James Thomas Foxall 1863

James Thomas Foxall was born in Everton Walton Liverpool, on 23rd August 1863 to Robert Foxall 1842 and Harriet Davies 1841. The Foxall family have a single family name. Foxalls have lived in the Bridgnorth area probably since the Doomsday Book. A Roger de Foxale is recorded in Bridgnorth in 1342.     'The ‘Acta’ of the Court of the Royal Peculiar of Mary Magdalene, Bridgnorth, list more than 30 Foxall entries between 1472 and 1523. Numerous Foxalls have been Freeman of Bridgnorth. Freemen originally had the right to own property and to trade in the town, they also could vote members to parliament and they avoided some taxes. The right of Freeman could be granted by the borough Fathers, but most Freemen inherited their right. The only requirement was that they were sons of Freemen and born within the Borough.

James Thomas Foxall (known as JasT.) was born in Liverpool so could not inherit his fathers right. JasT’s was Robert Foxall born1842 He was a Freeman and JasT traced his claim back through eight generations to Richard Foxall 1612. JasT. Took great interest in local history and built a substantial family tree.  The family’s unique name has enabled several other people to research the records of Bridgnorth’s Parish Churches and identify hundreds of direct connections back to the fifteenth century.

Extract of the Freeman’s Role of Bridgnorth showing Thomas Foxall’s paternal line

Robert Foxall 1842 Joiner made     Freeman of Bridgnorth 1866 – wife Harriet Davies

Francis Foxall abt. 1806 Bricklayer Freeman 1825 –  Sarah Mary Preece

Richard Foxall abt 1760 Mason      Freeman 1785 –  Sarah Picken

            Francis Foxall abt 1732 Waterman Freeman 1757 – Elizabeth Onions

            Richard Foxall abt 1706                  Freeman 1727 – Elizabeth Easthope

            Richard Foxall abt 1682 Blacksmith Freeman 1702 – Elinor Lem

            Richard Foxall abt 1648 Blacksmith Freeman 1671 – Kathrin

            Robert Foxall 1842-1924 married Harriet Davies of Bridgnorth 1841-1905 in St George’s Church, Everton, Walton, Liverpool on 7^th December 1862. James Thomas Foxall was born 25^th August 1863 the eldest of their 10 children.

Annie and James T Foxall

James’ brothers and sisters were:- Eunice Mary (Polly) 1864 she married a North, 

Robert Bourn 1867 he started a coal business in Bridgnorth his sons moved into a coaches, John Francis 1869 lived only weeks, 

Henry (Harry) Russell 1870 married Minnie Lloyd and was a cabinet maker and antique dealer in Under Hill St and a life long supporter and trustee of Bridgnorth Baptist Church, 

Richard Walton 1873 married Edith Scriven and lived in Wolverhampton. 

Edward 1875 lived only weeks, 

Frederick William 1876 Married Alice White and emigrated to Canada, 

Frank Berwick 1878 married Emily Eleanor Edgington, he started The People’s Hall independent church in St John’s St, Bridgnorth and was its minister for over 50 years. 

Gertrude Harriet 1886 lived 8 years.  

JasT. Married Annie Sandell 1864 at Stoneway Steps Congregational Church, Bridgnorth 2^nd March 1884. The Sandell family are believed to be of Huguenot decent, Annie’s father Charles and her brothers and sisters were all said to be very musical. Annie gave birth to seventeen children, four died at birth, four as children and nine survived to old age, they are:

left to right standing; Amy Caroline Minnie    seated; Gwendolyn  Annie Doris 

May Caroline 1885, Frank James 1887, Robert Sydney 1887, Dennis Harry 1891, Amy Eunice 1893, Minnie Gerturde 1896, Albert Bruce 1902, Doris 1903, and Gwendolyn Eva 1907.

May Caroline 1885, Married Herbert (Bert) Hinsley and lived in Thelwall. They returned to Bridgnorth after JasT death to live with Carry’s mother in Beaumaurice House. They had one son.

Frank James 1889, served in the 1914-1918 war. He married Sue Powell and lived in Innage lane, Bridgnorth. Together they reared six children.

Robert Sydney 1887, served in the 1914-18918 war. He married Margery Bateman. They reared tow boys and two girls. §Bob took over JasT’s business and ran it until his death. They lived in West Castle St.

