Ruth Rhodes

Born as Ruth Allen Upton, at 11 Green Wall, All Saints', Lewes, September 3, 1990, illegitimate daughter of 'Polly Upton' an 18 yr old laundry maid in the town. Her mother had been born Polly Fawcett, herself illegitimate, but Polly (she was 'Mary' on her marriage certificate) took her step-father's name, Upton. Ruth therefore should have been Ruth Fawcett at birth. Illegitimate children could not take their father's surname until much later in the 20th century. Ruth's mother was from a Leeds family. In 1903 Ruth's mother married Charles Edwin Henty at the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Lewes, Sussex. The Hentys were a Sussex family. Step-father Charlie Henty was a stable lad, later jockey, and telegraph worker. Legend has it that Charlie rode in one Grand National. The family came to Leeds sometime after Polly and Charlie's marriage. Thye numerous Henty half-brothers and sisters of Ruth were born in Leeds. She grew up believing she was Ruth Henty, born Aug 31 1900. She only discovered that she was illegitimate on the morning of her wedding day to Albert Rhodes in March, 1922. We are told that the first time she ever saw a tram (in Leeds) was when she joined thetram company as a clippie. In 1922 she married Albert Rhodes at Bramley Register Office. Seven children followed.

She died at Acres Hall Crescent, Pudsey (home of her only daughter, Dorothy) in June, 1959, aged 58.

She was cremated at Lawnswood, Leeds.