Coatham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Historical guide to Coatham with a focus on the aspects relative to the Farndale family history

 

 

 

  

Home Page

The Farndale Directory

Farndale Themes

Farndale History

Particular branches of the family tree

Other Information

General Sir Martin Farndale KCB

Links

 

Introduction

 

Dates are in red.

Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.

Headlines of the history of the Coatham are in brown.

References and citations are in turquoise.

Contextual history is in purple.

 

This webpage about the Coatham has the following section headings:

 

·         The Farndales of Coatham

·         Coatham, an overview

·         Timeline of Coatham

·         Links, texts and books

 

The Farndales of Coatham

 

The Coatham Line are the descendants of Matthew Farndale (1828 to 1905) (FAR00297) who married Ann Readman and was an agricultural labourer and then Foreman at East Coatham - Matthew lived with John (FAR00217) as a servant at age 12.

Many of his descendants are associated with Coatham including as dressmaker, laundress, labourer, pipe layer, and estate land drainer.

(John) Richard Farndale (1897 to 1917) FAR00681) of Coatham, joined the Army as a private in the Yorkshire Regiment and Green Howards, and died of pneumonia on Western Front, WW1.

George William Farndale (born 1890) (FAR00643) emigrated from Coatham to USA and established the American 2 Line.

Other Farndales associated with Coatham are John Farndale (FAR00230); Matthew Farndale (FAR00297); Jane Farndale (FAR00340); and Peter Farndale (FAR00373).

 

Coatham

 

Coatham is a district of Redcar the county of North Yorkshire.

 

Coatham began as a market village in the fourteenth century to the smaller adjacent fishing port of Redcar. Though Coatham is now only a mile-wide district in the town of Redcar, the need for definition was strong enough to warrant the western boundary being marked by a fence which ran the length of West Dyke Road and West Terrace.

 

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Coatham, 1857

 

Coatham Timeline

 

1066

 

In Domesday Book COATHAM (Cotum, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries) is possibly represented by a holding of 3 carucates in Kirkleatham, formerly the 'manor' of Leising and then in the king's hands (Victoria County History – Yorkshire, A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2 Parishes: Kirkleatham).

 

1070

 

William I brought troops to Coatham marshes in pursuit of rebels who had hidden there.

 

Twelfth century ownership and thereafter

 

The de Brus family of Skelton held most of Cleveland in the 12th century, including Coatham. By 1257, East Coatham was in the hands of the Thweng family. From the late 14th century to the late 16th century the Lumleys were lords of East Coatham. Throughout the later Middle Ages and up to 1558 the Bulmer family held West Coatham.

 

The Victoria County History – Yorkshire, A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2 Parishes: Kirkleatham, 1923: In the Middle Ages many salt-pits were dug there. In the latter part of the 12th century Roger son of William de Tocketts gave a salt-pan in 'Cotum' to Guisborough Priory and Hugh son of Ralph Deblel two salt-pans. Alan de Wilton early in the 13th century granted to the canons of Ellerton 5 skeps of salt from his salt-pits of West Coatham; the Brus lords of Skelton had the right of taking a skep of salt from every salt-pan in Coatham Marsh, and salt-pits in Coatham belonged to their descendants in the 14th century and later. It is probably the excavations necessary for these that caused the hillocks to the south of the North Eastern railway between East and West Coatham.

1204

 

The trade of the port of Coatham was assessed as more than the port of Whitby. The Great Roll of the Pipe for the sixth year of the reign of King John (1204), contains tax records for ports on the east coast and the south coast of England. The tax was levied at the rate of one fifteenth of the value of the goods traded over and eighteen month period. The assessment was transcribed in “Domesday Book to Magna Carta” R.L.Poole (1951). It includes: Newcastle, £158 5s 11d; Yarm, £42 17s 10d; Coatham 11s 11d; Whitby 4s 0d …

 

1257

 

Coatham had a weekly market and an annual fair.

