Pontefract 2005

Felkirk St. Peter

Stanley Church

The Nomadic Life of Joseph Farrer

Background - Pontefract

Joseph Farrer's ancestors originated in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, going back many generations of middle class business men. One of them, Francis Farrer, was Mayor of Pontefract in 1677. By the early 1800s two brothers, Benjamin and Joshua Farrer, were Clock and Watch Makers and Jewellers in 'Beast Fair', probably where the cattle market was held. Benjamin's son, Charles, became a Chemist and Druggist, whilst other sons followed into the clock business.

In 1807 a third brother, Timothy Farrer, married Mary Ibotson at Felkirk St. Peter, and they lived at South Hiendley, a few miles south of Pontefract, where Timothy was a book-keeper. There were already Farrers nearby as two had been Rectors of the neighbouring parish of Hemsworth in the 17th century, it seems likely that Timothy moved there to join this branch of the family. There were some large country estates in the region so he may have been an accountant for one of them, and his first son, John, became a commercial clerk.

Timothy's other son, another Timothy, married Julia Ridsdale Pollock at Stanley, near Wakefield. The Pollocks were also business people, of Scottish/Irish ancestry, with some branches of the family apparently being quite wealthy.

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Timothy Farrer & Julia Ridsdale Pollock, marriage certificate 1840. They married at Stanley, photo left.

Wragby Church, where Joseph was baptised in 1849

Wragby

1. 1849 Wragby

After the birth of their first child who died very young, Tmothy and Julia moved to Wragby, south east of Wakefield, not far from where Timothy had grown up. Timothy became a farmer of 20 acres and a land agent. There were at least five more children, of which Joseph Farrer was the second youngest, he was born in Wragby on June 17th, 1849.

The other children that we know about were Elizabeth Farrer, age 7 when Joseph was born; Robert Pollock Farrer (the first boy getting the mother's maiden name), age 6 and Henry Morton Farrer, age 2. Two years later, in 1851, another brother, Septimus, arrived. There was probably another daughter, Julia, who died age two, just before Joseph was born.

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Joseph Farrer birth certificate, 1849

Wragby in 1880

Boundary Place , Leeds:

2. 1861 Leeds

The 1861 Census has the family living at 1 Boundary Place in the middle of Leeds. Timothy, now 47, had given up his 20 acres and his sole occupation was 'Land Agent'. Julia was 51. Robert Pollock Farrer, the eldest brother, now 18, was a commercial traveller. Henry Morton, 12, Joseph 11, and Septimus, 10, were all 'scholars'.

In 1863 Timothy Farrer died in Coventry Place, Leeds, age 49, from 'disease of lungs' and 'effusion on brain'. It is not clear whether the family had moved again, or whether he was in some sort of nursing home.

In 1866 Robert, 23, married Eleanor Clark in Leeds. Septimus died in 1867, aged 16, circumstances unknown.

Timothy Farrer death cert. 1863

The Brighton pub at the top of Brighton Street

3. 1871 Heckmondwike

By 1871 Julia, 61, had moved to Brighton Street, Heckmondwike with her sons Henry, 23, and Joseph, 21. Henry gives his occupation as 'Accountant & Estate Agent', whilst Joseph says he is a 'Newspaper Publisher' - an unusual occupation for a 21 year old. The family also had a lodger, Edward C. Bell, a maths tutor, and they employed 18 year old Rebecca Moore as a domestic servant, living in.

Meanwhile Robert Pollock Farrer, 27, and his wife Eleanor, 23, were living in Nottinghamshire, apparently with Eleanor's brother and his family. Robert still gave his occupation as a Commercial Traveller, and the family also employed a teenage girl as a live-in domestic servant.

In 1872 Robert died, age 29, in the Dewsbury district, probably in Heckmondwike with his family. It is not known what happened to Eleanor, they do not appear to have had any children.

