BIOG - 170 see cht. 12-15

Benjamin Claude Walker was born in Lewisham, South London, England on 1 Mar. 1906, the 3rd child of Benjamin and Mabel Susan (born Hall) Walker.

Benjamin attended Ackworth (Quaker) Boarding School from 1916 to 1923 where he was known for his ability as a chess player and swimmer. (He held the Senior 33yds back stroke record until it was broken some 37 years later by his son Richard.) Upon graduation, a SCHOOL CERTIFICATE was issued by the University of London, which reads:

1. This is to certify that BENJAMIN CLAUDE WALKER born 1 March, 1906, has been a pupil at Ackworth School for a period of 7 years and 1 term ending Midsummer 1923, and has pursued a Course of Study in the subjects set out in this Certificate.

2. Also that the above-named pupil, having been examined in the following groups of subjects:- English Subjects, Languages, Mathematics and Science, Other Subjects, has passed the General School Examination held at Ackworth School in June 1923 with credit in the following subjects (5 in number):- English, Modern European History, French, written and oral, Arithmetic, Elementary Mathematics, and with distinction in the following subjects (2 in number):- Heat, Light and Sound, and Chemistry.

3. The board of Education have inspected the School and recognized it as an efficient Secondary School and accept the examination as reaching the approved standard and as being suitable for the school.

Signed on behalf of the Board of Education,

M. G. Holmes Assistant Secretary

He went in September 1923 as a student teacher to Friends' School, Saffron Walden, Essex, but left in April 1924 as "teaching was not for me".

He joined Allan Bell of Welwyn Garden City as a chicken farmer for a short while, but this too was not to his liking.

By August 1925 Claude was apprenticed to Thornycroft's Motor Works at Basingstoke which was then the best engineering apprentice scheme in England. His father paid £315 to Thornycrocts for this three year apprenticeship. Some time later he was given a job at Thornycroft's shipbuilding works at Southampton, but refused it when he realized he was building Destroyers. Later when his apprenticeship was completed the firm refused to offer him a job because of this. As a Quaker and pasifist he felt the building of weapons of war was morally indefensible.

On the 6th day of March, 1928 he was elected a “Graduate” of “The Institution of Automobile Engineers”.

Later that year he took up employment as an engineer at Rowntree Cocoa Works in York and lived in Markham Street. He was an active Quaker and soon became Secretary and then President of Yorkshire Young Friends. He joined Rowntree Players, a theatre group in which he played many leading rolls, particularly in George Bernard Shaw's plays. He formed, with others the Rowntree Moor and Fell (walking) Club also the Rowntree Pot Holing Club. In the late 1920's, many out-door activity groups were formed, including cycling clubs across the whole of England as there was a general "moving out into the country and a healthy lifestyle" attitude. He later became President of both these two and also President of the Yorkshire Ramblers and a member of the Fell and Rock Club of Great Britain to which one was elected. As a keen photographer many records of these early exploits exist in the form of photographs and "2 1/4 inch glass slides, also of his exploits in the Lafoten Islands, Norway, the Swiss Alps and underground. He gave many talks to interested groups and Mountaineering Clubs. This writer now holds this collection.

On 22 July, 1939 Claude married Alice Mary Batters. Their “CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE” reads as follows:-

Benjamin Claude Walker of 32 Markham Street, York, son of Benjamin Walker and Mabel Susan, his wife, and Alice Mary Batters of 5 Wigginton Terrace, York, daughter of Richard William Batters and Emma Oakes, his wife, having duly made known their intention of taking each other in Marriage and public notice of their said intention having been given, the Proceedings of the said Benjamin Claude Walker and Alice Mary Batters were allowed by the proper officers of York Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

NOW these are to certify that for the solemnization of their said marriage, this Twenty Second day of the Seventh Month, in the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Thirty Nine, they the said Benjamin Claude Walker and Alice Mary Batters appeared at a public Meeting for Worship of the aforesaid Society in their Meeting House at “The Folk Hall”, New Earswick, York, AND the said Benjamin Claude Walker taking the said Alice Mary Batters by the hand declared as followeth, “Friends, I take this my friend Alice Mary Batters to be my wife, promising through divine assistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband, until it shall please the Lord by death to separate us” AND the said Alice Mary Batters did then and there, in the said Assembly, declare as followeth, “ Friends, I take this my friend, Benjamin Claude Walker to be my husband, promising through divine assistance to be unto him a loving and faithful wife, until it shall please the Lord by death to separate us”. And the said Benjamin Claude Walker and Alice Mary Batters as a further confirmation thereof, and in testimony thereunto, did then and there, to these Presents set their hands.

