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The surname Rotherham : From Rotherham, South Yorkshire named as "homestead or village (Old English ham), on the river Rother" a Celtic river name meaning "chief river".
Samuel Rotherham B-1869 Whitwell Derbyshire England
Samuel Rotherham B-c1820 Derbyshire England
Partner
Partner
Elizabeth Mood B-1867 Northumberland England
Harriet Smith B-1821 Derbyshire England
Children
Child
Harriet Rotherham B-1894 Northumberland England
Thomas Rotherham B-1840 Derbyshire England
Matthew Rotherham B-1895 Northumberland England
Thomas Rotherham B-1840 Derbyshire England
Thomas Rotherham B-1897 Northumberland England
Partner
Cissy Jane Rotherham B-1901 North Blyth Northumberland England
Harriet Gascoigne B-1846 Derbyshire England
Cissy Jane Rotherham B-1901 North Blyth Northumberland England
Children
Partner
John Rotherham B-1868 Whitwell Derbyshire England
Samuel Rotherham B-1869 Whitwell Derbyshire England
Daniel Baker B-1902 Eastbourne E.Sussex England
Harriet Rotherham B-1870 Whitwell Derbyshire England
1841 England Census 1841 England Census
Name: Thomas Rotherham
Age: 3 Mo
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Gender: Male
Where born: Derbyshire, England
Civil Parish: Whitwell
Hundred: Scarsdale
County/Island: Derbyshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation: View Image
Registration district: Worksop
Sub-registration district: Carburton
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Harriet Rotherham 20
Thomas Rotherham 3 Mo
Alice Smith 55
Thomas Smith 25
William Rotherham B-1872 Whitwell Derbyshire England
Mary Rotherham B-1875 Whitwell Derbyshire England
1871 England Census 1871 England Census
Name: Thomas Rotherham
Age: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1842
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Harriet
Gender: Male
Where born: Whitwell, Derbyshire, England
Civil Parish: Whitwell
Town: Whitwell
County/Island: Derbyshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Disability: View Image
Registration district: Worksop
Sub-registration district: Carburton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 86
Household Members: Name Age
Martha Roe 16
Harriet Rotherham 33
Harriet A Rotherham 1
Samuel C Rotherham 2
Thomas Rotherham 29
1881 England Census 1881 England Census
Name: Thomas Rotherham
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Harriet
Gender: Male
Where born: Derbyshire, England
Civil Parish: Whitwell
County/Island: Derbyshire
Country: England
Street address: High Street
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:
Registration district: Worksop
Sub-registration district: Carburton
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Rebecca Hardwick 17
William H. Mason 35
Harriet Rotherham 44
Harriet A. Rotherham 9
John T. Rotherham 13
Samuel C. Rotherham 11
Thomas Rotherham 41
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983
Name: Samuel Charles Rotheram
Year of Registration: 1869
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Worksop
County: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire - West Riding
Volume: 7b
Page: 47
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983
Name: Harriet Gascoigne Rotherham
Year of Registration: 1894
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Morpeth
County: Durham, Northumberland
Volume: 10b
Page: 350
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983
Name: Matthew Augustus Rotherham
Year of Registration: 1895
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Tynemouth
County: Northumberland
Volume: 10b
Page: 314
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983
Name: Thomas Gascoigne Rotherham
Year of Registration: 1897
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Tynemouth
County: Northumberland
Volume: 10b
Page: 313
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983
Name: Cissy Jane Rotherham
Year of Registration: 1901
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Morpeth
County: Durham, Northumberland
Volume: 10b
Page: 490
HISTORY OF THE POSTAL SERVICE IN THE PARISH OF WHITWELL.
1851 onwards.
The records show that the "Post Office" was first established in Whitwell around 1851. Joseph Swift was the first Postmaster/Postman although his father, Richard Swift, of the same address, may have been involved at an early stage in the Post Office's establishment. The mail arrived at the premises of Joseph Swift by "Gig Mail" from Chesterfield at 9.00 a.m and departed, weather permitting at 4.30 p.m. daily.
The original Whitwell Post Office was located at the home of Joseph Swift on Scotland Lane (now Scotland Street). Newer brickwork in the wall of the building near the junction of Portland Street and Scotland Street is still noticeable were once the Post Box was fixed. Also, in the 1851 census, a Charles Taylor is recorded as living in the area, and he is recorded as a "Letter Carrier".
The late Miss May Lowe, formerly of Whitwell, whose items relating to aspects of Whitwell's Local History were a regular feature in the Parish Magazine for many years, refers to No. 38 High Street, Whitwell, being the Post Office and also the residence of Joseph Swift. In Kelly's Trade Directory for 1864 the Post Office is recorded as "Post and Money Order Office" and the Post is now arriving from Chesterfield by "Mail” as opposed to "Gig Mail" (see the year 1899). It does appear that a George Godley followed Joseph Swift as Postmaster.
This property, 38 High Street, was one of the pair of houses that once stood on the roadside above "Greenwell Cottage". Mr Thomas Newton and his family lived here for a number of years. Mr. David Newton, son of Thomas, can remember some of the Post Office "fixtures and fittings" still being in the house when the family lived there. The two houses were demolished some years ago. Before their demolition the Post Office had already moved some years earlier to No. 12 High Street, Whitwell, then the home of Thomas Rotherham, Tailor.
Thomas Rotherham is the next recorded Postmaster. Born in 1841, he served his apprenticeship in the Tailoring Trade with William Leggatt (Tailor), Whitwell. He is first mentioned as Postmaster, Draper and Tailor in the census records for 1871, 1881, and 1891, and continues to be mentioned in Trades Directory Records for the early part of the twentieth century.
When Thomas Rotherham took over as Postmaster in 1869 the work was only minimal with only one dispatch and one delivery per day. This work being carried out by one ‘Delivery Man’ who covered Creswell and Whitwell. Mr Rotherham witnessed the population of Whitwell increase from around 1,500 to 5,000. During which time Postal Service’s increased to two deliveries and three dispatches per day and five Delivery Staff; in addition to Telegraphic and Telephonic Communication being provided at the Post Office.
On July 10th. 1911, Thomas Rotherham, celebrated forty‑two years as the Whitwell Postman. In later years he was assisted at the Post Office by a relative (possibly his niece) *Miss Ethel Rose Revill, who later, as Mrs Thorpe, became Postmistress. Mr. Rotherham retired in 1911. He died three years later in 1914 at the age 74.
*Miss Ethel Rose Revell, who married Mr Victor Thorpe (Painter & Decorator), Whitwell, died at the age of 46 in 1930.
Mr Des.Thorpe, son of Victor Thorpe and his second wife, still retains a ‘Door-Knocker’ Post people used when delivering mail before letter boxes became part of door furniture.