            Dennis Harry 1891, served in India and France during the 1914-1918 war. He worked for a time in Canada before returning to Bridgnorth. He set up shop and at 1 Underhill St. He made traded in furniture also hardware prams and fishing tackle. Dennis married Jessie Jones. Together they reared 5 children.

            Amy Eunice 1893, studied at university and became a teacher, eventually the head of a school in Summerset. She married Aubrey Cook who was a farm representative for Horlicks. They had two sons, one of who was killed in action at sea while serving in the Navy in 1942.

            Minnie Gertrude 1896,was the oldest left with her mother to look after the business when JasT and the three older sons went to war. After the war she opened a shop at 53 Mill St whci she kept until she was 77. Minnie married Frank Walker. They lived first in Whitburn St and then at 61 High St when Frank’s father retired. Frank was a butcher.

            Albert Bruce 1902, studied at Bible College. He became assistant to Reginald Lorrain, an independent pioneer Missionary to the Lakher people in Assam. Bruce married Tlosai, the Lorrain’s daughter. They had one daughter who still lives at the Mission station. Bruce and Tlosai are buried with her parents at the Mission village.

            Doris married 1903, Jack Jones, a professional golfer.  They had two girls and one boy.

            Gwendolyn Eva 1907, married Ernest Delo, a carpet weaver They lived on the grave and had two boys and a girl.          

JasT. Kept a ‘Notable Events’ book, and much of the following is recorded there.

The family returned to Bridgnorth by 1870 then took up residence in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, for several years. His father was out of work so young James aged 8 began work on a building site. He was soon obliged to return to school under the new School Board Act of 1872. It provided for free compulsory education for all children aged 5 to 13 years.          In 1876 the family returned to Bridgnorth to live at the Magpie Inn, Underhill St.

On leaving school JasT. was employment in the Bridgnorth Carpet Factory, by the age of 19 he was in charge of  the Wilton Loom. He records average earnings of £1-9-11½. a good adult wage for the time. 

JasT. was a bright lad who in 1885 joined the local art school and the Institute (presume Adult Education Institute), also the chess club and football club. There is are essays on carpet weaving and on printing in his ‘Notable Events’ book. They are written in a fine script and well researched. In time he became a committee member of the management of the Institute. 

JasT joined the Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1881 and regularly attended their annual camp weeks. He also joined more than one shooting club. In 1883 he recorded shooting prizes in his notable events book. He began modestly taking a 28^th prize but by 1887 he regularly took top prizes. JasT. represented the county at Wimbledon with distinction.

In 1890 he bought his first Safety Bicycle. In 1891 JasT. won entrance to Bisley, thereafter he  competed there regularly.  He was recognized as Shropshire County’s best shot. 

In 1891 JasT. was made Lance Corporal in the Volunteer Rifles. Later in 1908 the Territorial Army was founding, presumably incorporating companies like the Volunteer Rifles. The TA was mobilisation in 1914 and JasT. still an active member, became Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant of B company, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. He served in India Oct 1914 to March 1915, Singapore to July 1917, France to Oct 1917. JasT. was not ordered to the front in view of his age, by then 54 years.

In 1889 JasT bought his first property. It was a building site for Bourn Cottages in Friars St, Bridgnorth. Later that year he and his brothers and father in partnership began clearing the site of its existing old cottages. They commenced building new three new houses in Feb. 1890. These three dwellings can be easily identified still from a plaque inscribed ‘Bourn Cottages’ high on their front elevation. JasT. led a workers committee campaigning for better housing for working families. As a result the long red brick row in Seven St was built. These can still be seen. A smaller row was built in Cliff road. Through his life, JasT. was a substantial social landlord. He bought 56 cottages in Cartway and Friars St, the Cinderella part of town. He refurbished them, re-roofing and putting in drainage. After this there were no further epidemics in that area.

Robert Foxall his father serves on the town council and in 1922 he was Mayor. His Mayoress was Minnie Foxall, JasT’s daughter. Together they were the oldest and youngest office holders that year. Robert persuaded the Borough council to build a proper embankment and road on the west bank of the river upstream of the bridge.

JasT. served on the town council for just three years, but took a great interest in protecting old charity funds, served on all sorts of welfare and educational committees and was instrumental in much local history research and conservation. 