Signed; B. Claude Walker

A.M. Batters

Alice was born on 3 May 1910, as mentioned above, the daughter of Richard William and Emma (born Oakes) Batters of 5 Wiggington Terrace, York. At the time of her marriage to Benjamin she was not a member of the Society of Friends. Though she had a sympathy for Friends views she always remained an "attender". Alice was personal secretary to B.S Rowntree the Managing Director of Rowntrees Cocoa Works York, also involved with the Rowntree Players and Club. She was also a good golfer and tennis player.

The picture, below, was taken at their wedding in 1939.

Their Honeymoon in 1939 was to Paris, Chamonix and Argentiere in the Swiss Alps lasting three weeks. They said that they were aware of the "building tensions across Europe and arrived back into England just in time".

They rented and later bought a house, 14 Park Avenue, New Earswick, York. New Earswick was a Quaker "model" village which Rowntree's built mainly for its employees. It had a Junior and Secondary school, library, Quaker Meeting House and shops but no pub or fish & chip shop!

Claude and Alice had two children, both born in York:-

Richard Benjamin b. 13-7-1941 d.

Allan Nigel b. 17-11-1944 d.

By 1941 England was at war with Germany.

Claude worked at Rowntrees all his life, becoming one of the four "Research Enginerers" who designed and oversaw the building of nearly all the machinery in the factory with a large team of engineers and specialists under them. By 1960 the firm employed over 12,000 workers. He will always be remembered by his grandchildren as the designer of the machines which made and sorted "Smarties" and that which wraps "Kit Kat".

He and Alice walked extensively through out their lives and took their children abroad. Claude spent much time with York Friends and held most positions within the Society, but was remembered for his long service to the Premises Committee and as an Elder of the Meeting.

Before retiring they moved to 9 Abbots Way, Muncaster Gate, York.

See separate biographies for the children.

Benjamin Claude Walker died in York, Yorkshire on 18 May 1968, at age 62. He was buried in the Friends Burial Ground of the “Retreat” Hospital, located on Heslington Rd., York. His wife, Alice died on 14 Nov. 1991 at age 81 at the home of her son, Richard, in Formby, Lancashire, England.

The following is a typed copy of a hand-written “Address” by Benjamin Claude which he presented to the Monthly Meeting at Darley Meeting House on 13 July, 1929. Though it is quite lengthy, I feel it is of such significance that it must be included here, precisely as it was written by Benjamin:-

Darley Meeting House itself was built in 1802 & cost, we read, including land, £ 345-0-3d. The monthly meeting to which Darley, in these early days belonged, was held at Otley, Skipton, Rawdon and frequently at Darley. Later Darley came within York Monthly meeting, and the monthly meeting was held at Darley once a year. Darley meeting was closed some fifty years ago when many Friends had left the district; on special occasions it has been used since that time.

Before speaking further of Darley however I wish to refer to the meeting which preceded it, namely Dacre, some two miles from here. Dacre meeting was held for just over a century being commenced some three years previous to the year 1700.

There are still in existence the old minute books to which I have had access. Referring to the preparative meeting of Dacre it appears perhaps a little quaint to us now to read the minutes recorded. Apart from an occasional notice of intended marriage the usual entire minutes for one meeting would read something as follows;- “Anne Burk & Lydia Hardcastle are ordered to attend ye Monthly meeting to be held at Asquith” or “Knaresborough” as the case might be “if the Lord P’mitt”. Or again “Dacre, ye 28th of ye 9th Month 1721. Nothing to present to the Monthly meeting but our Love”

Copy from note from Maria Walker’s note on Darley Meeting.

I don’t remember when I first made acquaintance with Darley Mtg House, but have a hazy remembrance of the long solemn mtgs. Held in silence mainly, & the very uncomfortable straight top bar forms and a great space between thro which I once slipped and shed tears with fright at my sudden descent. The meeting must then have been about as large as at anytime after its removal from Dacre. They were mostly Walkers, Thomas & Benjamin Walker & their families & later Spence & Mary Walker & their sister Elizabeth Walker. There were several others living within walking or driving distance, the Jowitt’s from Bishop Thornton & Thomas & Rebecca Walker of Winsley. William Brady was a resident at Birstwith before my uncle Spence Walker moved there. In summer visitors from Leeds were often staying in the neighborhood & attended the meeting, that was always a pleasant time as there was generally some address & if not understood by children, a welcome change from monotonous silence of one & half hours. If children were sleepy they were moved to sit on hassocks, or stand. In 1851 Thomas Walker died very suddenly, in 1854 Benjamin Walker also died, a great loss to the meeting and village, they were leaders & progressive. I remember Friends coming to Mo. Mtg from Otley, Skipton, driving all the way, & the excitement of preparation for entertaining them. Darley Mtg. was joined to York Mtg. when very few members were left, many had died in the fifties, & others moved from the district. There was a sundial in the graveyard which one elder always observed after meeting to see that the meeting had been held the right length & compare his watch if the sun shone. In winter a roaring fire burned in grates, - only means of heating the room. The Preparative mtgs were conducted separately, there being shutters between rooms. The business was mainly queries or advices were read.

