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Martin Farndale
FAR00571
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He was an ironstone miner for a while before emigrating to Canada in 1905 after which he became a cattle farmer in Alberta
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Dates
are in red.
Hyperlinks
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Headlines
of Martin’s life are in brown.
References
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Context
and local history are in purple.
Overview
See also the Farndales of Tidkinhow
THE MARTIN
FARNDALE STORY.
Information
from the Trochu Tribune and Kneehill MD History.
Martin Farndale
was born in September 1881 in Kilton.
He emigrated to
Canada in 1905, and proceeded west to Alberta, settling in Trochu District. He
homesteaded SW ¼ -6-33-24, near Paulson School, and began raising cattle. He
was considered an excellent cattleman.
In 1929, Martin
married his cousin Ruth Farndale, who also came from Yorkshire.
Martin Farndale
had a keen interest in public affairs. He served as Councillor of Stauffer Municipality
for a number of years and was also active in school affairs, serving as a
trustee on the school board at Paulson. Martin was a staunch Liberal.
Martin had a
keen sense of humour and delighted in telling yarns on himself. On one
occasion, Martin was caught in a raging blizzard late at night. He was
hopelessly lost as visibility was nil, and to keep from straying further he
followed the fence line. After walking some distance, Mr Farndale chanced on
some buildings. Hoping to arouse the occupants he yelled and hammered on the
door of the house before he discovered that it was his own home.
Martin Farndale
was a man true to his own convictions. He staunchly followed parliamentary
procedure. However, when serving as a councillor, if a mistake was made he was
not afraid to rectify the situation.
Martin Farndale
died in October 1943 at the age of 63. Ruth Farndale then returned to live in
Yorkshire in 1947.
1881
Martin Farndale was born on 8 June 1881 at Kilton Thorpe, the son of Martin and Catherine Jane Farndale of Kilton Thorpe,
(FAR00364) farmer. He was baptised
at Brotton on 31 July 1881 (PR and family knowledge). Martin Farndale’s
birth was registered for Guisborough District in the third quarter of 1881
(GRO Vol 9d
page 464).
Like his elder brother and sister he was baptised at Brotton Parish Church where the entry in the
Parish Register reads: "Martin, son of Martin and Catherine Jane
Farndale of Kilton Thorpe, farmer, baptised
31 July 1881."
1891
The 1891 Census for Red Lion Howe, Stanghow
listed Martin Farndale, 46, farmer and ironstone miner; Catherine Farndale, 35;
John Farndale, 12; Elizabeth Farndale, 11; Martin Farndale, 9; George
Farndale, 8; Catherine J Farndale, 6; James Farndale, 5; Mary F Farndale; William
Farndale, 0.
1895
Like the rest, Martin went to school at Charltons
until he was 11. He then went to Boosbeck
Council school until he was 14. That would be in 1895. He then helped on the
farm, and worked as a miner until 1905 when he went to Canada, the first of many members
of the family to do so
1901
The 1901 Census for
Tidkinhow Farm, Stanghow listed Martin Farndale, head, 55, farmer; Elizabeth L
Farndale, 21; Martin Farndale, 19, ironstone miner underground; Mary H Farndale, 12; William Farndale, 10; Grace
A Farndale. 7; Dorothy A Farndale, 6.
1902
Martin Farndale, Tidkinhow, about 1902
aged about 20
1905
Martin was the first
of the family to emigrate to Canada, and he arrived in Western Canada in 1904,
and he homesteaded on the Trochu land to farm at Paulson and raised cattle.
In 1905 there is a record of
Martin Farndale and Harry Farndale (aged 8) (must be FAR00688) travelling to USA,
aged 24.
Martin is remembered as not
quite as strong as the rest. He was a great favourite of his mother. When he
decided to go to Canada, he could not bring himself to tell his mother so he
simply left home and wrote to his sister Lynn from Liverpool:
"June
16th 1905
Friday morning
Dear Sister
Just a few more lines. I left Liverpool on
Thursday night for Canada on SS Tunisian. I have had a good night's sleep.
I have booked second class on board and is very comfortable. We are
passing by the north of Ireland this [ ]. The ship makes a call here to take on
more passengers. This letter will be sent on from here. I shall not be able to
post any more letters till I land at yond side. I am enjoying the trip well so
far. I hope mother will not fret if she get to know before I write. I
will send a letter to her as soon as we land. I am going to do best . I am
going a long way up the country. I am to Calgary in Alberta. It is chiefly
cattle farming there. There is several more young men on ship that are
going out from there can catch. But I have not meet any lady that is my way
yet. You must try and cheer mother up. There is nothing for her to trouble
about. I am as safe here as riding on the railways in England. I shall be about
other 7 days on the water. I will send a few letters off before I start my land
journey. I have not time write more. I want to up on deck. We are just about to
land at Londonderry I believe.
I must leave hoping you are all well.
M Farndale."
From the passenger list for SS
Tunisian 1905
And five days later:
"Letter
cannot be posted for England till we land so you will know if you get this that
I landed all right.
Wednesday June 21st 1905
Dear Sister
I shall soon get my sea trip over now. Land was
sighted today Newfoundland I believe. Every body is beginning to lighten up
now. But it will be Saturday morning before we land at Montreal.
I have enjoyed voyage up to now. I had one day sea
sick. It was awful. I don't want that any more. We have had few very cold days.
