Genealogy
Lote of Staffordshire, Pleasley and Thurcroft
John Henry Lote was born on 3rd August, 1876 and on 4th December, 1909 he married Florence Venables, who was born 9th December, 1885. They were both born at Aldridge, Staffordshire.
John and Florence moved to Pleasley near Mansfield, where there two children were born:
- Gladys was born on 29th March, 1910
- Joseph was born 6th January, 1912.
The family moved to Thurcroft in about 1918/20 and John Henry worked down the pit. Florence sought permission from the pit to run a shop from their house at 36 Peter Street, which was granted.
They sold general goods and ice cream which was made on the premises and sold from a wagon outside on the street.
The ice cream was made outside next to the outside toilet, something never permitted nowadays, but perfectly acceptable then!
Gladys married Bill Abbott, a miner, who was born in 1912 in Bradford. In about 1949 Bill Abbott sought to purchase Smiths Newsagents shop on Green Arbour Road; two sisters owned this shop and refused Bills' offer to purchase because they didn't want a miner to own the shop. When the shop was put up for auction, Bill sought the help of a solicitor and bought the shop for £500 less than his original offer. Bill and Gladys ran the shop known as Lotes and Abbotts until about 1970.
Bill and Gladys had three children:
- Vera born May 1933 who married Ron Brockbank. They had four children.
- Terrence born November 1934. He had four children.
- Mary born December 1935. She married a Fulford and had two children
Terry Abbott bought a Fruit and Vegetable shop from the Partingtons, it was next door to Lotes and Abbotts. Although Terry sold the business a few years ago he still lives in Thurcroft.
Mary Fulford owned and ran a Fish and Chip shop with her husband on Woodhouse Green. It is now a Sunbed Hire shop.
Vera's husband Ron, worked down the pit, he sadly passed away a few years ago, Vera spent most of her working life as a nurse, she started at the age of 17 working in King Edward Hospital, Sheffield. In 1953 Vera went to Moorgate Hospital in Rotherham. She had a break between 1954/55 until about 1969 to bring up her family, she then returned to Moorgate until 1972 when she went into industry as an Occupational Health Nurse, working for Lacocks an engineering firm in Sheffield. In 1977 Vera moved to work at Sutherland & Son Ltd. Wales Bar, Sheffield, initially as an Occupational Nurse and later she became a Personal Assistant for the same firm - Sutherland's.
She retired in 1980 but not for long, she returned to nursing in 1982 this time at Rotherham General Hospital, again as an Occupational Nurse, but this time to the Doctors and Nurses.
Vera finally retired in 1998, but felt she needed something to occupy her time and devoted herself to fund-raising. £10,000 was raised to provide computer equipment for Thurcroft Library.
Vera certainly has and still does give a lot of herself to the community. She still lives in Thurcroft with her daughter, and still contributes to the local community.
Between the years 1964 to 1969 while bringing up her family Vera worked as a Dinner Lady at Thurcroft Secondary School.