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 7th December 1862. James Thomas Foxall was born 25th 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 2nd 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 28th 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.
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