It is always cold in this part of the Ocean. We saw a great iceberg this
morning. It was a great sight. This is a great rock of ice. So you must
know we were passing through a cold front. This is a big vessel about two
hundred yards long I should think. Every body seem quite happy. There is a
smoke room and a music room. And the best of everything to eat. Third
class seems to be rough quarters. But they are in another part of the ship.
There will be about eight hundred passengers on board all together. Some men
pulling long faces when the vessel left Liverpool. I never thought anything
about it. But I was like the rest. I watched England till it disappeared out of
sight. I hope mother will not trouble about me. I will be all right. I
thought it was my best thing to do. I had nothing to start in business with in
England. I shall be able to get about £50 per year and board with
the farmers out here. If I can stand the climate. And I can settle. I shall
be able to start farming for my self in about two years.
Thursday
All letters are to be posted tonight on board so
that they will get away as soon as we land. They don't [ ] to a few hours when
they land. So all has to be ready.
First and Second class are having a Grand On Board
tonight. We shall be quite lively.
I now finish. Hoping you are all well. And remain
your affectionate Bro.
M Farndale."
Martin was 24 years old. These are interesting
letters, for they start a whole branch of the Farndale family, still living
north of Calgary.
Martin would go
first to Calgary, where he took some land from the Canadian Pacific Railway
near Trochu. He built a small wooden house, a shack, a began
farming.
1908
Martin Farndale – photograph taken in
Calgary on 28 August 1908
1910
The boys of Tidkinhow in about 1910,
with Martin, now in Canada, inset.
John, James, Alfred, William, George and
inset Martin
The original house that
Martin built Martin's shack taken when it was still
standing in 1981 Martin and Ruth’s
house 10 miles west of Trochu
Martin homesteaded
on Trochu town line, but in 1929 he bought a
farm at Paulson and raised cattle. In 1929, he married Ruth Farndale, his
cousin, also from Yorkshire. They had no children. He became well known on the Trochu council and took a great deal of
interest in education. He did much for the Trochu
community. Martin died, aged 62, in 1943, and is buried at Trochu. His wife, Ruth, returned to England and
lived for many years with her family. He was remembered as an upright,
intelligent man who was very interested in people and very good with children.
He helped his brothers, George, Jim and Alfred, and his sisters, Kate and
Grace, to settle in their turn near Trochu, in Huxley. His work for the early
days in Trochu is still remembered (Family knowledge).
1920
Martin at sea on a journey
to and from England in about 1920 Martin
at Tidkinhow in about 1920 Martin Farndale on a
visit to England from Canada, taken about 1920 when he was aged about 40
1927
In 1927 Martin travelled on
the Ausonia (Furness Line) from Quebec to London.
1928
In 1928, Martin, 40,
unaccompanied, a farmer, travelled from Liverpool to Halifax, Canada on the
Athenia.
1929
In 1929, Martin married his
cousin Ruth Farndale, also from Yorkshire, but they had no children.
He became well known on the Trochu Council and took a great interest in
education, doing a great deal for the community. He died in 1943 aged 63 and is
buried in Trochu. He visited England once. (Our Huxley
Heritage).
In 1929 Ruth Farndale of Craggs Hall, 42, unaccompanied, travelled
from Liverpool to Montreal.
Martin Farndale, married Ruth Farndale, (FAR00619), his first cousin, in Trochu, Canada in 1929 (Family knowledge and MR)
Ruth Farndale Martin,
early days in Canada
They lived near Trochu in Alberta. They had
no family.
There is more information about his life at Martin
Farndale and at the Farndales of Tidkinhow
1931
The Canadian Farndales at the Kinseys in
about 1931 (Martin, Jim, Kate, Grace, George, Alfred)
1940
Martin Farndale and Howard Holmes, husband
of Grace nee Farndale Holmes (FAR00659) at the Holmes
Ranch in Alberta in about 1940.
1943
Martin Farndale of Trochu, Alberta Canada died in Calgary aged 62 years, on
11 September 1943. He is buried at Trochu,
Alberta, Canada (DC).
In a newspaper article: MARTIN FARNDALE PASSES
AWAY. The news, Saturday evening, of the passing of Mr. Martin Farndale in the General
Hospital, Calgary, came as a distinct shock to many in the Trochu district,
although he had been under medical care for over a year. The late Mr Farndale,
who was one of the district's real old timers, was born in Guisborough,
Yorkshire in 1881. Coming to calendar in 1905 he came West to Alberta, and
settled in Trochu district, taking up a homestead on the town line, which he
has farmed ever since. His marriage took place in 1929. Always taking a keen
interest in public affairs, he served as Councillor of Stauffer municipality
for a number of years and was active in school affairs serving as a trustee.
Highly respected by all who knew him his passing is a severe loss to the
district. Surviving are his wife, Ruth, at home, two sisters, Mrs W Kinsey, of Trochu,
and Mrs H Holmes, of Huxley. A brother, George Farndale, of Three Hills,
another brother, senator James Farndale, of Nevada, also two brothers and three
sisters in Yorkshire. Reverend T H Chapman, Rural Dean, of Carbon, conducted
the funeral services, which were held in the United Church, Trochu, Tuesday
afternoon, with burial taking place in the Trochu cemetery. The pallbearers
were Messrs G R Hogg, F Kinsey, E Roach, M and J Sitala, O Bayes.
Card of Thanks.
We wish to thank all neighbours and friends for their kindness, also for the
lovely floral tributes sent during our recent bereavement. Mrs RUTH FARNDALE.
Martin
Farndale’s grave at Huxley, taken in 1973
1974
Ruth Farndale, died at Northallerton District, Yorkshire in early
1974 (DR).