 

1301

 

The Lay Subsidy of 1301 divided Coatham into two parts. The tax returns for West Coatham were lumped together with Wilton, while the East Coatham returns were lumped together with Kirkleatham and Yearby. The Coatham taxpayers can’t be distinguished from the rest. Thomas Mercator, may have been Thomas the Merchant from the small port of Coatham.

 

1422

 

An inquisition held in this year mentioned four saltworks at Coatham.

 

1673

 

In the Hearth Returns, West Coatham was described as having 4 houses with 2 hearths. East Coatham was not identified in the tax returns.

 

1770

 

“A Description of England and Wales” vol.10, F.Newbery and T.Carnan (1770): “A collection of little mean ale-houses, which encouraged idleness and drunkenness among the villages and were the receptacles of the smugglers that frequented the west, he (Charles Turner of Kirkleatham Hall) caused to be demolished, and erected two very handsome inns, one in the new village above mentioned (Kirkleatham), and the other in a little fishing town (Coatham), a part of his estate on the coast; and as the inn at the fishing town is near one of the finest beaches in England, he raised a house with handsome apartments, and built bathing machines, that his own company, and the gentlemen and ladies of the neighbourhood, might have the convenience of bathing, without the trouble and expence of going to Scarborough.”

 

1772

 

The New Inn was built at East Coatham “for the accommodation of sea bathers”.

 

1840

 

White’s Directory of 1840 noted that Coatham had been “a noted bathing place” at an earlier date, “but the neighbouring fishing town of Redcar robbed it of its celebrity status as a bathing place many years ago”. The Directory listed the Lobster Inn, a beerhouse, 3 shopkeepers, 3 tailors, a shoemaker, a joiner, a corn miller, 3 farmers, a solicitor, an academy and a free school.

 

1846

 

The Stockton and Darlington Railway was extended from Middlesbrough. The line went through Coatham to a terminus on what is now Queen Street, not far from Redcar town clock.

 

1854    

 

Christ Church was consecrated.

 

1858    

 

The Redcar and Coatham Cricket Club was founded with their ground in Coatham.

 

1860

 

The majority of modern Coatham is Victorian housing, most notably at its northern tip by the Coatham Hotel built in 1860.

 

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Coatham Hotel

 

1861

 

As the railway was extended to Saltburn, the line took a new route and the line through Coatham became redundant.

 

1867    

 

The Kirkleatham Estate commissioned a development plan to create a high-class suburb of grand villas around the cricket ground.

 

1869

 

Sir William Turner’s Grammar school opened on 1 August 1869; having been moved from Kirkleatham.

 

Coatham Wesleyan Methodist chapel was dedicated.

 

1873    

 

Coatham Ironworks was established.

 

1875

 

Between 1875 and 1898, Coatham had a leisure pier. It was intended to extend 610 metres into the sea, but damage in the building stage from shipping and storms curtailed the distance to 550 metres. In October 1898, the pier was struck by the 757 tonnes Finnish freighter Birger. The ship had developed trouble during a storm in the North Sea and despite passing GrimsbyScarborough and Whitby, she carried for South Shields. During a ferocious storm she crashed onto the rocks at Coatham and wrecked a 60 feet (18 m) section of the pier in the middle. Only two members of her crew of 15 were rescued; the pier collapsed a year later.

 

1899

 

Coatham and Redcar were merged to form Redcar Urban District. Coatham was created a civil parish, from Kirkleatham, by Local Government Board Order, No. 38,693, dated 1 April 1899.

1900    

 

Coatham cricket ground was laid out.

1901

 

The census recorded a population of 4,490.

