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William Baker The Younger 1816 to 1876
BAK00121
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Headlines of William Baker The Younger’s life are in brown.
Dates are in red.
Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.
References and citations are in turquoise.
Context and local history are in purple.
1816
William Baker was the second, but eldest surviving, son of William
and Ann (nee Hough) Baker (BAK00102).
He was born on 3 September 1816 at Buerton, Cheshire. He was baptised at Audlem on 5 December 1816.
1838
William married Prudence Cliffe, the
daughter of William Cliffe and widow of John Baker (1806-37) (BAK00304)
of Fenton Culvert, Staffordshire on 18 June 1838 at St Nicholas, Liverpool.
1840
Prudence died in or about 1840. She may be the person of that name
who died at Stoke-on-Trent in the last Quarter of 1840
1849
William married his cousin Henrietta Louisa Bellyse (1830-80), the daughter and heiress in her issue of Dr. John Bellyse of Dorfold
Cottage, Nantwich, who was a surgeon, at Westminster on 8 February 1849.
On 13 March 1849, when their first
daughter Henrietta was born, they were living at Craven Street, Westminster.
From a
booklet on Audlem from the late twentieth century
There have been Bellyses
of Audlem for nearly two hundred years. Dr Richard Bellyse’s
grandfather, Dr John Bellyse, king of Cheshire’s cock fighting fraternity, was
born in 1738 and lived to be ninety. His home was the 16th century
house now known as the Lymes.
William and Henrietta had eight children
1850
John (“Jack”) Bellyse Baker (1850 to 1932)(BAK00151)
who later married Richmal Mangnall was born in 1850.
The Chester
Chronicle and Cheshire and North Wales General Advertiser, 9 February 1850:
SALES BY MR LAKIN. Eligible freeholds dairy farming Cheshire. To be sold by
auction, by Mr Lakin, at the crown inn, in Audlem, Cheshire, on Tuesday 21st
February 1850, at four o’clock in the afternoon, subject to conditions. An
excellent farmhouse and buildings with the yard, garden, plantations and 21
pieces of good sound land, situate in Buerton, in the parish of Audlem, called
“Woodhouse Lane Farm,” held by Mr. John Sandbach, and containing 156s 3r 11p,
statute measure, be the same more or less. The above
property is an unusually desirable one, is occupied by an active and most
respectable talent; adjoins the lands of Earl Kilmory, Sir H D Broughton, Bart
J E Wilson, Esquire, William Baker Esquire etc and is about 7 miles from the
Madeley station on the London and North western
railway....
1851
1851
Census – Woodhouse Lane, Buerton, Nantwich,
Cheshire
William
Baker, 34, born 1817, fund holder
Henrietta
Louisa Baker, 26, born 1825
Henrietta
Baker, 2, born 1849
John
Bellyse Baker, 0, born 1850
Margaret
Green, 28, nurse
Ann
Maria Austin, 19, nurse
1852
William Baker the Younger (1816 to 1876) (BAK00121)
built Kynsal Lodge in 1852, a
medium sized house of character, which was designed by
Thomas Baker (BAK00128), the third and last of the Baker architects. Thomas built a number of
country houses in the area, including Hillside, Green Lane (later the
home of Arthur Baker (BAK00155) and his family) and the Cedars (later the home of the
three rather eccentric sisters, Poppy (BAK00150), Totty (BAK00157) and Emily (BAK00158) and the bachelor Richard Dod Baker (BAK00154).
Mary Louisa Baker (1852 to 1860)(BAK00152)
who died aged only 8 was born in 1852.
1853
Jane Ellen Baker (1853 to 1865)(BAK00153)
who died aged only 12 was born in 1853.
The Chester
Chronicle and Cheshire and North Wales General Advertiser, 26 November 1853:
BIRTH DAY OF THE RIGHT HONORUABLE VISCOUNT
COMBERMERE. Monday the 14th inst, being the 83rd
birthday of his lordship, the numerous tenantry on the estate as well as other
gentleman in the neighbourhood, celebrated the gratifying occasioned by a
banquet at the Combermere Arms, Barleydam.
