B65 - Benjamin Walker & family, 1837

Benjamin Walker was born in Darley, Yorkshire, England on 2 July, 1837, the 5th child of Benjamin (1799) and Elizabeth (born Webster) Walker.

Benjamin attended Ackworth Boarding School from 1849 to 1852. He later became a member of the Ackworth School Committee from 1879 to 1884. Following school he returned home to Darley t nvkvcknmgt5tss4ps'[ . g kgkgfdvck i n

He employed 4 men, 2 boys and one woman. He is shown as being there on the April, 1861 census record. Also, according to the York Meeting Membership records he left Darley in 1861. Elizabeth Jane died just 3 years later in 1864. In 1868 Benjamin attended his cousin Joseph's (1843) wedding at Harrogate.

On 18 Dec. 1873 Benjamin married Sarah Chipchase in the Cotherstone Quaker Meeting House at Cotherstone, Yorkshire. Sarah was born on 17 May, 1840, the daughter of John, yeoman, and Alice Chipchase (both deceased at time of marriage) , of Lathbury House, Cotherstone, near Darlington. Sarah attended Ackworth School from 1852 to 1855. Benjamin and Sarah had 4 children, all born at Castle farm in Hay-a-Park:-

Benjamin b. 18-9-1874 died 12-7-1941

Ethel Hannah b. 28-1-1877 died 25-2-1957

Sarah Chipchase b. 28-2-1879 died -3-12-1919

Winifred b. 1-6-1885 died 28-1-1903

See biography 111 for Benjamin Walker (1874). A photo of his wedding in 1901 to Mabel Susan Hall shows the above family at a later age.

Ethel Hannah Walker attended Ackworth School from 1890 to 1893 and The Mount School in the City of York from 1893 to 1894. Her name appears in the List of Members of the Ackworth Old Scholars Association of 1899, on page 135 as being of 56 West End Ave., Harrogate. She married Edward Percy Kaye on 19 Aug., 1909 at the Harrogate Meeting House. Following their marriage they lived in Welyen Garden City. Maria Walker (1845) a cousin, attended Ethel's marriage and subsequently wrote a letter, in Sept. 1909, to her niece, Ada Walker in Canada, in which she says in part;

"Ethel wore a cream satin dress and veil. Her sister Sarah Chipchase was her bridesmaid. She and Percy went to Scotland on their honeymoon and then settled in their new home at Reading where Percy was teaching at the Friends Leighton Park School".

Percy and Ethel moved to Glasgow in 1913 where Percy obtained a position as Mathematical Master at Glasgow Academy.

" He rapidly became a pillar of the state as Head of the Science Department in 1916. The "Glasgow Academy Chronicle" dated June 1938 wrote an extremely glowing article of Percy at the time of his retirement. Percy died on 17 Feb. 1953 at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, Welwyn, Reading, at 75 years of age. Ethel died on 25 Feb. 1957 at "The Retreat", the Quaker Hospital in the City of York, at age 80, and was subsequently cremated.

Sarah Chipchase Walker attended Ackworth School from 1892 to 1895 and The Mount school from 1895 to 1898. The Ackworth School obituary of Sarah reads as follows:-

"Sarah Chipchase Walker of Glasgow, late of Harrogate, the daughter of Benjamin Walker and Sarah Walker, (nee Chipchase), was educated at Ackworth and The Mount, and loved both schools. After some private teaching she opened a school in Harrogate, but on the death of her mother went to Glasgow, where she held an important position in the Junior School at the Academy. She was President of the Women's Adult School in Harrogate, worked unceasingly for Peace and Internationalism, President of the W.I.L., (Women's International League) Glasgow, and active member of emergency and other committees. After a life of perfect health her illness came as a shock to her large circle of friends. She seemed so radiant and full of energy. Undoubtedly she is a victim of the war, and has laid down her life in the interest of others. She leaves a legacy of good-will and sunshine, of brightness and beauty of spirit that will never die."

She died at Hillhead, Glasgow, Dec. 3rd, 1919, aged 40 years. As recorded in the "Glasgow Academy Chronicle" Sarah Chipchase Walker, at the time of her death was living at 2 Smith Street, Hillhead, Glasgow. In 1916 the Academy was fortunate in securing Miss Walker's services, as the staff was being depleted by Masters going into the Army. No one could have thrown herself with more enthusiasm into her work, and few probably were aware of the remarkable interest she felt in each boy under her care. Maria Walker, a cousin, states in a letter that when Sarah went to Glasgow she was living with her sister, Ethel and her husband Percy Kaye,

Winifred Walker attended Ackworth School from 1897 to 1901. The Ackworth School obituary of Winifred reads as follows:-

"Winifred Walker, daughter of Benjamin Walker and Sarah Walker, nee Chipchase, was born 1st of June, 1885, at Hay-a-Park, near Knaresbrough. On the death of their father the family removed to Harrogate. Winifred Walker was in the first class at Ackworth, and was particularly fond of wood carving, so much so that after leaving school she attended carving classes, as well as those for other subjects, at the Technical School, Harrogate. She fell a victim to consumption, and died after a few months illness on the 28th Jan., 1903, aged seventeen years."

Winifred was buried on 31-1-1903 at All Saints Chapel of Ease, Harlow Hill on Otley Road, Harrogate. According to the Harrogate cemetery records Winifred was buried in grave No. C117.

Benjamin Walker of Castle farm, Hay-a-Park, near Knaresborough, died on 28 Jan. 1891, at age 53. He was the last person to be buried in the Friends Burial Ground at Darley. His grave marker (along with others) was moved in 2005 to the Friends Burial Ground at Dacre following the sale of the Meeting house & grounds for development.

An anecdote, written by Benjamin’s grandson, Benjamin Claude in an address he made to Darley Monthly Meeting on 13 July, 1929, would seem appropriate here:-

"It was common practice for the 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".

Following Benjamin's death in 1891 his wife Sarah and her children moved to 56 West End Avenue in Harrogate. In 1914 she moved to "Cotherston House" at 52 Leeds Road, also in Harrogate, where she died on 12 Sept. 1915, at age 75. She was buried on the 15 Sept. at All Saints Chapel of Ease on Otley Road, Harrogate in grave No. C117, with her daughter Winifred.

It may be interesting to note here some of the Walker signatures on Benjamin and Sarah's wedding certificate. Robert and Maria Walker were Benjamin's 1st cousins, who were at the time, living at Ellenthorpe Hall near Boroughbridge, just a short distance north of Hay-a-Park. Joseph and Edwin were Benjamin's brothers and Emma was Edwin's wife.

Benjamin Walker's shop bill, 1859

Benjamin Walker distributes Society of Friend's "poor fund", 1877

"Cotherston" 56 Leeds Road, Harrogate, home of Sarah Walker

52 West End Avenue, Harrogate, home of Sarah Walker

Sarah Walker and daughter Winifred's grave marker

Associated Records:- Link Art.- 1-Pg-5, 5A, 5B, 6, 10, 11 & 12 4-Pg-6, 6A, & 18 7 Pg-3, 3A, & 3B

Sources: - Society of Friends Library, London, Eng.

Donald Adams & Anne (Chipchase) Adams. Ont.

Rev. By:- R, B. Walker, Eng. & H.L. Walker, Can. - 17 December, 2006.