Marriage of James RHODES and Jane HARROP

When James RHODES married on 16 August 1919 at St Michael's Church, Mottram, Cheshire, he was 24 and worked as a railway fireman. He was living at 67 Broadbottom Road (Multimap) and his father Jeremiah's occupation was as a labourer. Jane HARROP was a 22 year old cotton operative and she lived at 12 Olive Terrace in Broadbottom. (Multimap) She was the daughter of George Henry Booth Harrop who was a joiner. The witnesses were Frank Harrop and Charlotte Rhodes.

James was a railwayman all his working life. It was his work that lead him to move from Mottram to Dukinfield, Cheshire and a railwayman's house on Victoria Road (Multimap). He and Jane retired to a flat on Birch Lane and James later moved to another flat on Glenmore Grove, (Multimap) just off Boyd's Walk where Jane died.

James' work meant that he was exempt from service during WWI. He had memories of carrying Jewish refugees from East Europe across the country to take boats from Liverpool to America. His work also meant that he was able to take his sons to watch football all over the country. Although he happily followed both Manchester clubs, it was Manchester United where his true allegiance lay.

A story from his railway days was the time he knocked the tail off a lion. It was at Glossop station which boasted a statue of a lion. James failed to stop the train he was driving which crashed into the station, severely de-tailing the said lion!