Howcroft | WEEK 42

Swinton Wedding

February 19, 2017 — Nikellom

Saint Margaret’s Church

Bertha Walker, born in 1859 in Barugh, Barnsley, is my first cousin, four times removed and daughter of Richard Walker and Elizabeth Howcroft.

Below is a newspaper article published shortly after Bertha’s marriage to William Chambers.

MEXBOROUGH & SWINTON TIMES.
FRIDAY, June 14, 1889.

WEDDING AT SWINTON. – On Whit-Monday the town of Swinton was very lively on the occasion of the marriage of Miss Bertha Walker (eldest daughter of Mr. Walker, of the Barnsley Co-operative Society, Swinton), to Mr. W. H. Chambers, of Swinton. At about half-past eight o’clock the wedding party proceeded from the home of the bride’s father to the parish church, where the ceremony was performed by the Rev. J. Levett. The bride who was dressed in a slate-coloured silk with creme hat, was given away by her father. The bridesmaids were Miss L. M. Walker, Miss Wilson, and Miss A. E. Hamilton, and they were attired in white, with hats to match. Mr. A. Shaw acted as best man. The “Wedding march” was played by Mr. F. Harding. The following were also present:- Mr. and Mrs. Heaton, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Misses E. M. Wilson, E. Wilson, Mr. Walker, &c. After the ceremony the bride and bridegroom, with their friends adjourned to the residence of the bride’s father, where a sumptuous breakfast had been prepared. Various toasts were given, and briefly responded to. Mr. Levett, in response to a vote of thanks passed to him by Mr. Heaton for presiding, said it had given him great pleasure to be with them, and he hoped that the bride and bridegroom would live happily together and that fortune would smile upon them. He (Mr. Levett) felt pleasure that the newly wedded couple were going to reside in the village.

Swinton Barnsley British Co-operative Society

Among the numerous presents received were:- Mrs. Walker, pair of trays; Mr. Wilson, Hoyland, brass kettle; Mrs. Scraggs, butter knife; Miss Walker, Gawber, knives, spoons, &c.; Mrs. Hamilton, Darfield, antimacassars; Mrs. Gelder, vases; H. Walker, Gawber, half-a-dozen knives and forks; Miss L. Walker, Gawber, half-a-dozen wine glasses; Mrs. Shaw, antimacassar; Mr. and Mrs. Powell, Wath, cruet stand; Mr. Barr, Doncaster, pair of vases; Mrs. Walker, worked table cloths; Misses Mellors, Carlton, counterpane; Miss Wilson, Hoyland, sofa cushion; Mr. A. Walker, fire screen; Mr. and Mrs. Heaton, bedroom service; Mr. A. Shaw, timepiece, &c.

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Richard Walker & Sarah Ann Mellars

February 15, 2017 — Nikellom

Swinton Barnsley British Co-operative Society

Richard Walker, born circa 1832 in Barugh, Barnsley, is my third great grand uncle and son of Joseph Walker and Sarah Leech.

In 1858, in Darton, Barnsley, Richard married Elizabeth Howcroft. Together, they issued two children, called, Bertha and Joe.

Richard’s wife, Elizabeth, died in 1862 in Gawber, Barnsley. Richard married again, in 1865 in Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Gawber, to Sarah Ann Mellars. Richard and Sarah issued three children, called, John William, Arthur and Mary Alice.

Saint Thomas the Apostle

Richard was a Stonemason, like his father, but by the time the 1871 Census was conducted, Richard was a Stonemason and Grocer. By the time the 1881 Census was conducted, Richard was the Store Manager of the Cooperative Store, Church Street, Gawber. At some point between 1881 and 1891, Richard and his family moved to Swinton, near Rotherham and Richard died there on 3rd January 1891.

MEXBOROUGH & SWINTON TIMES.
JANUARY 9, 1891.

WALKER. – January 3, at 30, Station street, Swinton, Richard Walker, stone mason, aged 58.

north-view-station-street-swinton-21-02-16-2

North View (third house from left)

Three months after Richard’s death when the 1891 Census was conducted, his wife, Sarah, was the Store Manager at 30 Station Street. 30 Station Street was the address of the Barnsley British Cooperative Society in Swinton and I discovered that this address is currently the location of the Salvation Army Charity Shop, where, coincidentally, my mother worked as a volunteer for around seventeen years. I suspect though that 30 Station Street originally incorporated what is now the Cinamon Indian Cuisine Restaurant (formerly a branch of the Yorkshire Bank).

24-saint-thomass-church-gawber-walker-12-10-08-5

Richard & Sarah’s grave

Sarah moved into her daughter’s home, North View, Station Street, after she retired.

Sarah died in July 1906 and below is her obituary.

MEXBOROUGH AND SWINTON TIMES, SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1906

SWINTON NOTES AND NEWS.

We regret to hear of the death of Mrs. S. A. Walker, of Station Street, Swinton. For many years, more than twenty, Mrs. Walker was the manageress of the Co-operative Stores, during which time she won the respect and esteem of a very large circle of friends who will be sorry to hear of her demise. The deceased lady who lived with her daughter, Mrs. Oates, of Station Street, had been indisposed for a considerable time, and her death was not altogether unexpected. The interment took place on Thursday at Gawber Cemetery, near Barnsley.