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Heckmondwike

Jane Bradley Bateson birth certificate, 1845

4. 1875 Bradford

On March 24th, 1875, Joseph Farrer, 25, married Jane Bradley Bateson, 29, in the parish church of Burley, Leeds, which was Jane's home (Bradley being her mother's maiden name again) The Batesons were a long established well-to-do Leeds family, having at one time been owners of a Woollen Mill. Joseph gives his residence at this time as Bradford, but no specific address, and his occupation as 'Bank Clerk'.

photo left: St Matthias Church, Burley. Undated (but thought to be about 1913), This church was built in 1854 designed by Perkinsand Backhouse of Leeds. The 166 foot spire was paid for by William Beckett, then MP for Leeds
- from Leeds Photographic Archives (Leeds City Council) click link for more/larger pictures and comments. Interior view)

Joseph and Jane's marriage certificate, 1875

Powell Street

5. 1876 Heckmondwike again

On January 25th 1876 Jane gave birth to Joseph's first child, Alice, born back in Heckmondwike. They were now living in Powell Street and Joseph, still only 26, appears to have been promoted as he describes himself as a Bank Manager.

In the first few months of 1876, Henry Morton Farrer died, age 28, probably in Heckmondwike where he was still living with his mother. It is not known whether they were living with Joseph, Jane and Alice at that time.

Alice Farrer birth certificate., 1876

Ellar Carr Road, Idle

6. 1877 Idle, near Bradford

Joseph moved back to the Bradford area around 1877 - taking his wife Jane, daughter Alice, and apparently his mother Julia.

At the beginning of 1878 a second daughter, Jessie, was born in Idle, near Bradford. Then, on August 2, Joseph's mother, Julia died, age 69, at Ellar Carr Lane, Idle, probably living with her son and his family at the time. In 1880 a son, Henry, was born to Joseph and Jane, still in Idle.

Julia Ridsdale Farrer (nee Pollock) death certificate 1878

Oaks Farm

7. 1881 Horsforth, Leeds

The 1881 Census shows the family living at Oaks Farm, near Horsforth, north west of Leeds. Joseph, aged 32, describes himself as a 'Retired Farmer' though he may not have been taking the census too seriously - but this was a very out-of the-way location for a bank manager, so he does seem to have changed his occupation. Perhaps he inherited something when his mother died, as he was the only surviving son that we know of. The Census shows another family, the Marshalls, living as a separate household on the same farm.

The Idle and Oaks Farm locations

8. 1884 Headingley, Leeds

On November 27, 1884, Jane Bradley Farrer died, age 39, cause of death was a form of cystitis. The address on the death certificate was 52 Chapel Lane, Headingley, Leeds. Joseph's occupation was now 'Commission Agent'.

Jane's death left Joseph 35, with Alice 8, Jessie 6 and Henry 4. It is not known what Joseph did for the next five years.

Jane Bradley Farrer (nee Bateson) death cert. 1884

Sheffield

9. 1891 Sheffield

At the 1891 Census Joseph was a 'lodger' in Sheffield, with his three children Alice 15, Jesse 13, and Henry 10. His occupation was given as 'electrician'. Meanwhile the 1891 Census shows Louisa Eley as a barmaid in Derby where she had always lived - presumably Joseph had met her on his travels.

On April 9, 1892, Joseph, age 42, married Louisa Eley, age 20, in Sheffield. His address was given as 76 Suffolk Road, whilst Louisa was at 112 St. Mary's Road, both in Sheffield. Louisa had no occupation and was the was daughter of Samuel Eley, a builder in back in Derby. Joseph's occupation was given simply as 'Manager', but does not say what he was managing. On the marriage certificate they give their ages as 38 and 22, presumably to make the difference appear less. Louisa became step-mother to Alice, Jessie and Henry.

Curiously Joseph gives his name on the marriage record as 'Joseph Pollock Farrer' - there is no mention of the middle name on his birth or first marriage certificate, or any other records. Perhaps he adopted it after the deaths of both his brother Robert Pollock Farrer, then his mother, Julia nee Pollock.

Joseph Farrer and Louisa Eley, marriage certificate 1892

Cousin Grace

Grace Pollock was Joseph's cousin on his mother's side. She was born in Leeds in 1851, a couple of years younger than Joseph, and lived there until she married Edward Hirst, also from Leeds. By 1861 Joseph's family were also living in the centre of Leeds, not far from Grace and her family. They both spent their teenage years in the city, so must have known each other fairly well.