The duties of the chair were most ably discharged by Captain Poole, and
precisely in such a way as might be expected from one who has rendered good
service in his country. William Baker, Esquire, occupied the vice chair. The
chairman was supported on his right by the distinguished guests of the evening
the right honourable Viscount Combermere, the
honourable Major Wellington Cotton, son and heir of the venerable and noble
Lord, and the Reverend Roger Kent; on his left by
Captain Cotton, Captain Harry Cotton, and S Sproston, Esquire. Among the
company were Perry Jones Esquire, J G Etches, Esquire, W Kent Esquire, F
Bellyse Esquire, W Machin Esquire, J Heath Esquire et cetera et cetera. Besides
the tenantry, there were many gentlemen from Whitchurch, Nantwich, Audlem etc,
whose names we regret to save did not transpire. The guests, amounting to
nearly one hundred, were entertained in Mr Witherley’s
large room, which was most tastefully and ornamentally decorated with flowers,
laurel, evergreens and banners, displaying appropriate
mottos. Ample justice having been done to the edibles, the loyal and patriotic
toasts were proposed and responded to in a most able and enthusiastic manner.
The toast of the evening being the noble Viscount, the chairman in a brief,
neat and very appropriate speech alluded to some of the many good qualities of
his lordship; also to the noble and gallant manner in
which he has served his country as a solicitor ...
Chester Courant and
Advertiser for North Wales, 19 January 1853: CHESHIRE JANUARY SESSIONS. Before Trafford Trafford Esquire, Chairman. The only appeal tried at the
recent sessions was that of Richard Morrey, against a conviction for night
poaching, on the 24th October last, on lands in the
occupation of Richard Simcock, in the Township of Buerton, near Audlem, in the
county of Chester, which the right honourable Viscount Combermere
and William Baker Esquire, two of her majesty's justices for this county, where
respondents. An alibi was set up for the appellant. His brother, John Murray,
supported by the evidence of five other witnesses, swearing that it was him,
and not Richard Murray, who committed the alleged offence on the night in
question. The evidence for the conviction was unshaken, whilst the witnesses
for the appellant contradicted each other in all minor details upon which their
evidence had to be tested. The conviction was unhesitatingly affirmed by the
court, with costs, the chairman remarking that the conviction was very proper
one. Mr McIntyre and Mr Morgan Lloyd were counsel for the appellant, and Mr
Davidson, instructed by Mr Machin, for the respondents.
1854
Eddowes's Journal, and
General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales, 27 September
1854: WELLINGTON AND
CREWE RAILWAY JUNCTION. Capital, £200,000 in 10,000 shares of £20 each; deposit
£2 2s per share; provisionally registered. PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE: Algernon
Charles Heber Percy Esquire, hot net whole, Shropshire; Major the Hon
Wellington Cotton, Combermere Abbey, Cheshire; William
Baker Esquire, the Highfields, Cheshire … ENGINEER … SOLICITOR … BANKERS …
The design of this project is to effect a short and
direct communication between the vast and important mineral, manufacturing and
agricultural districts of Shropshire and the markets of Manchester and the
manufacturing districts of the north. It will commence it Admaston
near Wellington, where several railways now unite, and proceed by way of
Crudgington, Waters Upton and Cold Hatton, to the town of Hodnet
and thence, leaving Ternhill on its right, will pass
near to Market Drayton, thence it will proceed near Adderley and the town of
Audlem to Barton's Cross, near Nantwich, where it will run into the projected
line from Shrewsbury to Crewe. This line will not exceed 27 miles in length,
and it will afford railway accommodation to a numerous population in the
several towns and villages on the route, of which accommodation they are now
totally destitute. In consequence of the gentle undulations of the country
along which it will pass, and very easy gradients, the committee can
confidently assert that this railway will be executed at a cost as small, if
not smaller, than that of any other of equal length in the United Kingdom. It
is proposed, in the first instance, to lay down a single line of rails, and to
avoid scrupulously all unnecessary expenses in the construction of ornamental
station houses and other buildings, attending most strictly to that point of
special importance, the formation of an efficient and secure line. The railway,
from the vast mineral and goods traffic independently of that of passengers,
which it must command, cannot fail to be a remunerating undertaking.
