ROUGH SIMS FAMILY TREE
ROBERT SIMS. Born 1600s. Purchased land at The Bent, Ashleyhay,
Derbyshire in 1708. Died 1724 Wirksworth.
ROBERT SIMS. (son of the above) gave the land to his sons, John and
Thomas in 1755.
SAMUEL SIMS. 1818 - 1896. Born in Bolehill. Lead miner.
Married ELISABETH SLATER born 1821, daughter of Joshua Slater and
Hannah Flint. They had -
MARY SIMS born 1849 at Bolehill. Youngest of six (or more?) children.
Mary was a Cotton Factory Worker, as were most of the other children.
Mary Sims moved to another mill around 1871 and lived in the house of
Charles Harrison, railway worker, at Ockbrook. She became a 'Cotton Doubler.'
ROBERT SIMS (my Grandfather) was born to Mary Sims (father not known)
in 1875 in Spondon.
MARY SIMS married in 1879 to GEORGE SHELLEY born 1856. They lived at
36 Cromford Hill, Cromford. Then at 47 Main Street, Cromford. George
Shelley was a Labourer and later a Gamekeeper, then a labourer again.
George and Mary Shelley lived with Mary's mother, Elisabeth Sims who was
79 years old, at 188 Main Street, Cromford (1901 census.)
Robert Sims trained as a Teacher around 1891 at The School House, Ashford,
Derbyshire in the house of William R Stubbs.
Robert Sims was married in Cromford to MARY ELLEN BOWN - born 1873.
MURIEL BEATRICE SIMS (my mother) born to Robert and Mary 05 July 1904.
Died 24 June 1994.
MURIEL married GEORGE FREDERICK HOUFTON born 1 December 1904.
Died 17 May 1970. They had three children: Anne 1931, Jennifer 1934 and
Benjamin 1942.
NB. Mary Ellen Bown's aunt, Hannah, married a Mr. Poyser and worked as a
housemaid for the Arkwrights at Willersley Castle, Cromford in 1861.
Ben Houfton 2006