Postern Gate Shop with JasT Foxall

The Shop by: May Caroline Foxall.   An account of JasT’s early retail establishment.

How well I remember the night of March 1893 when Dad and Mother turned our little parlour of 75 Friars St into a shop ready to commence business the next day with capital practically nil. In the window were displayed onepenny periodicals, magazines and second hand books. At that time Dad was working at Messer’s M Southwell’s Carpet factory but work was so slack that to augmented the living he went out paper hanging and decorating till eventually and as business increased he gave up the factory work.

I feel I must mention our first order for periodicals which was one dozen, fetched from Gorton’s, Waterloo Terrace, every Friday. Most of these were for Mother and Dad’s relations. As time went by we started selling Haberdashery, Wools, Hosiery, Toys, Stationary and Hardware. Also doing picture framing. Eventually we occupied 75 and 76 Friar St and the houses were connected into one, adding to the business a lending library and sweets. From that time we were known as 75-76 Friars St: The Useful Shop. The wool business was taken over from A M Gough of Ironbridge who had a stall in the High St. He was an elderly gentleman who wanted to retire.

Each Saturday Mum and Dad had two stalls; one for Newspapers, Haberdashery and Hardware etc. and the other for Wools and Hosiery. Also each Pleasure Fair Day a stall under the Town Hall with Toys. Two or three times each week Dad went out on a country journey with a three wheeled basket perambulator selling all kinds of goods and also buying second hand cloths from the big houses on the journey. He went to sales and bought many second books. He really was an authority on books. We used to call him a bookworm. I well remember one sale he went to and bought a bundle of books for six pence and one special book in the lot he sent up to Christies, which realised the sum of £10.  

From Friars St we went to carry on our business in St Mary’s St (left hand side going west, immediately before the passage to the car park). Here we took over a newspaper and tobacco business and another business selling toys, fireworks and fancy goods. From there in 1902 we came to Postern Gate. (Postern Gate shop was converted from a private house on the East side of the narrow piece at the bottom of the High St). The family spirit of adventure still keenly alive, business flourished after years of great hardship. With so many new goods being added from time to time space for showing being a great problem.    

M Carrie Hinsley nee Foxall  

            JasT Foxall’s shop became one of Bridgnorth’s major businesses, eventually employing over 20 staff and keeping 5 vans busy with wholesale and retail deliveries. His Postern Gate properties extended to virtually the whole of the block between the shop and the cliff railway. For a time the family lived in East Castle St. Later he bought Beaumarice House which remained the family home until after JasT. And Annie’s death.  Beaumarice house (still called that name) is next but one to the Cliff Railway’s top station. The living room is the building arch over the Stoneway steps.        

George Walker 1853-194

George Walker was born on 18^th July 1853 at Hill House Farm, Hampton Loade, Arvely, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, he died 21 March 1941.

His father was Charles Walker born 1822 in Kidderminster and his mother Jane Turley born 1820 of Upton Magna, Shropshire. Charles and Jane married in Todmorton, Lancashire. Charles’ father was also called Charles and came from Frome in Worcestershire.

Charles and Jane had nine children: John, Henry, Charles, George, Thomas, Edmund, Hannah, Edward, and Sarah Norma.

Charles was at some time a farmer, Post Master of Shatterford, Nr. Kidderminster and constable of that place, also miller at Alverly and a general carter.

Charles had an excessive liking for beer; this made a deep impression on his children, George in particular remaining a devout Temperance campaigner all his Life. One evening when they were still quite young George and Charles were left to tend the horse outside an Inn some way from home. As the hour got later the boys went in to beg their father to make tracks, after an abrupt exchange the boys took the horse and cart and left him to walk home. Charles eventually arrived home well into the next morning. On arrival it was clear that he intended to discipline his rebellious boys. They both beat a tactical retreat over the garden wall and left to make their own way

Charles the younger 1862, learnt his trade as a builder, eventually creating a large builders business with his son Leonard. C&L Walker is still remembered in Kidderminster to this day. Charles secured his first job on a large building site by seeking out the foreman who happened to be supervising work on the highest level of the scaffolding. The foreman gave him a job and said if he had waited on the ground he would not have bothered with him. Charles often came to Bridgnorth to visit his brother George. He always had  his bag of tools with him, and would go around George’s farm and repair his gates. Charles lived into his 90’s. and was seen out with his bicycle complete with tool bag the week before he died.

