Ada Primrose DARLOW [1282]

   Other names for Ada were Primrose BLACKWELL and Primrose DARLOW.

  General Notes:

Whilst her birth was registered as Ada, she was christened Primrose, and was always known as Primrose, she was born at Dearnley Wuerdle, in the sub district of Wuerdle and Wardle, Registration district of Rochdale, County of Lancaster. Wardle is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the South Pennines, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) east-southeast of Whitworth, 2.5 miles (4 km) north-northwest of Rochdale and 12 miles (19 km) north-northeast of the city of Manchester.

Wardle is historically a part of Lancashire, The name Wardle is said to be derived from "Ward Hill", implying "fortified place". Brown Wardle Hill overlooks the village from the north, its name being derived from the Celtic word bron meaning "round".

Wardle, the most northerly settlement in Greater Manchester, encompasses small parts of Smallbridge and Dearnley urban areas contiguous with Rochdale. Lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire since the early 12th century, Wardle was anciently linked with Wuerdle, and lay within the township of Hundersfield and parish of Rochdale. Wuerdle and Wardle would later split from Hundersfield to form a township of itself, still within the parish of Rochdale and in the hundred of Salford.

Primrose was christened at St John the Baptist Church in Smallbridge in 1874, the same day as all her siblings other than the youngest who was not born until 1878

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Smallbridge like this:

"SMALLBRIDGE, a village and a chapelry in Rochdale parish, Lancashire. The village stands on the river Roch, 2 miles NE of Rochdale r. station; and has a post-office under Rochdale, and numerous factories. The chapelry was constituted in 1844, and curtailed in 1867. Rated property, within the original limits, about £15,000. Pop. in 1861, of the original chapelry, 5,644; of the chapelry as curtailed in 1867, 3,554. The property is much subdivided. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Manchester. Value, £425.* Patron, the Vicar of Rochdale. The church is good; and there are chapels for Independents and Methodists, and a national school."

It appears that Primrose's parents moved to Lancashire after the 1871 Census. It has recently been found that there was another sibling Charles Henry Darlow, (not known to us until 2013) who was also born in Lancashire in 1872 and died and was buried in Lancashire in 1875. In 1878, the youngest child of William and Sarah Darlow was born in Northamptonshire so presumably they returned to Kettering between 1875 and 1878.

In the 1881 Census Primrose was living at Bridwell Lane Kettering and her occupation was scholar, with place of birth given as Burnley, Lancashire.

At the 1891 Census Primrose was living at 12 Eden Street, Kettering and her occupation was dressmaker with place of birth recorded as Rochdale Lancashire.

At the 1911 census, Primrose was the head of the house, as William was in Australia. She was living at 6 Upper Street, Kettering, and her occupation was given as shoe trade Eyeleter.

Primrose left England on 9 October 1911 on the Ship Demosthenes on a 54 day voyage to Melbourne to meet her husband. With her were her step daughter, Inez 19, and children Doris 15, Gilbert 14, Bernie 11, Vincent 9, Ethel 8, Douglas 6, and Phyllis 3.

William met the family in Melbourne. He was share farming at Allambee at the time. As there was no work at Allambee for Inez she remained in Melbourne. The remainder of the family travelled to Allambee. Some time later, William was seriously gored by a bull and was unable to return to work on the farm, so after approximately 2 years at Allambee, the family moved to Nar Nar Goon where William opened a bootmakers shop.

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Thu 30 Apr 1942 Page 5 Family Notices
BLACKWELL. - On April 29. at Pakenham Hospital. Ada Primrose, dearly beloved wife of William Blackwell, Narnargoon, loved mother of Doris (deceased), Gilbert, Robert, Vincent, Ethel, Douglas, Phyllis. Eric and Paul, aged 67.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thu 30 Apr 1942 Page 2 Family Notices
BLACKWELL.-The Funeral of the late Mrs ADA PRIMROSE BLACKWELL will leave her residence Nar-nar-goon THIS DAY (Thursday) at 2.30 for the Pakenham Cemetery arriving at 3 o'clock.

The Dandenong Journal (Vic. : 1927 - 1954) Wed 6 May 1942 Page 12
MRS. ADA PRIMROSE BLACKWELL
An old resident of the Narnargoon district in the person of Mrs . Ada Primrose Blackwell passed away at the Pakenham B.N. Hospital last Wednesday. She was 67 years of age. Rev. E. Panelli conduct the burial. service at Pakenham last Thursday.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thu 29 Apr 1948 Page 2 Family Notices
BLACKWELL. - The passing of years can never take away the loving memories of my dear mother, who passed away April 29, 1942. (Inserted by her son. Bernard.)
BLACKWELL. - A sincere tribute to you, dear friend, who passed away April 29, 1942. (Inserted by Rita.)

The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Saturday 29 April 1950 Page 12
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/187647116/19606764
BLACKWELL. - In loving memory of my dear mother, who passed away April 29, 1942.
- Always remembered by Ethel and Bill. [Jones]
BLACKWELL - in loving memory of dear mother, who passed away on April 30, 1942.
- Inserted by Bernard and Rita [Blackwell and Dalrymple] ^2140,2141

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Residence, 1874, Dearnley Wuerdle, Lancashire, England.

2. Residence: 6 Upper Street, 1911, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. ²¹⁴² Head of household as her husband William was already in Australia.

3. Emigration: leaving England on the Ship Demosthenes, 9 Oct 1911, , , Australia. ²¹⁴³

4. Residence, 1942, Nar Nar Goon, Vic, Australia.

5. Obituary: The Argus ( 1848 - 1957) Page 2 Family Notices, 30 Apr 1942, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Ada married William BLACKWELL [1283] [MRIN: 387], son of Alfred BLACKWELL [1295] and Ann MILLER [1294], on 21 Dec 1893 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England ^2133,2134.^,2135 (William BLACKWELL [1283] was born on 25 Apr 1867 in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England ²¹⁴⁴, christened on 16 Aug 1868 in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England,²¹⁴⁵ died on 3 Mar 1953 in Pakenham, Vic, Australia ²¹⁴⁶ and was buried on 4 Mar 1953 in Pakenham, Vic, Australia.)