Applications for prospectuses, maps and shares may be addressed to the
solicitor and the following share brokers:...
1856
In 1856, William was Master of Fox
Hounds on the Albrighton Hunt.
Richard Dod Baker (1856 to 1902)(BAK00154)
who was unmarried was born in 1856.
Research by Nicholas
Kingsley: William's
eldest son, another William Baker (1816-76), inherited Highfields from his
father, and seems to have been a conventional country gentleman, interested in
field sports and farming; indeed, he may have been primarily interested in
field sports since he was Master of the Albrighton Foxhounds in 1856. By his
second wife, Henrietta Louisa, the daughter of Dr.
John Bellyse of Nantwich, surgeon, he produced nine children.
1858
The Staffordshire Advertiser, 30 October 1858 reported that W Baker Esq of Highfields had sold six short horn
calves and W Baker Junior of Kynsal had sold 8
promising heifers at Market Drayton.
1859
In 1859, William was a JP for
Cheshire.
1860
The Cheshire Observer, 28 January 1860 announced the death of the young Mary Louisa Baker (aged 8),
second daughter of William Baker Junior Esq, of Kynsal,
Audlem.
Arthur Baker (1860 to 1916)(BAK00155)
who later married Marianne Hall was born in 1860.
1861
1861 census – Kinsey Heath,
Buerton, Audlem, Cheshire
William Baker, 43, head, landed proprietor
Henrietta Baker, his wife 36
John Bellyse Baker, 10
Arthur Baker, 1
Elizabeth Daniels, 18, unmarried,
governess
Three servants
1862
Charity Baker (1862 to 1881)(BAK00156)
who died aged only 19 was born in 1862.
On
29 October 1863, the family were still living at Kynsal,
Audlem. The family lived at Kynsal House,
Audlem, until William inherited Highfields, Audlem, from his father in 1863.
William
Baker the Elder died in 1863 to be succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
also William. William married Prudence, the widow of a distant cousin John
Baker, Lord of the Manor of Fenton Culvert, a wealthy Potter. Tradition has
it that John had left her a considerable fortune “on condition that she did
not change her name.” By marrying William, she satisfied all parties. They
were both keen riders to hounds, no doubt often hunting with William’s younger
brother, John,
who at different times was Master of the Wickland, Shropshire, Albrighton and
North Warwickshire. They had only been married a few months when her horse
fell, breaking her neck. William later married his cousin, Louisa Bellyse,
daughter of Dr John Bellyse and his wife Hannah
Baker. Shortly after their marriage they built Kynsal
lodge, the architect being William’s younger brother, Thomas.
They had nine children, three boys and six girls With the
coming of the railway an annual holiday to the seaside became possible and the
family often spent some weeks winding down through central Wales on the old
Cambrian railways. The eldest son, John,
usually stayed at home to manage the estate, receiving regular instructions
from his father by letter. Jack, as he was always called, headhunted from an
early age and rode with some success over the sticks.
He broke his collarbone for the last time in 1931 at the age of 81 when
exercising a horse over fences for his nephew. His father died in 1876.
1866
Charlotte (“Tottie”) Louisa Baker (1866 to 1918)(BAK00157)
who was unmarried was born in 1866.
1868
Emily Jane Baker (1868 to 1941) (BAK00158)
who was unmarried was born in 1868.
1871
1871 census – High Fields, Buerton, Audlem, Cheshire
William Baker, 54, head, land owner
Henrietta Baker, his wife 46
Henrietta Baker, 22
John Bellyse Baker, 20
Richard Dod Baker, 14
Arthur Baker, 11
Charity Baker, 8
Charlotte L Baker, 4
Emily J Baker, 2
Two visitors, including John Percy,
their agent
Three servants
William was a Justice of the Peace for Shropshire and for Cheshire
from 1873.
1876
William died on 19 May 1876. His
will was proved on 21 July 1876.
1880
Henrietta died between in the second Quarter of 1880, aged 55.
One of the stained glass windows at
Audlem church has the inscription:
To the glory of God, and in memory of William Baker who died AD
1863, and of William Baker his son, who died 1876, both of Highfields in this
parish, justices of the Peace, this window is dedicated.