Final Scenes

Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything

Return to the Contents Page

The Squire once said of Johnny Farndale, known as Old Farndale of Kilton, “When you are gone, there will never be such another Johnny Farndale”.

In September 1955, while Clark County was free from Labor Day traffic fatalities, one Las Vegan and was killed and three others were injured, one critically, in a holiday accident in Colton, California. Killed was Mrs Doris Farndale Jaeger, 20, daughter of Mr and Mrs James Farndale, of 922 S 2nd St. Farndale is the Clark County Housing Authority Manager. Mrs Jaeger, who was a native Las Vegan, was killed when a car driven by Staff Sergeant Warren Martin, of March Air Force Base, collided head on with the vehicle in which the popular young woman was riding. She was on holiday to San Diego, California. She had recently married.

By the age of 15, Alfred Leperton Farndale (1885 to 1901), known as Fred, was working as a pony driver at an underground pit at Aberford. He died at the age of 17 and was buried at Aberford on 13 July 1901. He was working at Garforth, southwest of Aberford, which was a coal mine. The record of Garforth Colliery by the Durham Mining Museum shows that on 11 July 1901, Farndale, A, aged 17, a driver, was run over by a set of tubs when travelling out bye on engine plane. Tried to save his pony.

Albert Farndale (1881 to 1918) of Kilton Lodge, left home for the purpose of wild duck shooting, and was not seen again alive by any of the family. As he had not returned home late in the evening, search was made, and he was discovered in an outbuilding of the farm, quite dead, having apparently died a few hours previous. An inquest was conducted by Mr W Richardson, the Cleveland Coroner, at Kilton Lodge, on Saturday, and evidence was given by Mr G Farndale, brother of the deceased. The witness said his brother was 37 years of age, and lived at home. He described the finding of the body about 10 o’clock on the previous Thursday evening. His gun was near him, and there was a wound on the side of his face and head. By profession his brother was an architect, though of late years he had worked on farm. About 10 years ago he was depressed, having been disappointed at not obtaining a position in his profession. He recovered from his depression, and became quite cheerful. There was no financial or other trouble at all. The Coroner, who sat without a jury, returned a verdict of suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, at Brotton, the first part of the service being held in the Wesleyan Church, and was conducted by the Rev W Rex, Loftus, and the Rev H Mortimer, Staithes.

John W Farndale (1875 to 1963) daughter by Annie called Lillie Farndale died in a tragic accident in Leeds. On 7 April 1933, Accidental Death was the verdict at a Leeds inquest today on Lily Farndale, 23, domestic servant in the employ of Mrs Saffer, of Lidgett Lane, Moortown, who died from toxaemia following burns. The girl’s father, John William Farndale, of Walton Boston Spa, said his daughter told him she was in the kitchen at Mrs Saffer’s, playing with Mrs Saffer’s 6 year old son, when a ball thrown by the boy, and which she caught, caused her to overbalance onto the fire. Mrs Saffer said she heard Farndale screamed, and saw her in flames. She helped to extinguish the flames.

In 1886 Alice and her father William were witnesses to a tragedy when a mother and her child were killed in the local river at Huttons Ambo. In case of what appears to be a deliberate murder and suicide occurred at the village of Huttons Ambo, near Malton, on Thursday morning, and has caused the greatest excitement in this usually quiet neighbourhood. It seems that for about two years past there had lived in the village a Mrs Harriet Stillborn, widow of the late Mr Charles Stillborn, whose family were highly respectable farmers in the district. Mrs Stillborn, who was 40 years of age, was left with two children, a girl and the boy, on the death of her husband about two years ago, and she has since maintained the family by keeping a little grocery shop in Low Hutton. Of late, it is stated, she has not acted very rationally. On Thursday morning, just after half past eight o’clock, she was seen by Miss Alice Farndale, a young lady resident in the village, to take her two children by the hands and go across the fields in the direction of the River Derwent, which flows very near her house. Miss Farndale states that the children were screaming at the time, and seemed very reluctant to accompany their mother. Fearing, therefore, that something was wrong, Miss Farndale ran to tell her father, who immediately followed Mrs Stillborn, and was greatly alarmed to see the children and Mrs Stillborn floating down the river. Springing onto the overhanging branch of a tree, Mr Farndale succeeded in getting hold of the youngest child, Arthur Ernest Stillborn, aged 4 ½ years, whom he had once dragged out. Meanwhile two men, named Thomas Baker and Thomas Dickinson, had seen the action of the unfortunate woman from the other side of the river, and they ran down and tried to get the bodies of the mother and daughter out of the water. The river, being somewhat rough and “wavy”, as well as running rapidly, on account of the “fresh”, carried both bodies nearly a quarter of a mile, down to a place called Laysike, and both were got out before they sank. Of course the greatest excitement prevailed for some time, but whilst Mr Farndale ran up to his house with the body of the little boy, those on the bank did the best they could to restore animation in the mother and daughter, who were laid by the river side. Dr W T Colby, of Malton, was immediately telegraphed for, and the bodies of Mrs Stillborn and the child who were carried to an empty cottage near her own residence. The little lad meanwhile was seized with convulsions, and had several fits, but his rescuers continued their efforts to restore him, and in this they fortunately succeeded, as the poor little fellow about two hours after he was taken out of the water had quite recovered consciousness. Dr Cobly, with Sergeant Watson, of Malton, arrived on the scene shortly before eleven o’clock, and at once set about to resuscitate Mrs Stillborn and the other child, both of whose bodies were warm, but the efforts of both himself and assistants were entirely useless. Dr Colby was of the opinion that Mrs Stillborn had died partly from the shock and partly from the drowning. The child Annie Stillborn, who was thus deprived of life, was a fine, bright, healthy girl of nine years of age, whilst the mother did not appear to be of strong physique.