The members of Darley Meeting I remember 1851-1862. Besides Thomas & Benjamin Walker’s families – their sister Elizabeth Walker & her brother Spence Walker & his wife Mary, Thomas Walker & his Rebecca. William Brady & neice Mary Ann Robinson nee Brealy. WB’s wife was an invalid, he married Hannah King and later moved to York.

Joseph Jowett & his wife Hannah & her sister Margaret Ellis, William Holmes & wife Grace. William Parker, blind, & daughter, Hannah Stother & daughter Sarah. Edwin Stevens & wife Mary & her father, also 3 or 4 of Joseph J’s children. There were no Spences or Dougills.

Uncle Spence Walker & wife lived at Hirst Grove on first attending Dacre Mtg. & moved to Birstwith after W. Brady left. The Stevens came when Cousin Ben Walker left for Nr. Knaresborough. E.H.L. took his shop & farm but didn’t remain long. An old man named Gowland from Burton Leonard attended occasionally. (End of Maria’s notes)

Here are extracts from the queries of two hundred years ago & to which Friends gave answer.

Do Friends keep their children and servants from ye corrupt Fashion, Custom, Language & Fellowship of the world.

Q. Do Friends keep clear in their testimony against Tythes & Steeple-House taxes?

Q. Are Friends careful to discourage ye youth from going to Fairs & other places of Public Resort?

Q. Are women Friends careful to discourage in their children all talebearing, whispering, backbiting & spreading of false reports?

Concluding these queries is the following:- “Tis desired to bring an answer to these queries in writing to the next Monthly Meeting”.

We may now come to the closing of Dacre meeting, the meeting house being sold to a certain John Scaife: and then the building of Darley meeting house in 1802.

It might be of interest here to mention some of the familiar names of Friends in these early days of Darley, such as Spence, Brady, Stevens, Briggs, Holmes, Webster & Walker. The last of these became the predominant one, for by the year 1851 out of a total membership of thirty in Darley meeting no less than twenty were named Walker. The Walkers came to live in Darley about 1780 when one Robert Walker (he was my great, great Grandfather) was married in Dacre meeting house to Rachel Spence. It was his father who was from Gildersome, near Leeds & who went on a ministerial visit to America.

We have in the record of the Society of Friends frequent instances of disownment of Friends who married outside & were thus lost to its membership. But we learn of one Thomas Walker of Darley who was disowned in the year 1827 for marrying a non-Friend, Ann Swale, at the church at Kirby Malzeard, near Ripon. Undaunted by his disownment he continued, with his wife, to attend the meeting at Darley, and he was some few years later re-admitted together with his wife & children. It is said that he emphatically declared that he was a Friend, that he had never been anything else but a Friend.

Referring again to the queries, in particular the one “Do Friends keep clear in their testimony against Tythes & Steeple-House Taxes”, we see again & again how Friends gave not only written but practical answers. Tythes were demanded but were not paid. In the same Monthly meeting to which Darley belonged we have records of Jonathan Burtt, of Simein Webster & of Bartholomew Smith & others who refused to pay tythes; & from whom the constables took wheat, cheese, sugar etc., the value of which was usually considerably in excess of the tythe money demanded.

There is no doubt that, quiet as the Darley Friends mostly were, they did good service for the village, especially perhaps in regard to education. The British School & the Men’s Institute were started mainly by Friends; one Elizabeth Walker had built a house for the schoolmaster. Another useful service of this Friend was the gift of a hearse to the village. It was his son, again by name Benjamin Walker, who had a farm, not in Darley but at Hay- a-Park near Knaresborough. His was the last burial at Darley, in 1891. It was common practice for farmers to supply beer to the labourers at harvest time, but Benjamin Walker would not provide such liquors. Even though deprived of the drink they so much loved, these Irish labourers came back to this same farm year after year for twenty seven years. Furthermore he kept to his strong principles by not growing barley, which is of course used mainly for brewing, even though the district is noted for its good barley land.

Harrogate meeting started in 1854 for the use of visitors to the town, there being then no resident Friends in Harrogate, is now left to carry on & improve upon the work & traditions of the old & bygone meetings of Nidderdale.

Note; All information for this biography was provided by Richard Walker of Formby, Lancashire, England, who is a son of Benjamin Claude Walker. In addition to documents he obtained from his own family, Richard also gathered information from the Society of Friends Library in London and the Reference Library in York,

Edited by:- Richard B. Walker, Formby, England. and H.L. (Bud) Walker – Rev. 25 May, 2006

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