Jeremiah Yates
JEREMIAH YATES
Jeremiah Yates, was born 2nd April 1808 at Lane End in the Staffordshire Potteries in England. He had an eventful life and when he died at only 44 his funeral procession attracted two thousand people.
Jeremiah was married to Ann Smith on the 23rd July 1837 and their wedding certificate gives what information we have about their parents. Marriages had been registered at Somerset House only from 1st July 1837 and their marriage was No. 2 in Book 1 for Stoke. The Certificate shows that they were married at 'the Chapel of Hanley' [# see note] according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. Ann signed the register with a mark; the inability to write was commonplace among working class women at this time. Jeremiah's father was Samuel Yates of Berry Street, Stoke and both were described as 'Potters'. Ann(e) was the daughter of William Smith, a labourer, of Vine Street, Shelton.
Berry Street is not shown on the Stoke map of 1832 so that the small terrace houses were probably newly built in 1837. The family occupations in the street were chiefly 'Potter' at the 1841 census. (In 1967, most of Berry Street was derelict and about to be demolished). Jeremiah moved from Stoke to the centre of Hanley (nearly two miles North) on his marriage, and lived in Stafford Row on Crown Bank. The address is also described as Miles Bank, Upper Hanley and Shelton.
The first child of Jeremiah and Ann was born on. the 5th March 1839 and was christened Sarah. Jeremiah registered the birth and gave his address as "Upper Hanley" and his occupation as "Potter".On June 5 1841 there was a census the original, pencil-written returns are at the Public Record Office in London.
Samuel Yates had moved away from Berry Street, Stoke and the Smiths had left Vine Street, Shelton, but Jeremiah and Ann were living at Miles Bank, Shelton. The entry is:
JUNE 6 1841
992/8 Shelton District 11 page 17
Parish: Stoke on Trent
Township: Shelton
Crown Bank, Stafford Row
Jeremiah Yates aged 30 Pottery turner Ann Yates aged 20 Sarah aged 2 Mary aged 2 months (ie Born 1841) Jane Smith aged 15 Pottery transferring. All were born within the County of Staffordshire
The neighbours of the Yates family on Crown Bank included -a 'hairdresser, shoemaker, milliner, coaldealer, newsagent, lodging house keeper, publican, three agricultural labourers, butcher, cooper, road surveyor and a pauper (aged SO)."
Ann's age is given as 20, Curiously the instructions to the Census takers of 1841 were to enter the ages of adults to the nearest five years below their age. Ann was apparently 22. For the same reason, Jeremiah was recorded as 'aged 30' but may have been 31. Jane Smith was probably Ann's younger sister, who at was already working in a pottery.
NOTE:
# It is called Hanley Chapel, Stoke because the potteries were all in the Parish of Stoke at that time. Rebuilt in 1790 as "the Anglican chapel of Hanley and Shelton", according to the Victoria History. Ref 41. The notice outside the church in 1967 says, however, "Parish Church of St. John, Hanley. Consecrated 1787".