After she married, in the 1880s, Grace had a daughter, Mary, born in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. But by the time of the 1891 Census she was living at 7, Clarence Steet, Brighton, Sussex. Edward, aged 43, was 'living on his own means' - which were sufficient to employ a cook and a housemaid, as well as apparently not needing to work for a living.

On December 30th, 1899, Grace and her younger sister, Christine, were drowned when their ship, the Stella, struck the Casket Rocks off Alderney in the Channel Islands. It apears that Grace's daughter Mary, then 11, was also drowned.

Clifton Place, Brighton

10. 1894 Brighton, Sussex

By 1894 Joseph, age 45, was living at 5 Clifton Place, Brighton - presumably through the connection with his cousin Grace who had been living nearby. He and his new wife, Louisa, age 22, started another family with the birth of their son Ernest on October 11, 1894. On the birth certifcate Joseph gives his occupation as Electrical Engineer. There are reports of Brighton being at the forefront of the new electrical industry at that time which may have prompted the move. Though his later occupations involved telephones, so he may have been working with that in Brighton.

The older children, Alice now 18, Jessie 16 and Henry 14, all seem to have moved to the south coast with their father and step-mother.

Ernest Farrer birth certificate, 1894

11. 1896 Southampton, Hampshire

Yet another move, this time along the coast to Southampton, where Louisa's second child, Arthur, was born in the summer of 1896.

While they were in Southampton, Alice, now 20, met Thomas William King, a married man of 24 with two children. He was working as a clerk in his father's coal merchant business.

Moss Road, Urmston/Stretford

12. 1898 Urmston, Lancashire

Another two years and another move, this time back north to Urmston, on the western edge of Manchester. Joseph and Louisa's third son, Percy was born there in the summer of 1898.

Meanwhile, Alice had remained in Southampton with Mr. King and their son, Henry King, was born on July 10, 1898 - the same summer as Alice's half-brother, Percy. Alice was using the name King by this time, but there is no record of her marrying Thomas King - and there is evidence of his wife and two children living nearby.

On February 13, 1901, Joseph's second wife, Lousia, died in childbirth (Haematuria parturition (bleeding) 4 days, convulsions and coma 4 days). The baby also died but was named Emily. The address on the death certificate was 24 Moss Road, Urmston, and Joseph's occupation was 'Secretary to Limited Company'. The death was reported to the registrar by Joseph's son, 20 year old Henry Farrer.

Henry King birth certificate, 1898

Louisa Farrer (nee Eley) death certificate

Greaves Farm 2005

13. 1901 Saddleworth, West Yorkshire

By the night of the 1901 Census, March 31, the remaining family had moved on again. This time it was just to the other side of Manchester, Greaves Farm, near Thurston on Saddleworth Moor.

On the census night Alice Farrer was visiting her father and the family. She was calling herself Mrs. King and stating that she was married, but she was not. She was probably visiting due to the death of Louisa and took her two year old son, Henry with her. Mr. King stayed in Southampton lodging with another family while Alice was away. His wife and children were living nearby.

Joseph gave his occupation in 1901 as 'Electrician & Secretary of Rippon Mines Com. Ltd.', and says he was working on his own account, ie self-employed.

After the death of Louisa, Jessie, now 23, took over the responsibility of her younger half-brothers, aged 7, 5 and 3. No doubt she became housekeeper for her father as well.

Alice returned to Mr. King in Southampton where they had three more children, Joseph in 1905, Dorothy Alice (Dolly) in 1907 and Mary Maud in 1911. The 1911 Census show them all together - along with a 65 year old lodger, a widow called Martha Gower.

Meanwhile Joseph's eldest son, Henry b.1880, married Lavinia Crowther in Leeds, 1904. They had a daughter, Jessie, in 1906, and emigrated to New York in May 1907. The US 1910 Census shows the family living in Manhattan where Henry was working as a book-keeper.

Greaves Farm, Thurston in the 19th century

14. 1911-14 - Clarendon Rd., Crumpsall, Manchester

In the 1911 Census Joseph, age 62, was living at 57 Clarendon Rd., Crumpsall, Manchester, Lancashire. His occupation was now given as Telephone Contract Officer.

