Charles Paul - "Carolus Paulus"

Paul - "Carolus Paulus"Charles Paul lived at a house named Ribbledene, (now number 5) The Grove in later life. He was a local historian and archaeologist who was an authority on the history of Sheffield. He was noted for his painstaking research and pursuit of accuracy, no point being assigned as fact until it was carefully verified. He wrote books on the history and traditions of Sheffield and on the two districts where he lived for most of his life: Attercliffe and Ecclesall. 

In the 1871 Census young Charles was working as a merchant's clerk but the following year he joined the Sheffield law firm of Clegg and Sons, of Figtree Lane, as a junior clerk. He would remain with the firm for the rest of his working life. His father died in 1877 and by 1881 Charles was living at 351 Bramall Lane with his eldest sister Mary Ellen, her husband Edwin Farnsworth, a mechanical draughtsman, and their three children. His younger sister, Susannah Paul, was also with them.

On 1 August 1882 Charles married Ellen Grindle at St. Stephen's Church, Netherthorpe. Ellen was born in 1855 in East Drayton, Nottinghamshire, the fourth of nine children of George Musgrave, a farmer, and his wife Mary Ann Burbank who married on 23 March 1848 at North Elkington, Lincolnshire. Ellen had married Harry Grindle, a farmer, on 11 May 1876 at Washingborough, Lincolnshire but he had died in 1880. There were no children from that marriage. 

In the next Census in 1891, Charles and Ellen were living at 1½ Nether Edge Road, Ecclesall. Susannah was living with them. Charles's occupation is recorded as a stationer, sub-postmaster and solicitors clerk but it was at a time when postmaster appointments were only made to men. Charles would have had little to do with the daily running of the post office and shop. That would have been left to Ellen who was described as the post office manager and Susannah who was the assistant manager. Also living there in 1891 were Ellen's younger sister Maud Elizabeth, a draper, and her daughter Maud who was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne the previous year. The enumerator recorded their surnames as Hoggard. Young Maud's father was said to be John Edward Hoggard, a studio photographer. However John was still married to Annie Burnicle, the couple having married at Guisborough Parish Church on 9 May 1882. John later emigrated to Australia.

Maud Elizabeth Hawnt (left) and Maud Hartley (right)

Both Susannah and Maud Elizabeth went their separate ways in 1895. Susannah married David Uriah Welch, a post office messenger, whose first wife had died leaving him with three children. In 1901 they were living at 31 Montgomery Terrace Road, Shalesmoor and David had become a head postman. Maud Elizabeth married James Hawnt, a telegraph operator, at St. Andrews, Grimsby on 9 December 1895. By 1901 James and Maud Elizabeth were living at 45 Wath Road, Nether Edge. Young Maud was with them, her surname now recorded as Hawnt. Charles and Ellen Paul were still living at the post office in Nether Edge Road.

However, in the 1911 Census Maud was living with her aunt and uncle Charles and Ellen Paul at 222 Carter Knowle Road, Ecclesall and her surname was recorded as Paul. She was aged 21 and a pianoforte student. When she married Stuart Hartley at Norton Woodseats Baptist Church on 25 April 1916, the newspaper announcement of the wedding described her as the adopted daughter of Charles Paul. By then her mother had given birth to four children with James Hawnt. James stayed with the Sheffield Post Office until his retirement in 1929. He first became a Labour councillor in 1922 and later an Alderman of the City.

1922 also marked Charles Paul's fiftieth year in the employment of Clegg and Sons. He was by then the managing clerk and the firm's oldest employee. He was presented with a clock by the staff to mark his achievement. 

We do not know when Charles and Ellen Paul moved to Totley. The Heatherfield Estate was built from 1924 onwards and we believe that Ribbledene was on the south side of The Grove towards the junction with The Crescent. It was likely that Charles's book The Manor and Parish of Ecclesall would have been completed there. It was published by subscription in June 1927, copies to be reserved on application to Ribbledene. 

Charles continued to work for Clegg and Sons until his death on 15 May 1930 at the age of 74. His burial at Christ Church, Dore, two days later was attended by many members of the firm including Sir William Clegg, the former Lord Mayor of Sheffield and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield. Ellen Paul later lived with her daughter and son-in-law at 38 Abbeydale Park Crescent. Ellen died at Nether Edge Hospital on 14 September 1938, aged 82, and was buried at Dore three days later.