There were three letters written to record the death of G333852 Private George Farndale in 1917. The first was a formal letter from his platoon commander.

Dear Mr Farandale

I deeply regret to inform you of the death in Action of your son 333852 Pte G Farandale on 27^th May. He was a good soldier and a popular fellow, beloved by us all and our deepest sympathy goes out to you and yours at this time.

Believe me, Yours truly, D W Greenhulds, 2Lt, 9^th HLI.

The second was a letter from his friend.   

June 2^nd/6/17

Dear Friend

It is with deep regret I inform you that your Bro George was killed on the 27^th May. He had just gone into the trenches the previous night and before it was properly daylight a German trench mortar came over and struck George death being instantaneous. I have know George for a good long time and he was a fine pal. He was in the Yorks at Hartlepool when I was, and we were transferred to 2/9^th HLI together May 1^st/16. It was New Years time when I mist him as he was sent to Scotland and I was left with Batt. Eventually I came out to France in Feb and it was there at the base I met him again and we have been together practically all the time. I was next to him on the 20^th/5/17 when we went over and took the German front line trench, which we held for 2 days and then were relieved. You have my deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement and hope you will find consolation in knowing that he died faithfully doing his duty. The officer got his pay book and pocket wallet which I expect will be sent on to you.

Yours Sincerely

R Sellars

332854 Pte R Sellars 9^th H.L.I. Glasgow Highlanders

C. Company 11 platoon.

B.E.F. France.

Another letter followed to George’s sister from his fiancée.

Shingle Hall, Sawbridgeworth, Herts. Thursday

Dear Miss Farndale:-

I am deeply grieved on hearing from you yesterday morning that dear George has been killed in action, and all at Shingle Hall including myself wish to express our deepest sympathy with you all in this dark hour of sadness.

It was an awful blow to me dear, and is one that I shall never forget. He was such a nice quiet and gentle boy and was very much liked by all who knew him in Sawbridgeworth, and no fellow could not think so much of a girl as your dear brother did of me, and had he been spared to come back safely we intended getting married. I don’t know if he ever spoke about it to you.

It will be awfully kind of you to copy those letters for me and shall be most pleased to receive them.

Yes dear, I will see about another doz. P.cs. being copied and will write and let you know, as I shall be only too pleased to do anything for you, for the sake of the dear one I have just lost.

He sent me the Yorkshire badge (as he said no one else should have it but me) also the cap badge of the H.L.I. and bought me a small regimental brooch of the H.L.I. so I shall always think of the dear boy.

Now dear Miss Farndale I will draw to a close trusting you will all accept our deepest sympathy once more.

With fondest love hoping to hear from you again soon

I remain

Your sincere Friend

Dolly.

P.S. Please excuse pencil.

Alcuin, the great scholar, made York near the Farndale homeland a centre of European learning. His influence on our ancestors living around nearby Kirkdale minster must have been profound. His achievements were extraordinary. He was called from York to Aachen by Charlemagne, great King of the Franks and later Holy Roman Emperor. He became a powerful figure on the world stage. He died, a lonely man, in distant Tours on 19 May 804, and he wrote his epitaph himself.

O thou who passest by, halt here a while, I pray, and write my words upon thy heart, that thou mayst learn thy fate from knowing mine.

What thou art, once I was, a wayfarer not unknown in this world. What I am now, thou soon shalt be.

Once was I wont to pluck earthly joys with eager hand and now I am dust and ashes, the food of worms.

Be mindful then to cherish thy soul rather than thy body, since the one is immortal, the other perishes. Why dost thou make to thyself pleasant abodes? See in how small a house I take my rest, as thou shalt do one day.

Why wrap thy limbs in Tyrian purple, so soon to be the food of dusty worms? As the flowers perish before the threatening blast, so shall it be with thy mortal part and worldly fame.

O thou who readest, grant me in return for this warning, one small boon and say: 'Give pardon, dear Christ, to thy servant who lies below.’ May no hand violate the sacred law of the grave until the archangel's trump shall sound from heaven. Then may he who lies in this tomb rise from the dusty earth to meet the Great Judge with his countless hosts of light.

Alcuin, ever a lover of Wisdom, was my name. Pray for my soul, all ye who read these words.

Return to the Contents Page