, William 8, Olive 3 and Albert 1, all born Sheffield. On the 1939 register, John is at 14 Clarke Street and his date of birth is 4 June 1876. Firewood bundler (blind), widowed. He is with his widowed mother Ann, her date of birth is 28 April 1855. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorntons girl Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Wow this is amazing research Edmund and Skelton, thank you so much. He really was an amazing man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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