 

1917

 

201065 Private Richard Farndale (FAR00681) aged 20 of the 1/4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment died at 21st CCS in France of broncho-pneumonia on 25th February 1917. He enlisted at Redcar, resident at Coatham. He died in France on 25 Feb 1917 with the 1/4th (TA) Battalion of the Princess of Wales’ Own Yorkshire Regiment, also known as the Green Howards. The battalion served with the York and Durham Brigade of the Northumbrian Division, renamed in 1915, the 150th Infantry brigade of the 50th Division. At the time of his death the battalion was not in the line but in reserve at Proyart. On 31 Dec 1916 it was at Bazentin le Petit and in reserve at Flers on 7 Jan 1917. On 11 Jan the battalion moved to the front line at ‘Hexham Road.’ It was again in the front line from 30 Jan to 11 Feb at Genercourt. The battalion moved to Proyart on 19 Feb 1917. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal posthumously on 21 Jan 1921. He was presumably badly wounded at Hexham Road or Genercourt or Proyart and evacuated to No 21 Casualty Clearing Station at La Neuville, where he later died of pneumonia.

In April 1916, No 21 Casualty Clearing Station came to La Neuville and remained there throughout the 1916 Battles of the Somme, until March 1917. La Neuville British Cemetery was opened early in July 1916, but burials were also made in the communal cemetery. Most of them date from this period, but a few graves were added during the fighting on the Somme in 1918. The communal cemetery contains 186 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The graves form one long row on the eastern side of the cemetery.

 

He was buried at La Neuville Communal Cemetery, Corbie, Somme and commemorated at Coatham Christ Church War Memorial 1914 -1919; Army - Private Richard Farndale.

 

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TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING WHO GAVE THEIR
LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919 - THE ROOD IN THIS
CHURCH WAS ERECTED AD 1920

 

NAVY

ARMY

ARMY

ARMY

 

LIEUT LAWRENCE V WRIGHT
M/S JOHN D STUBBS
C-ERA WILFRED C AGAR
  "       HARRY PEARSON
BSN A A J POWER
AB FREDERICK EMERSON

ARMY

CAPT. W HUMPHREY R RAYSON
CAPT. J KENNETH STEAD
CAPT. ARTHUR WEAR
LT. FRANK BLENKINSOP
LT. HUGH DE C CASLEY
LT. ARTHUR E HALL
LT. ERNEST A A MORRISON
LT. GERALD A PAXTON
2/LT. WILLIAM FEATHERSTONE
2/LT. ERNEST HILDRETH

2/LT. GEORGE E HUNT
2/LT. RICHARD G LENNARD

2/LT. STEWART G RIDLEY
2/LT. JOHN P WATSON
SGT. RONALD H GOLDSBROUGH
SGT. THOMAS KIDD
SGT. ERNEST PALLISTER
CPL. MATTHEW CATCHPOLE
CPL. WILLIAM CLARK
CPL. OSWALD J CLARK
CPL. JAMES COUTTS M.M
CPL. ALFRED W DRINKWATER
CPL. WILLIAM THOMLINSON
BBDR. GEORGE C DICK
BBDR. F HENRY TAPLIN
L/CPL FRANK M BELLERBY
L/CPL. STANLEY HANSELL
L/CPL. JOSEPH F HARTLEY
L/CPL. WILLAM J NIGHTINGALE
L/CPL. OSCAR SVENSSON
L/CPL. JOHN L WOOF

SPR. WILLIAM A CRADDOCK
SPR. WILLIAM GREER
SIG. G ELLERKER STEPHENS
DVR LAWRENCE BROTHERTON
DVR FRANK DOWSON
RFLMN EDWARD WOOD
PTE HARPLEY APPLEBY
PTE FRANK BRADLEY
PTE THOMAS BRADLEY
PTE JOHN BRALEY
PTE ALBERT W CATTANI
PTE JOSEPH DRINKWATER
PTE HARRY DODSWORTH
PTE CLARENCE W ELLIOTT

PTE KENNETH ELLIOTT
PTE GEORGE F ESKHOLME
PTE RICHARD FARNDALE
PTE PHILLIP FORREST
PTE ERNEST B FOWELLS

PTE ARTHUR GIBBON (*)
PTE FRANK GOSS
PTE JOSEPH HARBIT
PTE A EDWARD HIDE
PTE ALBERT A LINCOLN
PTE H PERCY NICHOLSON
PTE HAROLD PHILLIPS
PTE HENRY READMAN
PTE GEORGE ROBINSON
PTE WILLIAM RODMELL

