John Edric Cox, known as ‘Eddie’, was the son of John and Sarah Cox. He was born on 21st January 1877 at the smithy in Twyford, where his father worked as a blacksmith, and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 25th February 1877.

Eddie likely attended the school in Twyford which was a short walk from where he lived. The smithy became known as Smithy Farm and his father John, as well as being the village blacksmith, farmed the adjoining land.

When Eddie left school he worked for his father and aged 14 at the time of the 1891 census, his occupation was recorded as ‘farmer’s son’. However, Eddie was also helping his father with work that came to the smithy, and his time was included on bills payable by the local farmers.

Extracts from bills prepared by John Cox in 1896 and 1897

John Edric Cox, circa 1895

By 1899 Eddie had become his father’s apprentice and on Wednesday 24th May they spent the day together moving ‘horse gear’ from Barrow upon Trent to Potlocks using their horse and cart.

Extract from Mr Edlin’s bill, May 1899

When his father John retired in October 1906 and moved to Smalley, Eddie took over the 36 acre farm and smithy and, like his father, he kept a record of his work in a Day Book. As well as the usual work of fitting new shoes, frost nailing in the winter months, paring, and temporarily fitting an old shoe where one had been lost, Eddie spent much of his time repairing the farm equipment of local farmers. His work included making pins for binders, repairs to mowing machines, fitting axles to ploughs, soldering kettles, mending a sausage machine, making turnip knives, soldering candle holders for lanterns, and making gathering rakes. He also did work for the Harpur-Crewe Estate which included making a new blade for an eel spear, and making repairs to the chain ferry which linked Twyford and Milton.

Eddie’s Day Book including a bill for work done for Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe

Banns of marriage were published at All Saints’ Church, Findern, ‘between John Edric Cox, bachelor, of the Parish of Twyford, and Lucy Hicklin, Spinster, of this Parish’ on 23rd and 30th August, and 6th September 1908. They were married at Findern on 9th September 1908, with Eddie’s sister Ethel being one of the witnesses.

Born in Findern, Lucy was the daughter of a local farmer, George Hicklin, and his wife and Miriam. She was baptised at All Saints’ Church on 5th May 1878.

After their marriage, Eddie and Lucy lived at Smithy Farm, and Eddie succeeded his father as parish clerk for Twyford-with-Stenson. From August 1908, Lucy made most of the entries in the Day Book for the Smithy, keeping a record of work done by Eddie, amounts due from the local farmers, and payments received.

John and Lucy’s first child was born in March 1910. Named Stanley Edric Cox, he was baptised on 11th March 1910 at St Andrew’s Church in Twyford. However, Stanley died aged 11 months and was buried in the churchyard at St Andrew’s Church on 6th March 1911.

Kelly’s 1912 Directory of Derbyshire

Their second child, George Alan Cox, was born in June 1915. He was baptised on 25th July 1915 at St Andrew’s Church, but died five days later. He was also buried in the churchyard at Twyford on 2nd August 1915 aged 6 weeks.

The small grave of John and Lucy’s infant sons.
‘In Loving Memory of Stanley Edric Cox, died March 2nd 1911, aged 11 months.
George Alan died July 31st 1915, aged 6 weeks.
Dearly loved sons of John Edric and Lucy Cox.
Safe in the arms of Jesus. We loved thee, but Jesus loved thee.’

On 15th August 1917, Eddie made five chain links for Mr Poyser, and then went out to shoot rabbits in the local cornfields, together with Ernest Wood. Eddie was driving the rabbits out from the corn when an accident occurred; Ernest’s gun went off and Eddie was shot in the stomach. Eddie was taken to the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, but died the following day. He was 40 years old.

We know a bit more about the events of this day from knowledge passed down in the local farming community. After some of the corn was cut, the machine would be stopped and the men would stand around the cut area waiting for the rabbits to escape their diminished hiding place. When loading their guns, the men would normally hold them facing down towards the ground. However, it is said that Ernest Wood was standing in the corn itself, so when he loaded his gun it was not facing downwards since it would have been touching the uncut corn. The gun is also said to have had a light trigger. The story goes that immediately after Eddie was shot, the first thing Leonard Poyser did was to get a pen and paper and have Eddie sign a declaration that it was an accident and not the fault of Ernest Wood, his brother-in-law. A local priest who was passing by was apparently asked to witness Eddie’s signature.

Eddie’s sister Gertrude went to the cornfield to help while they waited for the doctor to arrive. The shock from this event caused her to go deaf overnight. She shared the same birthday as Eddie.

John Edric Cox was buried in the churchyard of St Andrew’s Church, Twyford, on 20th August, in a grave next to where he and Lucy had earlier buried their two sons. The parish register notes that Eddie was a ‘Parish Clerk, Farmer & Blacksmith’.

John Edric Cox, May 1911

After her husband’s death, Lucy continued to run Smithy Farm for two years. The smithy reopened on 23rd August 1917 with Eddie’s nephew John William Cox working for Lucy as the blacksmith. In April 1919, Lucy handed over the smithy to John William Cox, and on 1st October 1919, the dairy cows, heifers, horses and other animals and implements from her farm were sold by auction.

Lucy then moved back to Findern, the village of her childhood, where she lived for the rest of her life. As an elderly lady, Lucy used to ride her bike from her cottage in Findern to have tea with the Cox family at Smithy Farm in Twyford. One foggy night she took a wrong turn and ended up in a field. After this, the Coxes insisted on taking Lucy home by car.

Lucy Cox died on 10th January 1962 aged 83. She was interred on 17th January with her husband in the churchyard of St Andrew’s Church. Probate for Lucy’s estate was granted to William Eric Cox and Leslie Cox, the grandsons of Eddie’s brother Herbert.

‘In Loving Memory of John Edric Cox, who died August 16th 1917, aged 40 years.
His loving smile and cheerful face are pleasant to recall, he had a kindly word for each, and died beloved by all. Also of his wife Lucy, at rest Jany. 10th 1962, aged 83 years.’

John Edric and Lucy Cox were my great-granduncle and great-grandaunt.