B80 - Thomas Percy Walker, 1884

See cht 12-16

Thomas Percy Walker was born in Whitby, Yorkshire, England on 4-12-1884, the second son of Thomas (1853) and Margaret (born Laidler) Walker.

Thomas Percy’s father died in 1897 when the young boy was about 14 and the valuable contents of the Crown Hotel, Whitby (the family hotel) were sold in 1898. (See Biog-68 for full details).

From the April 1901 Census Returns we read that Margaret, his mother was listed as a border age 46 at “America House”, Roxby, Yorkshire. This farm was rented by George Welford from Sir Edmund Turton J.P.

In the same Census Thomas Percy is shown as a border at North Eastern County School at Barnard Castle, Durham. His books from this time included Fream’s Agriculture and books on geology, botany and drawing. This school, founded in 1883 is known to-day as Barnard Castle School, a co-education boarding school of high standing. Photo below.

In Mister America, a small book written by John Tindale, photographer of Whitby (published in 1984) Thomas Percy is mentioned:-

“Apart from the family, there was Percy Walker, a young man who lived in for a few years and was learning how to farm. When he left aged 21 for his own farm, Park House, Roxby which was nor far away, he was still under the Welford eye, on instruction from Percy’s parents. He must have made good for he married Hannah Welford, one of the step sisters.”

[Note 1, the watchful eye of his father Thomas was somewhat distant, he having died in 1897]

[Note 2, Hannah was the 9th of 20 of George’s children by his first wife Hannah. She, poor women, died aged 47, eleven days after the birth of her 20th child, in the 27th year of her marriage. George married again and sired America Jack in 1919 in his 65th year. Thus Hannah was step sister to America Jack, the topic of John Tindale’s book].

Thomas Percy married Hannah Welford on 6th March 1906 at Christ Church, Ugthorpe, Yorkshire. Four children were born to them:

Thomas married Alma? on ? See Biog – 76

Fred married Alice Welford on? See Biog – 77.

John married ? Welford on?

William married Betty Thomas. See Biog – 78.

Though Thomas Walker (father of Thomas Percy) died in 1897 probated was granted “too Thomas Percy Walker (farmer) in 1911. Effects £389. Former grant September 1898 and March 1900”. It is not know at this date why this process was so protracted.

On 21st may 1913 Percy became the incoming tenant of Park House Farm, Roxby. He paid £105 per annum to Edmund R. Turton J.P. to farm 156 acres. Of this, 70 acres were under the plough for potatoes, turnips, mangles, barley, oats and wheat. The wheat was ground on the farm for making bread and the barley was food for the pigs.

The day’s routine according to William Walker (1917) his youngest son was:

5am out of bed. Maybe a cup of tea. Clean out the animals and fodder round with hay.

7:30 breakfast. Cold meat (boiled home cured bacon), porridge, “post toasties”, tea.

8:00. milking the cows by hand.

9 to 9:30 another feed for the animals. Tommy, the eldest son, went to plough in the fields.

10:15? Grind cord chop straw; get hay with a hay spade.

12:00 dinner – more boiled meat and carrots.

12:30 back out in the fields.

3:00pm 15 minutes for tea and cakes.

5:00 knock off or, in Summer, when it got dark.

Then feed the horses, brush them down and fodder the cows.

7:30 supper. Cold meat.

Last fodder.

Then play cards in the stable. Or fretwork.

9 to 10 pm. To bed.

In Kelly’s Directory of North and East Ridings of Yorkshire for 1929, Percy Walker is mentioned as a farmer of more than 150 acres. No mention is made of George Welford.

On a document dated 14th May 1934 Thomas Percy is described as “incoming tenant and landlord of Low Wood Side farm, Glaisdale, Yorkshire. He pays £15 9sh 10d to Thomas Sanderson, out going tenant, for “inexhausted manorial value of cakes and meals and produce bought on the holding, for the eatage of Graham field and for house fixtures including 24 bacon hooks”.

In October 1934 Percy and Hannah are at Low Wood Side, Glaisdale, a 14 acre farm between Glaisdale and Lealholm. Strangely Percy is receiving rent from Park House, Roxby. There seems to be a failed attempt to sell Low Wood Side in 1958. (From a bill for the advertising costs.)

In 1960 Low Wood Side was sold by Percy to his son William Walker (1917) paid with money inherited by Betty (born Thomas) Walker, William’s wife.

Percy and Hannah moved into “Valley View”, up in the very beautiful Glaisdale Dale. This small house was once the village school and was bought by William and Betty as an investment and done up as a home for Thomas and Hannah.

Percy died on the 23rd November 1961 at Valley View from bronchopneumonia and cerebral thrombosis. A short obituary for him appeared…………

Hannah Walker died in 1964.

It is not known at this date where Thomas Percy Walker or his wife Hannah were buried.

Sources -1891 and 1901 Census Returns.

-Kelly’s Directory of North and East Ridings of Yorkshire, 1929.

-Private papers and documents in the possession of John H Walker of Leeds.

- Barnard Castle School web site.

By John H. Walker of Leeds and Richard B. Walker of Formby, England.

9-9-2007.

Return to Descent chart 7.