Recent articles

  • Blind Peter Barker

    Remembering Hampsthwaite’s Blind Joiner - an article by Shaun WilsonLike the market town of Knaresborough, who had ‘Blind Jack’ – John Metcalf, the road builder of Yorkshire in the eighteenth century, the small rural village of Hampsthwaite had it’s blind hero also, almost a century later – Peter Barker who became known as ‘The Blind Joiner of Hampsthwaite.’ Though there are some similarities between John Metcalf and Peter Barker’s lives, these are purely co-incidental and each fulfilled a life, character and career in their own right.
  • Jane Ridsdale

    JANE RIDSDALEAged 33 years, born at Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, her height is 31 ½ inches.She is remarkably chearfull & enjoys very good health.Published July 1st 1807 by Jane Ridstale, at Harrogate where purchasers of this Print will have the opportunity of seeing and conversing with her
  • Joshua Tetley

    Joshua Tetley was the founder of Tetley’s Brewery in Leeds, and he retired with his wife Hannah to Hollins Hall on the outskirts of Hampsthwaite (Hollins Hall Retirement Village).
  • The Execution of Hannah Whitley

    Arsenic Poisoning in Hampsthwaite - The Execution of Hannah Whitley In 1789, Hannah Whitley of Hampsthwaite used a pie as the delivery medium for a fatal dose of arsenic, with the poison concentrated in the crust. She claimed She had been coerced into the act of poisoning by her employer, a local linen weaver named Horseman, who was involved in an on-going feud with the intended victim.
  • Scrubbers and Stones

    SCRUBBERS & STONES - Sat 29th June 10.30am - 2.30pm - Entry FREE! Explore the Memorials at St Thomas a'Becket Memorials Treasure Trail - for children if all ages Self-Service / Self-Checkout BBQ from 12 noon (inc. veg option) Food £2, Drink £1, Donations? - yes please! Hot & Cold Drinks Laptop & Screen to show Mapping Hampsthwaite’s Past Use a Bucket & Brush to help reveal Inscriptions on the older memorials . . . or just Sit & Enjoy CORPUS CHRISTI BRASS BAND . . . from 11.30am . . . followed by Afternoon Tea & Cakes at the Memorial Hall!
  • Hampsthwaite Open Gardens

     Hampsthwaite Open Gardens - Sat 29th June 12.30am - 5.00pm - Entry £5.00 (accompanied under 15's FREE) Tickets on the day from Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Plant sales - many named varieties of plants Delicious homemade refreshments Afternoon tea and cakes served from 12.30pm at the Memorial Hall
  • Genealogy Websites

    Free genealogy websites will help you start your family history research at no cost as listed by the 'Who Do You Think You Are' magazine.
  • Kitchen Refurbishment

    Memorial Hall kitchen is now completely, and expertly, refurbished by Neil,Batty Builders Ltd as a result of a grant awarded by the National Lottery's 'Reaching Communities' fund.See also the equivalent
  • Amy Woodforde-Finden

    A highly successful composer of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, Amy Woodforde-Finden, together with her husband and step-son, is laid to rest in the churchyard of St Thomas à Becket Parish Church. Inside the church there is an impressive marble monument of her, created by the renowned sculptor George Edward  Wade. It was unveiled in 1923 and a few years later, Finden Gardens in Hampsthwaite was named in her honour.[Click on title or image to link to articles]
  • Amy Woodforde-Finden Centenary Events (2)

    Amy Woodforde-Finden : 'An Evening with Amy'A centenary concert to celebrate the life and works of Amy was held in Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall on April 21st 2023 Click on images to open full-size in new window and use the Browser back arrow to return to here.  
RSS Feed of this page

Barker Family History circa 1914-18

In 1887 in the registration district of Pateley Bridge, Frederick William Barker (1862 - 1930) born in Hampsthwaite, married Margaret Benson (1865 - 1899) born in Darley. Frederick’s  occupation was a stone mason as was his father before him.


See also : Tom Wright reflects upon the Barker family in Hampsthwaite and Descendants of John and Grace Barker


 

"Barton House"
"Barton House"

They lived at Barton House on Hollins Lane in Hampsthwaite and had 8 children;


(Click on images to enlarge)
James and Alice Padgett Marriage Certificate 1924 at St Luke's Harrogate - click for full size image
James and Alice Padgett Marriage Certificate 1924 at St Luke's Harrogate

Alice married James Padgett in 1924, who by 1916 had completed 13 years’ service in the army. James served in the entire Great War without once being wounded. According to their eldest daughter, who currently lives in the Harrogate area, the Barker’s (possibly Fred or his father Peter), were at some point in business as stone masons and built the library in Harrogate, although this would need to be verified.

Harrogate library is a Carnegie Library built with a grant of £7,500 and opened in 1906.

Peter Barker died in childhood and the youngest sister, Jane Eleanor Barker, died from influenza in 1918, presumably Spanish Flu.

