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James Checkley and Martha Hartell © James, the son of William and Mary Checkley, was born around 1795, and that he was baptized in Exhall, Warwickshire, on 20th August, 17971, after his parents and siblings had been removed from Ryton-on-Dunsmore. James married Martha Hartell, on the 23rd May, 18182, in the Parish of St Michael, in the County of Coventry, Warwick. After the publication of Banns, they were married by Robert Simpson, Vicar, the witnesses were G. H. White and John Checkley. It is thought John was James' brother. James and Martha were both of the Parish, James a Bachelor and Martha a Spinster, and both made their mark. St Michael's Church was largely constructed between the late 14th and early 15th Centuries3. It was one of the largest parish churches in England when, in 1918, it was elevated to cathedral status on the creation of the Coventry Diocese. The original St Michael's Cathedral now stands ruined, bombed almost to destruction during the Coventry Blitz on 14th November 1940 by the German Luftwaffe. Only the tower, spire, outer wall, and the bronze effigy and tomb of its first bishop, Huyshe Wolcott Yeatman-Biggs, survived. The ruins of this older cathedral remain hallowed ground and are listed at Grade I. Following the bombing of the medieval cathedral in 1940, Provost Howard had the words ‘Father Forgive’ inscribed on the wall behind the altar of the ruined building. Coventry is an ancient city4 that most likely grew from a settlement, of the Bronze Age era, near the present-day city centre where Coventry's bowl-shaped topography and, large flowing river and lakes, created the ideal settlement area. Early people of the area may have been the Corieltauvi, a largely agricultural people who probably took advantage of the mild weather and thick woods, where food, water, and shelter would have been easily found. The Romans founded another settlement in Baginton, a couple of kilometres south of Coventry, and a Saxon nunnery was founded in Coventry by St Osburga around 700. This was left in ruins by an invading Danish army in 1016. Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife Lady Godiva built a Benedictine Monastery, dedicated to St Mary, on the remains of the nunnery in 1043. In time, a market was established at the Abbey gates, and the settlement expanded. Appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086 Coventry5, even at this time was a large settlement, consisting of 69 very large households, with over 65 inhabitants, its value to the Countess Godiva, who was the Tenant-in-Chief, was £12. Coventry is well known for the legendary 11th Century exploits of Lady Godiva who, according to legend, rode through the city naked on horseback in protest at high taxes being levied on the city folk by her husband Leofric, Earl of Mercia. According to the legend the residents of the city were commanded to look away as she rode, but one man did not and was allegedly struck blind. He became known as Peeping Tom, thus originating a new idiom. Today a visitor needs only to look at the front of Coventry's Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre to see a replica of the sight which tradition insists struck Peeping Tom blind! By the 14th Century, Coventry was an important centre of the cloth trade, and throughout the Middle Ages was one of the largest and most important cities in England. Historically, Coventry was the most important seat of ribbon-making in the UK until the decline of this industry in the mid-1700s. Hostile attitudes of the city folk towards Royalist prisoners held in Coventry during the English Civil War are believed to have been the origin of the phrase ‘to be sent to Coventry’, which in Britain means ‘to be ostracised’; although their physical needs were catered for, the Royalist prisoners were literally never spoken to by anybody. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, Coventry became one of the three main British centres of watch and clock manufacture, and as these industries declined, the skilled pool of workers proved crucial to the setting up of bicycle manufacture, and eventually 0f motorbikes, cars, machine tools and aircraft. Coventry is 5km south-south-east of Foleshill and 10km south-south-east of Exhall. As yet no baptism record has been located for Martha, but it is estimated she was born in 1797, possibly in or around Coventry. Records show James and Martha had a daughter, Maria, in 1820, and they had her baptized in St Lawrence, Parish Church, Foleshill, on the 3rd September1. Sadly Martha died just two years later, possibly in childbirth, and was buried in the Parish Churchyard on the 10th November, 18226. With at least one young child to look after it wasn’t long before Parish Records show that on the 15th December, 1823, James married Mary Edwards2. James is recorded as a Widower and Mary as a Spinster, both of the Parish of Foleshill. Parish Records indicate James and Mary possibly had five children: Mary 1824-1826; James 1825; Mary Hannah 1827; Dinah 1831; and Hannah Rose 1842. The 1841 Census7 show James living at Fourteen Penny Row, Foleshill, with wife Mary, and their children: Mary age 13; and Dinah age 10. Both James and Mary are recorded as being born in Warwickshire, both are recorded as age 40, and James occupation is given as Agricultural Labourer. In the 1851 Census7, James is recorded as a 56year old Labourer, his wife Mary as a 57year old Weaver, and Hannah Rose Checkley, age 9. The address is given as Little Heath, Foleshill, but it is believed this was an area, and the family were actually still in Fourteen Penny Row. James' place of birth is now recorded as Exhall, and Mary's as Foleshill. By 18617, James and Mary, now aged 64 and 65 respectively are recorded on the Census as living in Fourteen Penny Lane, and James' occupation is Labourer. It would appear Mary (nee Edwards) had died by 1868, as a further marriage for James Checkley has been located. He married Widow Mary Ann Lowe (nee Brooks) on the 11th December, 18692, this record gives William Checkley as James' father. The 18717 Census has James, now a 68year old Labourer, and Mary Ann a 62year old Weaver living in Coventry Road, Foleshill. James died on the 9th December, 1875, he was 80years old and cause of death was recorded as Decay. His death was registered by his daughter Dinah on the 14th December8. To-date, no record of his burial has been found. It is not known when, or where James’ third wife Mary died or was buried.
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