Act 13

The Farmers of Kilton

The story of the Kilton Farndales, who dominated Kilton for over two centuries, a village community now lost to time

Picnic at Kilton Lodge about 1908. Vincent Grainger, Ann and Charles Farndale, George Farndale, Grace Farndale, an unknown person and Mary Farndale

Return to the Contents Page

Four Hubs

Having arrived in Cleveland, by the early eighteenth century, the family split into four main Hubs. These were large extended families associated with different geographical areas, from which over time, there would be further dispersal.

In the next four Acts, we will meet each of these four Hubs.

We will first meet the Farndales of Kilton, from whom a significant part of the later family descend.

Scene 1 – Home for two and a half centuries

Arrival in Kilton

From about 1705, Kilton was the home of the Farndales for almost two hundred and fifty years until 1940. With the exception of the family associated with the Ampleforth Line, most of the modern family are descended from the Farndales of Kilton. The Kilton 1 Line and the Kilton 2 Line are significant hubs of the family history and the Kilton 3 Line also made Kilton their home. This chapter tells the story of the Kilton 1 line and we will pick up the other Kilton families in Act 14.

John Farndale wrote, from the perspective of Victorian Yorkshire, that My children’s children comprise the sixth generation of our family that has lived at Kilton estate upwards of two hundred years.

In about 1870, John Farndale imagined his return to Kilton after years of absence when he recalled The steward always called old J Farndale to the vice-chair, he being old, and the oldest tenant. Farndale’s was the most numerous family, and had lived on the estate for many ages…. here we have chronicled something like a genealogy of a race of people once throng the streets of Kilton, but where are they now to be found? Many of them have gone to their everlasting reward, yet a few, a small few, remain unto this day.

The author, John Farndale’s great grandfather was also called John Farndale (1680 to 1757) and he was baptised at Liverton on 27 June 1680, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (nee Bennison) Farndale. We met Nicholas and Elizabeth at the end of Act 12 of the Farndale Story.

John Farndale married a lady with the same name as his mother, Elizabeth Bennison on 5 February 1705 at Brotton. He was probably the first of the family to move to Brotton, perhaps at about the time of his marriage to Elizabeth and their family of five were born in the Parish of Brotton, almost certainly in Kilton. He may have been a farm labourer, of may have been a tenant farmer.

So the Farndale association with Kilton probably started in around 1705. Brotton was the church which served the agricultural estate lands of Kilton.

Elizabeth, his wife, died in 1726 and was buried at Brotton on 1 May 1726. John was 40 years old then and in 1730 he married again, to Catherine Jackson, at Brotton.

Described as a householder when he died in 1757, then aged 77, John was buried at Brotton on 5 October 1757 at St Margaret Anglican Church, Brotton.

John and Elizabeth (nee Bennison) Farndale are the direct paternal and maternal ancestors of all those who descend through the Kilton 1 line. They had three daughters, Elizabeth Farndale who must have died an infant, another Elizabeth Farndale and Ellin Farndale, and two sons.

There is a separate webpage about the history of Kilton.

Scene 2 - The Second Generation

Cabinet Makers and Cartwrights who took their skills to Whitby and Great Ayton

John and Elizabeth Farndale’s eldest son was William Farndale (1708 to 1789) who married Abigail Gear at Brotton. He may have farmed at Craggs, which was later associated with the Craggs Line of Farndales.

William’s oldest son, Samuel Farndale (1735 to 1797) became a cabinet maker in Kilton. His relative John Farndale wrote in the late eighteenth century that Near them is Samuel Farndale and Betty, his wife, and their five children, one yet still alive, cabinet makers and joiners, Wesleyans. They had some land, lived to be old and died at Kilton, respected.

Samuel married Elizabeth Hutton and they had four sons and three daughters, which doesn’t quite tally with John Farndale’s account. Their eldest son, also William Farndale (1777 to 1863), born in Kilton Thorpe, was a wheelwright and cartwright who was indentured as an apprentice to a joiner, Thomas Garbutt of Nunthorpe, in 1827 and later moved to Pinchinthorpe near Guisborough and retired to Great Ayton to which town his two youngest sons had moved.

