I'm doing a bit of family tracing having moved to Sheffield a few years ago. I'm told my grandfather Reginald Ratcliff had an electrical business at Wicker Arches - does anyone know of it?

I'm sure I worked for a guy of that name in the early sixties, was the premises at the back of the Lodge pub, which used to be on Spital Hill & did he have a house off Totley rise?

There is a Reginald P Ratcliff aged 5 months living at 12 Henson St, Attercliffe cum Darnall with parents George H Ratcliff age 26 Spring shop foreman born Sheffield, and Edith M Ratcliff age 22 born Leeds, on the 1901 census.

Would this be about the right age for him, or could it be a generation back perhaps? The spelling Ratcliff is quite rare with only 13 individuals in Sheffield on the 1901 census, whereas there are 100+ spelt Ratcliffe.

Barring living memory, Trade Directories are a likely source of information. Those available on line are too early but if you can visit the Local Studies Library they have a good series that should help.

Meanwhile...

In White's 1919/20 Directory, this looks like the George H. that hennypenny found in 1901:

RATCLIFF George Henry foreman 184 Firth Park rd

...and this is like the birth entry for the Reginald P in the same 1901 household:

GRO Birth DEC Qtr 1900
RATCLIFF Reginald Pickworth
Sheffield 9c 665

and this is the marriage of his parents, no doubt:

GRO Marriage JUN Qtr 1900
RATCLIFF George Henry
PICKWORTH Edith Mary
Bourn 7a 818 [a Lincolnsgire Registration District]

..and this is probably the marriage of (this) Reginald P:

GRO Marriage SEP Qtr 1925
RATCLIFF Reginald P
MARSDEN Florence
Ecclesall B 9c 794

Two children of this couple (there are probably more):

1929 RATCLIFF Maureen P (mother's maiden name MARSDEN)
1933 RATCLIFF Keith M (mother's maiden name MARSDEN)

Is this the right family?

Hugh

Great - this is the right family! Thanks for the info.

There was another child other than the two mentioned - she was my mother, Judith, who sadly passed away many years ago. Keith also passed away many years ago, but my Aunt 'Maureen' (who uses her second name, Patricia or Pat for short), is still alive and well.

I'm not familiar with the terminology used in these records - does this mean that Reginald's parents were married in Bourne in Lincolnshire? Likewise, was Florence from Ecclesall or were they married there?

With regards to the other reply about where his busines was located, all I know is that it was somewhere in or close to Wicker Arches and he wasa involved in the electrical trade. I know they had a family house in Abbeydale Road before he retired and moved to East Markham near Retford.

I'm doing a bit of family tracing having moved to Sheffield a few years ago. I'm told my grandfather Reginald Ratcliff had an electrical business at Wicker Arches - does anyone know of it?

Hi,

There used to be a small electrical shop called Ratcliff Electric at the bottom of the Wicker. I used to go there to buy batteries, etc. for my Dad. This would be in the 1940's and, I think the early 1950's. In those days, a lot of businesses used to get their "jollies" by treating kids like dirt, but the people at Ratcliff's were always nice to me

All I remember about the shop is that it was a very narrow, but very neet, on the corner of the Wicker and a lane. It most likely was on the same block as the Viaduct pub.

I am certain that it wasn't on the next block -going away from town -where the Midland Bank used to be (that is before the Bank moved up the Wicker and eventually became HSBC). I think the business on this block is now,or was, an office supply company.

Of course, the last Wicker block before Walker's Street, and the Arches,
was all the Station Hotel.

Sorry I can't remember more.

Regards

I'm not familiar with the terminology used in these records - does this mean that Reginald's parents were married in Bourne in Lincolnshire? Likewise, was Florence from Ecclesall or were they married there?

For each reference the place name is the Registration District where the event was registered.

There is information about the Bourn(e) Registration District here (http://www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/bourne.html) at GenUKI. The Ecclesall Bierlow Registration District covered the western side of Sheffield and certain Derbyshire parishes. Detailed information here (http://www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/ecclesall%20bierlow.html).

