He was baptised 16 December 1792 at Pentrich, a son of Alexander Johnson and Hannah (formerly Fletcher).
Alexander was a framework knitter or labourer and lived at Pentrich before his marriage. In 1817 he was aged 24. This information comes from the records of the trial of the men who took part in the Pentrich Revolution in 1817 at the Assize that began on 26 July that year. In the depositions that were made by the witnesses and defendants it was stated that Alexander was a member of the Hampden club and collected money to defray Thomas Bacon’s expenses to London and back. He also had had a pike from Sampson Fletcher of Pentrich, Blacksmith and was with the mob at Pentrich and at Codnor.
Alexander pleaded guilty. Of Alexander and two others it was said "These are quiet men and bore good characters previously, they were led into acts of violence against their better judgement and will be let off easily." For his part in the uprising he was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, which he served at Derby gaol. Afterwards Alexander settled at Alfreton as the Pentrich villagers were not sympathetic to the cause.
Alexander married Elizabeth Sellors (or Lillors) 9 November 1827 at Alfreton.
In the 1841 census, Common End (?), Alfreton, Alexander (45-49) is a framework knitter (cotton), with Elizabeth (45-49), William (10) and John (7). All were born in Derbyshire.
In the 1851 census of Alfreton, Alexander is 58, a widower, a framework knitter, born at Pentrich, with sons William, 20, and John, 17, both framework knitters and born at Alfreton.
In the 1861 census of Derby Road, Alfreton, Alexander was a widower aged 68, a stocking framework knitter, born at Pentrich. His sons were William aged 30 and John aged 27, both unmarried and stocking framework knitters, and born at Alfreton.
Alexander’s burial is recorded in the register of St Martin at Alfreton. It reads Alexander Johnson aged 70, 4 March 1863.
Alexander and Elizabeth's children were
1. William Johnson (1830 – 1920), baptised 21 December 1830, at Alfreton5. He married Jane. A possibility is in the Belper district in the March quarter 1865 to Jane Cox, at the Birchwood Chapel, Alfreton.
In 1871, at 50 Derby Road (next to the police lock up)
William was aged 40 a framework knitter and Jane was aged 43. Their daughter, Elizabeth A was aged 5. All were born at Alfreton. There were also three lodgers.
In 1881, in Colliery Road, Alfreton, William Johnson was aged 50, a framework knitter, with wife Jane aged 53, a cleaner and granddaughter Ellen Pare aged 3 a scholar, all born at Alfreton. There was also a lodger Frederick Pare, a widower aged 53 a coal miner born at Belton, Leics. He may have been the grandfather of Ellen, not William, since Elizabeth would have been too young to have a child. Ellen Pare’s birth (this suggests she was not the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Johnson) was registered in the June quarter 1877 in the Belper district.
In 1891, at 6 Colliery Road, Alfreton, William was aged 60 a framework knitter and Jane was aged 63. His granddaughter was Ellen Pare aged 13 and all were born in Alfreton. There was also one lodger. In 1901 and 1911 he was living with his daughter, Elizabeth Ann. He was buried at Alfreton in 1920 aged 89.
William and Jane’s child was:
i. Elizabeth Ann Johnson (1865 – 1954), birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1865. She married George Clifford after banns at St Martin’s Alfreton 26 October 1885. He was aged 21 a fireman of Alfreton (father Thomas Clifford, labourer) and she was a spinster aged 20 of Alfreton (father William Johnson, a framework knitter).
In 1901, in Prospect Street, Alfreton, George was aged 37, a colliery engine driver (worker) and born at Bramcote, Notts. His wife, Elizabeth Ann was aged 35 and born at Alfreton as were all their children who were George William aged 14 a colliery engine driver (worker), Beatrice Annie aged 13, Bertha Elizabeth aged 10, Edith Nellie aged 7, Mabel Agnes aged 4, Ernest Harold aged 3 and Percy Charles aged 10 months. Also with them was Elizabeth Ann’s father William Johnson aged 70, a widower and framework knitter, material silk hose, and born in Alfreton.
In 1911, at 4 New Street, Alfreton, in 6 rooms were George aged 47 and Elizabeth Ann aged 45. They had been married for 25 years and had had ten children of whom one had died. He was an over ground stationary engine drive at a colliery and born at Bramcote, Notts. Their children, all except one born at Alfreton, were George William aged 24 an above ground colliery shunter, Edith Nellie aged 17 an assistant in a house furnisher’s shop, Ernest Harold aged 13 a n above ground colliery bank lad born at Sleet Moor near Alfreton, Percy Charles aged 10, Ethel Winifred aged 4 and Eric Leslie aged 2. Also with them was Elizabeth’s father, William Johnson, aged 80 a retired framework knitter with an old age pension, born at Alfreton.
George’s death was registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1929. He was aged 64. Elizabeth Ann Clifford’s death was most probably registered at Belper in 1954. She was aged 88. George and Elizabeth Ann’s children were:
a) George William Clifford (1886 – 1963), birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1886. His death was registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1963. He was aged 76.
b) Beatrice Annie Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1887.
c) Sydney Tom Clifford (1890 – 1890), birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in1889. His death was registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1890.
d) Bertha Elizabeth Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1891.
e) Edith Nellie Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1893.
f) Mabel Agnes Clifford (1896 – 1914), birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1896. Her death was registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1914, aged 18.
g) Ernest Harold Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1897.
h) Percy Charles Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1900.
i) Ethel Winifred Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1906.
j) Eric Leslie Clifford, birth registered in the Alfreton sub-district in 1908.
2. John Johnson, born about 1834 at Alfreton. In the 1881 census of Alfreton (lodging at 2 Colliery Road) was John Johnson aged 47 (unmarried), a framework knitter, born at Alfreton.
In 1891, at The Green, Swanwick, lodging with Joseph Taylor a framework knitter, was John Johnson single aged 57, a framework knitter born in Alfreton.
In 1901 John was in the Union Workhouse in Derby Road, Belper (with his cousin, John, son of Elizabeth). He was a pauper, aged 67 and single, a framework knitter born in Alfreton.
He has not been found in 1911 and his death cannot be identified with certainty.
Revised March 2016