William Farndale’s younger son was also called William Farndale (1743 to 1777), and he became master mariner of Whitby and his family were the Whitby 3 Line. Samuel’s second son was John Farndale who also moved to Whitby and his family were the Whitby 5 Line. Their stories will be picked up in Chapter 15.

Samuel’s younger sons were Joseph Farndale and Henry Farndale, who moved to Great Ayton, and their story will be picked up in Act 28.

Old Farndale of Kilton

The youngest son of John and Elizabeth Farndale was John Farndale (1724 to 1807) who was baptised at Brotton on 28 February 1724.

The later author, John Farndale, his grandson, wrote And now we come to our grandfather’s and father and mother, William and Mary Farndale, and their seven children’s birth place; farmers and merchants of wood, rods, coals, salting bacon; church people. And those premises are held by our youngest brother, held from generation to generation this two hundred years. Springing from this roof may be said to be forty Farndales of this last generation.

John Farndale became known as Old Farndale of Kilton, a farmer, alum house merchant, yeoman and cooper. He was also a tenant of Cragg Farm on the Wharton Estate of 31 acres in 1773 but was soon farming in Kilton. His grandson recalled My Grandfather, who was a Kiltonian, employed many men at his alum house, and many a merry tale have I heard him tell of smugglers and their daring adventures and hair breadth escapes.

His grandson recalled that once, a year at Christmas – they balanced accounts, over a bottle of Hollands gin, and after eulogising each other, the squire would rise and say, “Johnny, when you are gone, there will never be such another Johnny Farndale”.

You can meet Old Johnny Farndale and read more about his life on another webpage.

Scene 3 - The Third Generation

The Older Brother

John Farndale (1750 to 1825) was baptised at Brotton on 24 March 1750, the son of John (Old Farndale of Kilton) and Grace Farndale. He married Jane Pybus in Skelton on 23 December 1795.

The Skelton and Kilton Terrier in 1809 recorded his tenanted farm.

So he was farming these lands in Kilton

No	Enclosure Name	State in 1809	Quantity in a, r and p
70	Stack Yard &c	Pasture	“, 2, 16	um	“ 10 “
264	Broad Garth	Pasture	3, “, 32	an	7 4 “
54	Farndale Barf	Llea? Mea?	2, 3, 20	ud	5 3 6
71	Bulmer Barf	Paddock	4, 3, 08	uh	9 2 5
72	do	Fall	4, 2, 24	ao	9 15 3
95	Swales Barf	Llea? Mea?	2, “, 32	uh	4 3 7
197	Ward Barf	Pasture	5, “, 24	uh	9 15 8
89	South Cow Pasture	Oats	7, 1, “	ud	13 1 “
90	North Cow Pasture	Wheat	4, 1, 08	ua	7 6 2
55	Chapel Long Close	Llea? Mea?	4, 3, 08	ua	8 3 2
53	Lane from Kilton to Kilton Thorpe	Pasture	3, 1, “	-
Total			43, “, 12		74 12 9

John Farndale died on 23 October 1825 aged 75. His will read In the Name of God Amen. I John Farndale of the Parish of Brotton in the North Riding of Yorkshire, Farmer, make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as follows. First I desire that after the period of my decease all my funeral expenses and other debts be duly discharged by my within named Executor out of my personal estate. I then give devise and bequeath unto my wife Jane Farndale all the residue or remainder of my personal estate consisting of the stock and crops of the farm which I now rent, cash, household, furniture, linen, plate etc during the term of her life, or as long as she continues my widow. But after the said term or widowhood my Will is that the aforesaid personal estate be equally divided amongst my children to share and share alike.

The Butcher of Brotton

George Farndale (1753 to 1782) was the second son of John (Old Farndale of Kilton) and Grace Farndale and he was baptised on Brotton on 13 May 1753.

George was a butcher presumably in Kilton, though recorded in the Brotton records.

The Five Sisters

John (Old Farndale of Kilton) and Grace Farndale had five daughters. Sarah Farndale died in infancy. Hannah Farndale married James Jackson in Lythe, along the coast towards Whitby. Elizabeth Farndale married Thomas Hall in Whitby. Mary Farndale married John Frankland in Skelton, a farmer of Brotton, perhaps also in the Kilton estate. Grace Farndale married William Fawcet at Skelton.

