WILLIAM GARRATT

The Garratt family was farming at Marsh Farm, Etwall, according to the 1891 census, having come there from Radbourne.

Their two eldest daughters, Annie and Maggie, entered Etwall Primary School on the 6th of April 1891, having previously been scholars at Radbourne School.

The 1901 Census records the growing family:

Henry, Head, aged 41, Farmer, born Mickleover
Elizabeth A, wife, aged 39, born Mickleover.
Annie, daughter, aged 18, born Radbourne
Margaret L, daughter, aged 16, born Dalbury Lees
Ellen, daughter, aged 14, born Dalbury Lees
Emily, daughter, aged 12, born Mickleover
Rose, daughter, aged 10, born Radbourne
William, son, aged 8, born Etwall
Thomas, son, aged 6, born Etwall
Henry, son, aged 4, born Etwall
Ethel, daughter, aged 1, born Etwall
Albert E, son, aged two months, born Etwall

Another son, Robert, was born in 1903. Two other children were born later.

William, or Willie as the school admission register calls him, was born on the 5th October, 1892 and started school on the 24th January, 1898 .He left school on the 9th July, 1906, three months before his fourteenth birthday, and worked on the family farm until he enlisted in Derby in the Prince of Wales’ North Staffordshire Regiment.

He was killed in action on the 19th November 1916 in Flanders in the battle of the Somme and is commemorated on

  The Thiepval Memorial.

 The Garratt family founded a farming dynasty in Etwall and Derbyshire. Annie married Mr Hodgkinson, and farmed in Station Road, Mickleover. Maggie married Mr Fox, and farmed at Sutton on the Hill. Ellen married Mr Tipper, and farmed at Hackwood Farm, Radbourne. Emily did not marry, and lived in Mickleover. Edith Rose married Mr Brown of Ivy House, Main Street, Etwall, a prosperous farmer.

Thomas farmed at Idridgehay. Henry farmed at the Bannels, Etwall.

Ethel married William Knight, who owned a cycle shop in Orchard St, Mickleover and also the garage now known as Burnaston Garage, which was then Ashleigh Garage.

Albert died young, in his thirties.

Robert originally farmed Marsh Farm and Bearwardcote Farm, and also carried on  a transport business with cattle lorries.