Five brothers served in WW1: Benson, William, Tom, Harold and Earnest

(Click on images to enlarge)

Harrogate Advertiser 21st February 1917 - click for full size image
Harrogate Advertiser 21st February 1917
Alice and Benson - click for full size image
Alice and Benson
Postcard with left to right: Harold, Ernest and Tom - click for full size image
Postcard with left to right: Harold, Ernest and Tom
Benson Barker - click for full size image
Benson Barker

Benson Barker (1889 - 1943)

Benson (named Benson after his mother’s maiden name) emigrated to Canada in 1910 and joined up there. Benson was shot in the shoulder and neck and survived, but was medically discharged from the army in 1919.

Benson sailed to Liverpool from Montreal in November 1925 on Cunard's RMS Alaunia and returned to Barton House Hampsthwaite. His occupation was a stone mason like his father and his grandfather. He was the executor of his father’s estate in 1930 and died in Staffordshire in 1943.

(Click on images to enlarge - holding down Control as + is pressed will enlarge further and Control 0 will return to normal view)

Ships Passenger List for Return from Canada on the RMS Alaunia in 1925 - click for full size image
Ships Passenger List for Return from Canada on the RMS Alaunia in 1925
Benson Barker's Attestation - click for full size image
Benson Barker's Attestation
Benson Barker's Papers 1919 - click for full size image
Benson Barker's Papers 1919

Benson Barker's Medical Record


(Right click on image to see options)

A PDF Viewer is required to view this content

Click here to download the PDF file

Frederick William (Willie) Barker - click for full size image
Frederick William (Willie) Barker

Frederick William (Willie) Barker (1892 - 1917)

William emigrated to Canada in either 1913 or 1914 and enlisted as a Private, in the Royal Canadian Regiment, Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a service number of 477038, on 23rd August 1915. He gave his occupation as a miner and said he had previously served with the Calgary Rifles).

Willie was badly wounded by shrapnel on 13th November 1917 and died of his wounds on 9th December at No.7 Canadian General Hospital in Etaples, aged 25.

He is recorded as having been buried at XXX1.C.17A. at Etaples Military Cemetery, France

(Click on images to enlarge - holding down Control as + is pressed will enlarge further and Control 0 will return to normal view)
F. W. Barker Attestation - click for full size image
F. W. Barker Attestation
Tonsilitus Report - click for full size image
Tonsilitus Report
F.W.Barker Will - click for full size image
F.W.Barker Will
F.W.Barker Casualty Report - click for full size image
F.W.Barker Casualty Report
F.W.Barker Death Certificate - click for full size image
F.W.Barker Death Certificate
F.W.Barker Obituary - click for full size image
F.W.Barker Obituary

The Canadian WW1 Book of Remembrance is kept in a display case, in the memorial chamber of the Canadian parliament buildings in Ottawa.

The pages of the book are turned at 11am very day, so the name of every soldier is on display at least once every year.

William Barker is listed towards the bottom of the left-hand column on page 196
Canadian WW1 Book of Remembrance - click for full size image
Canadian WW1 Book of Remembrance
Page 196 - click for full size image
Page 196
Book of Remembrance Display Case - click for full size image
Book of Remembrance Display Case

F.W.Barker's Medical Record


(Right click on image to see options)

A PDF Viewer is required to view this content

Click here to download the PDF file

Tom Barker - click for full size image
Tom Barker

Tom Barker (1895 - 1966)

Information not available





Harold Barker - click for full size image
Harold Barker

Harold Barker (1896 - 1917)

Aged 19, he enlisted in Harrogate on the 25th February 1915 with a service number of 16766 and joined, as a Private, the 9th Battalion of the York and Lancashire Regiment. He was posted to France in March 1916 and wounded in the thigh shortly afterwards. He re-joined the 9th Regiment but was again wounded, this time in the head, and died of his injuries two days later on the 9th January 1917 at the age of 21.

He was buried in I.C.6. Hazebrouk Communal Cemetery, France

(Click on images to enlarge)

Harold Barker Attestation - click for full size image
Harold Barker Attestation
Harold Barker Will - click for full size image
Harold Barker Will
Harold Barker Obituary - click for full size image
Harold Barker Obituary
Cemetry Headstone Inscriptions - click for full size image
Cemetry Headstone Inscriptions
Harold Barker Headstone - click for full size image
Harold Barker Headstone
Hazebrouck Cemetry Plots Layout - click for full size image
Hazebrouck Cemetry Plots Layout
Hazebrouck Cemetry Memorial - click for full size image
Hazebrouck Cemetry Memorial
Hazebrouck Cemetry War Graves - click for full size image
Hazebrouck Cemetry War Graves
Earnest Barker - click for full size image
Earnest Barker

Ernest Barker (1898 - ?)

Information not available but he is believed to have been wounded


Barker Family History circa 1914-18

In 1887 in the registration district of Pateley Bridge, Frederick William Barker (1862 - 1930) born in Hampsthwaite, married Margaret Benson (1865 - 1899) born in Darley. Frederick’s  occupation was a stone mason as was his father before him.


See also : Tom Wright reflects upon the Barker family in Hampsthwaite and Descendants of John and Grace Barker