With him were Jessie 33 - now substitute mother to her half brothers: Ernest 16, a Stationers Assistant and Percy 12, at school. The whereabouts of Arthur 14 is unknown.

In 1912, Ernest, age 17, sailed from Liverpool to New York.

In 1913 Alice, 37, left Mr. King and married John Gower (the nephew of her lodger), a 24 year old Royal Marine in Portsmouth Registry Office - now identifying herself as Alice Farrer, spinster. Their marriage certificate gives Joseph's occupation as 'Commission Agent'.

In 1914 Joseph died, age 64. The informant was 'J. Farrer, daughter', giving his occupation as 'telephone employee' They were still living at 57 Clarendon Road, Crumpsall North, Manchester.

Alice Farrer and John Gower, marriage cetificate, 1913

Joseph Farrer death cert. 1914

Ernest Farrer's US Army Draft Registration card, 1917.
Below: Ernest's registration for the Canadian Army later that year:

15. 1916-18

On June 10, 1916, Jack Gower, Alice's husband of three years died following burns at the Battle of Jutland two weeks earlier. Around the same time Alice's first 'husband' Thomas King also died in the war, he had become a Sapper in Royal Engineers.

Later in 1916 Alice's son, Henry Francis King (known as Harry or Frank) married Daisy May Seymour in Gosport, he was 18 and she was 23. Henry had followed his natural father in becoming a Royal Engineer's Sapper and Daisy was living with Alice while he was away.

In 1918 Alice's second son, Joseph, died, age 13, apparently from the influenza pandemic of that year. He was buried in the same grave as Jack Gower at Ann's Hill Cemetery in Gosport.

Meanwhile, Joseph's eldest son from his 2nd marriage, Ernest Farrer, appears to have gone to Hawaii where at 23 he was an Overseer on a sugar plantation. This is recorded on his US Army Draft Registration card. Later that year he sailed to Vancouver where he enlisted in the Canadian Army, and presumably then went over to WWI in Europe. That registration form also gave his next of kin as his older half-brother, Henry, then working for an insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut. The 1920 US census shows Henry with his wife and two children still in Hartford.

16. to 1924 17 Crossley Street, Crumpsall

In 1923 Percy Farrer, now 25, married Bertha Green, giving his address as 17 Crossley Street, Crumpsall. They moved towards Oldham where he was a farm labourer and they raised at least six children.

In 1924 Arthur Farrer died, age 27, at the same address, from malaria and heart failure, suggesting he had been abroad - though he would only have been 14 when he was missing from the 1911 census. The informant was his sister (substitute mother) Jessie, 46, giving the same address. There whereabouts of Henry and Ernest at this time is unknown.

Percy Farrer marriage cert. 1923

Arthur Farrer death cert. 1924

16. 1924-28 Gosport & Portsmouth

It was probably after Arthur's death that Jessie moved to Gosport to live with Alice, widowed during the first world war, and her children, including John Gower's daughters Queenie and Vera.

Alice's son Henry, and daughter-in-law, Daisy, had a daughter, Margaret, in 1920. But in 1922 Daisy died of consumption at the age of 29, and two year old Margaret went to live with Daisy's family in Gosport. Henry then set up home with Louisa Alice Purser, who called herself Mrs. King but they do not appear to have married (deja vu...). In 1924 they had a daughter Doreen. At that time Henry was a 'motor bus driver' in Gosport, and by 1928 he was a coach driver living in Portsmouth but driving the route to London. At this point the family permanently lost contact with him - see The mysterious Mr. King for what has since been found.

Alice died in 1928, from stomach cancer, age 52, leaving daughters aged 20, 17, 14 and 12. They initially moved to Portsmouth with their older brother, Henry, and his family, but had to move again when he disappeared. Jessie stayed in Hampshire, becoming a housekeeper for Ernest Pitt in the Fareham area. She married Mr. Pitt in 1931 and eventually inherited his house.

The US 1930 Census shows Alice and Jessie's brother, Henry Farrer, living in Delaware, with his wife Lavinia, three children, Jessie, Henry and Donald, and still working in insurance.

Doreen King, birth certificate 1924

Alice Gower (nee Farrer) death certificate, 1928