 George became a farmer/butcher. He began his retail career with a stall In Kidderminster market. He came near to disaster one evening returning home from market with an empty cart and a full purse. From Kidderminster northward the road rises steeply, no doubt years ago Shatterford bank would have been a deep Holloway with high banks each side. Some way up in the gathering gloom a man jumped out of the shadows to grab the horses reins, at the same time a second no-good went for the back of the cart. The pincer movement was aimed to stop the horse and relieve the trader of his day’s takings. George quickly whipped the horse making it rear and knock the first assailant aside. The other robber, now with his hands clinging to the back of the cart was beaten off with George’s meat cleaver. George and his cash survived to tell the tail.

On another 0ccasion young George and Charles took on a bad tempered bull near their home. The bull would charge anyone attempting to use the public footpath across the field in which it was kept.   The lads resolved to teach the bull a lesson. They entered the filed each with a stout stick and presented themselves to the bull. He soon took the bate and putting his head down he charge them. George and Charles stood their ground until the bull was all but upon them, with a fraction a second to spare they parted allowing the bull pass between them. As he went by they each grabbed the beast’s tail. The bull towed the lads around the field at high speed. As they went they beat the bad tempered animal with their sticks until in desperation to rid itself of its persecutors it plunged through a hedge. There were no more complaints about the bull in the field.     

George was always a man of action. If he found one of his men unoccupied he would put a broom and put it in his hands often saying, “Do something, even if you break something!” He remained always read to confront problems rather than retreat form them. When he was much older, there had been talk of a ghost appearing in a nearby lane. George and his second wife Ann took a stroll down this lane late one evening, on cue a white sheeted apparition jumped into the lane. George took his walking stick and beat the supposed ghost about the head at which it let out a yell and made off. George’s motto: “If you meet a ghost, hit it hard and hit it high”. 

             As his business developed George looked to gain a permanent retail foothold in Bridgnorth. His first shop was number     1 Mill St in the Lower Town. A shop can still be seen on the corner of St John’s St and Mill St opposite the Falcon Hotel. By the turn of the century he was well established at 61 High St. This business remained in the family until 1953. George also work a number of tenant farms around Bridgnorth including the Boldings at Colmere Green, the Rope Walk of Stanley lane, a farm on high ground at Meadowley above Morville. Finally he tow rented adjoining farms, Kingsley farm at Tasley and the Overs at Haughton.

61 High St   George 1853 in the Bowler hat 

The Willey Estate owned Kingsley and the Overs. After some years the estate put these farms up for sale by auction. George determined to buy, so he negotiated a mortgage loan with the local Lloyds Bank. He successfully bid for his prize in a very completive sale. Next day when he went to the bank to complete the transaction he was informed that the directors had withdrawn the loan agreement. (in those days banks were operated by local directors). George was up against the local establishment, not for the first time. He suspected collusion between the bank and the loosing bidder. George had long been a active Methodist, (a preachers plan for the Bewdley and Bridgnorth circuit dated 1902 shows him as a Circuit Steward, Local Preacher and Trustee of several chapels). Methodism came to George’s aid. He was put in touch with an individual in Walsall who was prepared to help Methodist business people with private loans. The loan was paid off on time and George became the freeholder of:-  his prime High street shop, over 250 acres of good farmland and several properties behind the shop at 1 Mill St. these included three small houses an a Malt house in St John’s St. He converted the lower level and the rear of this building into cattle holding pens and a slaughterhouse.

In time George granted the use of the upper story of his Malt house to the local Adult School organisation. This Adult School grew into the People’s Hall Free Church. Later Church acquired land opposite and built its own worship centre. George’s building was still used form many years by the church for it’s youth club.  

The new radical Liberal Party was gaining ground amongst nonconformists and working people. George stood as a Liberal candidate for the local council and was duly elected. He campaigned on many social issues including the reform of the licensing of the drinks trade. There were many little pubs and Gin shops particularly in the poorer areas of the town. The Liberal Government brought in a compensation act. This allowed for examination of any licensed houses trade. If there was judged to be insufficient turnover the license would be revoked and the owner compensated. Fewer pubs could now make a better living and the licensees had much more to loose if they did not trade responsibly.

