William Absolom Earl (1865-1925) moved to Long Eaton from Bedfordshire in the 1870s. In 1884 he married Mary Roper from Sawley. They lived in Long Eaton for several years before moving to 2 Hawthorne Avenue, New Sawley. Their children were:
- Walter John Earl (1884-1977) worked in the wagon works. He married Emmeline Woodhouse. They lived at 4 Hawthorne Ave. During WW2 Walter was an air raid warden.
- Nathan Earl (1886-1916) 1916 was a twist hand in the lace trade and also served in the Territorial Army. During WW1 he was called up, promoted to Lance Corporal served with 1/5 Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, being sent to France in Mar 1915. On 6th March 1916 they marched to Berlencourt, west of Arras. After taking over from a French unit, they were relieved by 6th Sherwood Foresters for a few days before returning to the front line on 22nd. In the early hours of 25thMarch the Germans exploded a mine under the front line. The Germans immediately occupied the mine crater and for the next 24 hours the two sides fought over the remains of the trenches with grenades. L/Cpl Earl was reported missing and later presumed killed in action. His body was never identified, and his name is on the Arras Memorial.
- William Absolem Earl (1889-1916) became a railway porter. He signed up for the Army in 1915 but wasn’t called up until 1917, serving with a Royal Engineers railway unit in Egypt. After the war he married and moved to Nottingham.
- Elizabeth Ann Earl (1892-1963) married Percy Taylor, a Nottingham miner. They moved to Long Eaton and had 7 children.
- Reuben Earl (1896-1969) started work as a drayman’s assistant at a mineral water works. He married and moved to Beeston.
- Douglas Earl (1900-1914) died aged 14.
- Doris Earl (1902-1994).