PTE HARRY SCOTT
PTE RAYMOND SHAW
PTE SIDNEY J SIDE
PTE GEORGE SORRELL
PTE ERNEST STAINTON
PTE HARRY W TAYLOR
PTE WILLIAM A TAYLOR
PTE THOMAS TOWELL (+)
PTE CHARLES UNDERHILL

 

PTE GEORGE WREN
GRANT THEM, O LORD, ETERNAL REST

 

 

 

1923

 

In 1923, Coatham was described in the Victoria County History – Yorkshire, A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2 Parishes: Kirkleatham:

Coatham was originally nothing but a small fishing hamlet, but there are now many well-built houses which command extensive views of Yearby Bank, Eston Nab and the Cleveland Hills, and the sands permit of good and safe bathing.

The town is lighted with gas by the Redcar, Coatham, Marske and Saltburn Gas Company.

Christ Church, founded and endowed by Mrs. Teresa Newcomen, of Kirkleatham Hall, and consecrated in August, 1854, is a building of sandstone, with Bath stone dressings, in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, north porch and a western tower with spire containing one bell: all the windows are stained: the pulpit, font and reredos are of Caen stone: … The Catholics at present hold services in the school room in Lobster road. Here is a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, built in 1869, and a Friends’ meeting house.

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The Central Hall, built by the North Eastern Railway Co. in 1846 for a station, but now used for entertainments and public meetings, will hold 1,000 persons. Station Road Hall is now used as a chapel by the Primitive Methodists.

The Board of Trade have a Rocket Life saving Apparatus here, and there is also a Coast Guard station.

The Convalescent Home, established in 1861, is for the reception of 50 respectable persons recovering from sickness and requiring change of air and sea-bathing: the original site was acquired, and the first portion of the Home erected and furnished, at a cost of upwards of £4,500, by the late Rev. John Postlethwaite; an additional wing was added in 1869, and the Home now holds 164 patients, who are received from all parts of England, upon an order from a subscriber, which entitles the holder to medical attendance and board for one month, or longer, should the medical officer deem it necessary: the nursing of the patients is attended to by the Sisters of the Home of the Good Samaritan: …

There is a good cricket ground on Coatham road, and golf links of 18 holes.

The trustees of the Kirkleatham Settled Estate are lords of the manor and principal landowners.

The population of Coatham in 1881 was 3,898, in 1901, 4,490, and in 1911 was 4,744 in the civil and 4,683 in the ecclesiastical parish; area, 1,483 acres of land, 29 of inland water and 1,218 of foreshore; rateable value, £34,196.

1929

 

In 1929 Coatham Pier's glasshouse was replaced by the New Pavilion theatre. After the war, comedian and entertainer Larry Grayson coined his catchphrase "Shut that Door!" while performing there, since the stage door was open to the cold North Sea breeze

1937

 

Kelly’s Directory of 1937 listed 2 grocers, 4 butchers, 2 fruiterers, a baker, a confectioner, 2 chemists, a draper, a bootmaker, a milliner, 2 stationers, a wine and spirits dealer and 2 watchmakers.

1941    

 

15 people were killed when the Zetland Club was hit by bomb during an air raid.

 

Links, texts and books

 

Cleveland and Teeside Local History Society page about Coatham.

 

A Trip to Coatham: A Watering Place in the North Extremity of Yorkshire,  W.Hutton (1810)

The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Yorkshire North Riding vol.2 W.Page (1923)

Redcar and Coatham: A History to the End of the 19th Century, J.Cockroft (1974)

The Port of Coatham 1789 to 1808 D.W.Pattenden, Bulletin of the C.T.L.H.S. no.11 (1970)