There was a saying; “One sided as a Bridgnorth election”. Bridgnorth was notorious for elections in which there was hardly a vote cast against the establishment candidate. Politics at the end of the 19^th century was not for the faint hearted. The usual system in Bridgnorth was for the agent on poling day to lay on three mobs. One bunch of heavies would be enjoying free house at the crown hotel, while the second were deployed to the poling site in Listley St. these reinforcements would relieve the third crew who had been gently encouraging voters to see it their paymasters way. Poling would take place in the open street. The town clerk would sit at a table on a raised dais with the electoral roll in before him. Each voter was required to run up a horse-mounting block, (a set of three stone steps against the wall). The voter would call out his name across the open street and the Town Clerk would search for him on the electoral roll. When it was agreed that he was eligible to voter, he was obliged to call out his preference for all to hear. It would be a brave man who would withstand the will of the well-lubricated mob.

By 1909 it was George’s turn to be Mayor of Bridgnorth. The Town Clerk informed him that at Christmas the Mayor traditionally provide the inmates of the Workhouse with a barrel of beer and rations of tobacco. George would not compromise his temperance principles; instead he provided and personally served an ample roast beef Christmas dinner with knitted comforts for the ladies.

When it came time for George to hold his Mayor’s Banquet the whole town was transfixed with speculation about the place and form it would take. Clearly George would not use the tradition venue of the Crown Hotel; instead He hired the Corn Exchange hall next door. The loyal toast was taken in orange juice. In the town there was a debating society that might equate to the Rotary club of today. This group resolved to have a mock banquet to send up George’s event. A member of the debating Society a Mr. Foxall who was a pastry cook with a shop in the town. Like many Foxall’s he had a great sense of humour, he was known in the town as ‘Knacky Foxall (after him Foxalls were commonly referd to as Knackies). The mock banquet was held at the Swan Hotel in the High street. Knacky had been requested to provide the feast. His spread on the day was up to his usual high standard with a great pie as a centrepiece. In due course Knacky went up the yard for relief, on his return he found the great pie nearly demolished. “Oh” he cried, “the pie was not to eat, it was for display only, it was made with sawdust”. The meeting brook up in disarray with members being sick in the high street. The Wellington Journal got hold of the story and poems were published mocking the mockers.

George was a larger than life character but his children found him very embarrassing and would sometimes walk the other side of Bridgnorth’s very wide high street when he was about. George would gather young folk around the stove in the chapel on St Mary’s steps. He would arrive with a box of apples for all to share. His favourite activity was to gather all around the piano for a grand hymn singing.  In the town there was a wellknown jingle which went: “Come to grandpa Walker’s chapel, singing songs and eating apples”.

When a person had been Mayor of the town he automatically qualified to sit on the Magistrates Bench. George took his duties seriously. He would deal sternly with any one up in front of him for ‘drunk and disorderly’. Their only chance of mercy would be if they would ‘Sign the Temperance Pledge’, right there and then.

George’s brother Edmond, ‘Ted’, was a successful farmer. He married Alice Hazledine, a member of the local iron founders family. Ted died at the Lye Farm, Morville Heath. One of his sons A.C.Walker, ‘Cyril’ kept a prosperous family farm in Morville near Bridgnorth.

George’s sister Hannah married a Lloyd and lived to an old age in Erdington, just south of Bridgnorth. They had a son called Tom who was a big lad even when quite young. George sent his youngest son Frank to Erdington for a time to live with Hannah and her son Tom. Frank was a bit weedy as a boy and it was thought the village air would be better than the town air of Bridgnorth. While there Frank attended Erdington school with Tom. The schoolmaster was a little mad with a big attitude. One day he had cause to speak to Tom in class, Tom was less than deferential, possibly only a disrespectful look. The teacher stormed over to Tom and made a grab for his hair presumably to bang his head sharply on the desk. He missed and gouged Tom’s forehead drawing blood with his unkempt thumbnail. Tom stood up in his place, being a big lad at 13 he looked down on the teacher. The master went back to his desk for his cane. As he approached again Tom snatched the cane from the teacher bending it into a knot. At this he sent for his lady assistant from the next classroom. Together they struggled to eject this big stubborn lad. Eventually they made some progress but as they passed the classroom stove Tom grabbed the guard and clung on there until it came unfixed from the wall. All this time the entire class were cheering loudly and banging their desks. Eventually Tom was locked in the toilet until lunch when he was dispatched home with a note saying; “don’t come back”. And the older generation tell us that behaviour is getting worse!