These indexes are available at:

(1)
FreeBMD (http://freebmd.rootsweb.com).
A transcription with a good search engine, mostly complete to 1910, aiming to be complete to 1983 by 2011.

(2)
Ancestry.co.uk (http://www.ancestry.co.uk).
This has the complete series of quarterly indexes 1837-1983 as scanned images, but not an overriding search engine. You have to be registered on the site but you don't have to be a paying subscriber.

The FreeBMD index is also available through Ancestry.

If you want to order certificates for any of these events you can either, order them through the local Register Office (in this case the above references are not useful), or you can order them online from the central repository of the General Register Office (http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/).

Hugh

Hugh/Falls/hennypenny/datal

Thank you all for your comments - I am very grateful.

Hugh - sorry if this sounds thick, but can I request copies of birth and marriage certificates from the Central Register Office using the details you have provided, i.e. is it of sufficient detail or do I need actual dates? I have not yet looked at that site.

Also, you've mentioned the two children but can you see a record for the third child, Judith, my mother, who I know was born in Sheffield?

I searched a little further and found...

GRO Birth DEC Qtr 1935
RATCLIFF Judith M (mother's maiden name MARSDEN)
Sheffield 9c 771

Yes, this is the information you need for the GRO site. You do not need to know the exact date. You might want to double check the references I give because if there's a mistake you lose money :D

Here are the full entries for the siblings:

GRO Birth MAR Qtr 1929
RATCLIFF Maureen P (mother's maiden name MARSDEN)
Sheffield 9c 885

GRO Birth MAR Qtr 1933
RATCLIFF Keith M (mother's maiden name MARSDEN)
Ecclesall B 9c 569

Hugh in Sheffield

Thanks Hugh

Hwllo - I knew this family, Keith Ratcliff, & also your mother, Judy

[QUOTE=T F R Smith;2026058]I'm doing a bit of family tracing having moved to Sheffield a few years ago. I'm told my grandfather Reginald Ratcliff had an electrical business at Wicker Arches - does anyone know of it?[/QUOTPlease contact me at molly e alle

My Great grandma married a Frank RADCLIFF in 1907 after her first husband died. They lived in Attercliffe. Is there any connection? Had a quick look put can't find one.

My Great grandma married a Frank RADCLIFF in 1907 after her first husband died. They lived in Attercliffe. Is there any connection? Had a quick look put can't find one.

I do not know. The family I knew was named "Ratcliff" and they had a business and lived in Sheffield - later they moved their residence to East Markham, Notts.

I do not know. The family I knew was named "Ratcliff" and they had a business and lived in Sheffield - later they moved their residence to East Markham, Notts.

Cyril Ratcliff woodhouse mill sheffield engineer at crosby kitchens for years.

Cyril Ratcliff woodhouse mill sheffield engineer at crosby kitchens for years.

Do not think this is the same family. I am replying to a request by T.W.R.Smith in 2007, seeking info on his family RATCLIFF of East Markham, Notts. I knew this family. Is T.W.R.Smith still in the area?

Do not think this is the same family. I am replying to a request by T.W.R.Smith in 2007, seeking info on his family RATCLIFF of East Markham, Notts. I knew this family. Is T.W.R.Smith still in the area?

Sorry - that is T.F.R.Smith of Sheffiled

I just saw this thread - Reginald Pickworth Ratcliff (1901-1965) evidently had an electrical business with three branches in 1940s Sheffield. He lived on Abbey Lane - here are scans (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Ratcliff.jpg) from the 1942 Kelly's Directory.

Anyone remember Ian Williss from woodhouse?.

I just saw this thread - Reginald Pickworth Ratcliff (1901-1965) evidently had an electrical business with three branches in 1940s Sheffield. He lived on Abbey Lane - here are scans (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Ratcliff.jpg) from the 1942 Kelly's Directory.

Thanks for that info - this is the same family that T. Smith was enquiring about.

Thanks hillsbro, I haven't visited this site for ages and just saw your message. I didn't realise he had more than one shop.