Kelita had an older brother, Henry. Like his brother, Henry worked all his life as an industrial worker in the Middleton area. Unlike Kelita, he followed his father into the local coal mines. This was probably a less skilled, less pleasant job than working as an engine fitter.
Henry Crossland (Crosland) was born on 15 July 1835 the son of Thomas Crossland (Crosland) and his wife Sarah. He was baptised in St Peter (Leeds Parish Church) on 4 Oct 1835, the same church as Kelita.
In 1861 Census Henry is living with his parents and his younger sister Harriat. He is a miner and Harriat a ‘factory girl.’ They are living in Belle Isle in a ‘private house.’ Belle Isle is close to Middleton Colliery and the Middleton Colliery Railway.
In 1861 he married Martha Booth in Holy Trinity Church, Rothwell. Martha was born in Middleton in about 1839, her parents were William, a coal miner. and Elizabeth Booth; her siblings, in the 1851 census are Susanna 19, Grace 15, Harriat 9, George 6, and Emma 3. In 1841 they are living in Windy Hill, Middleton, this is an area in Belle Isle and the site of an ancient windmill. 1851 they are living in Belle Isle. In 1861, just before she marries, Martha is still living with her parents and is working as a flax spinner. Since both the Crosslands and the Booths are associated with Belle Isle it is easy to see how the couple met and married.
In 1871 Henry and Martha are living in Town Street with five children and a lodger called Thomas Crowther (possibly related to their mother). Living very close by is Sarah Crossland, his widowed mother, a sole Head of Household in Town Street ‘Shop House’ working as a grocer. It is likely that Thomas Crossland had died in 1869. Also living close by is Henry’s brother John, he is married to Elizabeth Longbottom and they have three children, Annie just 3 months, Arthur 13 and Alfred 12; living with them is Elizabeth’s mother Hannah Longbottom.
By 1881 he is 46, Henry is a weighman in the coal mine, the job of the weighman was to weigh the coal as it came out of the mine and to keep a tally of each miner’s work. In many mines the weigh man was a company appointment with a check weigh man representing the workers. The family is living in Middleton Street in the parish of Rothwell. Their children are Thomas. W. 18, Harry 17, Sarah 15, John 12, Emma 11, Eva 8 and Eliza Crossland 7.
In 1891 he is still living in Town Street with his wife and six of his children and described as a ‘coal worker.’
By 1901 he is widowed, Martha had died in 1895 and at 65 he still working in mining but ‘above ground’ which may suggest lighter duties for an older worker. A retirement age of 65 would not be introduced until much later in the century. Living with him Town Street are Eva 28 George 24 and Grace 19. He dies in 1902. Henry Crossland has numerous descendents.
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