George Walker married Annie. She who was born 4 June 1849 and died 11 July 1884.  They had seven children:- Annie, Edith Goddall, Elenor G, George, Agnes, Charles and Caleb. Mother and child Caleb died of an infectious disease. 1884.

Annie standing, Edith seated 

George and Annie’ eldest child was named Annie. She was not the easiest person to get along with, having a tendency to fixed ideas and direct speech. She neither married nor took up regular work outside the family. George posted her to Kingsley Farm to help in dairy and household duties but had to have her back at 61 High St when Dennis and his wife May found her too difficult to cope with. In due course she was dispatched to Canada to her brother George. George and his wife were Pioneer Prairie Farmers west of Saskatoon. Anne put the washing out in their sub zero temperatures; wet laundry immediately freezes to a very brittle state in those conditions, the merest touch will cause it to shatter into pieces with. Annie arrived back in England at the start of the Second World War. Frank her step brother took her in at 61 High St where she lived until he provided her and her sister Edith with a home of their own at 8 St John’s St. Frank and Minnie, his wife coped well enough with Annie as they each were out all day keeping their separate shops. Annie took charge of the house and its three sons; Alan aged 6, George aged 4 and the new born Martin 1939. 

George and Annie’s second child, Edith Goodall. She became a nurse and rose in her profession to be matron. 

Their son George emigrated to Canada around 1900 to become a pioneer settler on the prairie. He married Emily Pipprel, the daughter of a neighbour pioneer settler. The Pipprel’s came from the Channel Isles. Together they reared seven children. During the depression of the 30’s they sent some of the girls to family members in England to find work and training. Alice settled in England and Married Alfred Hinsley, who’s mother was Caroline Foxall. Two of the boys, Arthur and Walter served in the Royal Air Force during the war. They were both stationed at some time in Bridgnorth RAF camp.

Agnes' wedding main back row L to R ?  Harry ? ? ? Duke (directly behind the bride) Gladys, ?   seated  Charles and wife, Hannah, George, Annie 1877, Agnes, Ann (George's 2nd wife) ?            seated on floor Ewart,  Frank,  Phyllis,  Dennis   

Agnes was the only other child of George and Annie to survive to adulthood. She Married Duke Williams a Welshman. He was an inspector of taxes in Cardigan and they lived together nearby on the coast at in Gubert where they reader their two girls. 

George’s second marriage was to Ann Powis Smith of Kidderminster about 1890. She was born 15^th Oct 1855 and died 30^th Nov. 1939. They had six children: Harry, Alfred Dennis, Gladys, Ewart, Frank Leslie and Phylis Ruby.

Harry was the butcher at 61 High St following in his father footsteps. He joined the 11^th foot regiment to fight in the First World War. Harry married shortly before returning to the front and was killed in France in 1916 aged just 24. 

back row L to R Walker's:- Donald, Ann, Alan, Janet,   Middle row standing:- Phyllis, Frank & Minie, May & Dennis, Gladys    seated:- George Walker, his L  daughter Alice, his R wife Emily, daughter Madalin   

 

Alfred Dennis, ‘Dennis’ and Frank became partners taking on George’s business, Dennis mostly farmed at Kingsley and the Overs while Frank ran the butchery at 61 High St. They shared some work, Dennis manning the Friday country round and Frank helping with the farm when the shop was quiet.

Dennis married May Roberts, member of the large Roberts farming clan from North Shropshire. They had five children, all of whom married. 

Gladys married Arthur Skidmore and lived in Tamworth, they had two children. 

Ewart married Billey, they had two children. Ewart was not a very successful farmer and eventually he and Billey divorced.

Frank Leslie married Minnie Foxall, they lived at 61 High street until Frank sold the butchers business. They had three boys who all married.

Phylis Ruby married Harold Connolly, a scrap metal merchant in Bridgnorth. They had three children, Phylis died at the age of 54 and Harold remarried.