The Merchant Farmer

William Farndale (1760 to 1846) was baptised at Brotton on 30 March 1760, the sixth child of John (Old Farndale of Kilton) and Grace Farndale. He married Mary Ferguson at Brotton on 20 September 1789.

His son John Farndale wrote connected with the castle is Kilton Lodge which my father pulled down to build a new house. He went on that I see in the book recorded and registered in olden time, the names of farmers who once occupied this great farm [at Kilton] – R and W Jolly, M Young, R Mitchell; W Wood, J Harland, T Toas, J Readman, J Farndale, S Farndale, J and W Farndale, all these tenants once occupied this great farm; now blended into one. I remember what a muster at the Kilton rent days, twice a year, when dinner was provided for a quarter of a hundred tenants, Brotton, Moorsholm, Stanghoe, those paid their rents at Kilton; and were indeed belonging to the Kilton Court, kept here also, and the old matron proudly provided a rich plum pudding and roast beef; and the steward also a jolly punch bowl, for it was a pleasure to him to take the rents at Kilton, the day before Skelton rent day.

We know a lot about William Farndale and his story is told in a separate webpage.

Scene 4 - The Fourth Generation

The Older Brother

The website author’s great x3 grandfather, George Farndale (1789 to 1858) was born on 1 December 1789, the son of William and Mary Farndale of Kilton. He was baptised at Brotton on 31 January 1790.

His brother John Farndale described his elder brother George as a prodigal son, though he was probably just talking down his older brother in a family rivalry.

In 1816 William Farndale took a farm at Easby for his older son George and another at Skelton for his second son, John. He married Mary Armstrong that year and they had seven children.

George farmed in Easby near Stokesley after his marriage in 1816 until about 1825. He then moved to Marton, near Ormesby and Great Ayton, before moving back to Brotton by 1841, by which time he was working as a labourer.

When his father died in 1846, he left funds to George’s three brothers for his care. And I give and bequeath unto my sons John Farndale, the said Matthew Farndale and Martin Farndale, the sum of One Hundred pounds upon trust to apply the same, or any interest which may arise therefrom in case my said three sons should place out or invest the said sum of One Hundred pounds at interest in providing Board Lodging Clothing or Medical attendance to and for my son George Farndale at such times and in such manner as my said three children shall think proper, provided always, and I declare and direct that in case my said three sons, the said John Farndale, Matthew Farndale and Martin Farndale shall think it expedient to lay out or expend the said sum of One Hundred pounds in any other manner than is hereinbefore mentioned, in favour of my said son George Farndale. I hereby authorise and empower them so to do, it being my Will and intention that my said three sons shall have the complete control, management and expenditure of the said principal sum of One Hundred pounds and interest if any. And I declare and direct that in case the said principal sum of One Hundred pounds and interest, or any part or parts thereof shall not be expended by my said three sons at the time of the decease of my said son George Farndale, then, and in that case, I give and bequeath the same to the children of my said son George Farndale to be divided equally between and amongst them.

He seems to have fallen ill and needed support and the Kilton farm passed to George’s younger brother Martin Farndale, and later to John Farndale’s son, Charles Farndale.

George’s family made new lives for themselves away from Kilton, and we will pick up their story at the end of this webpage.

The Author

John Farndale (1791 to 1878) was born at Kilton on 15 August 1791, the second son of William and Mary (née Ferguson) Farndale, then described as farmers and business people.

He was the most flamboyant of his generation and he wrote extensively of the transition from the idyllic pastoral landscape of late eighteenth century Kilton to the industrial landscape of Cleveland in the nineteenth century and the emergence of ambitious new Victorian towns, like Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

John left Kilton and by the 1820s he farmed at Skelton before he farmed for a while at Long Newton near Stockton and Hunley Hall Farm north of Brotton before moving the growing metropolis of Stockton, where he was a merchant, agent and author.

Brotton in 1850

His colourful life should not be missed, and is told in more detail in another webpage.

Although John did not farm at Kilton himself, his son Charles Farndale took over the Kilton Farm from John’s brother Martin Farndale, who had no children of his own.

The Australian

Matthew Farndale (1793 to 1884) lived at Kilton Hall and later at Hallgarth Farm, Kildale. In his late sixties sailed from Liverpool with his family on the Argo on 8 October 1852 and arrived in Melbourne, Australia on 19 January 1853. He is the founder of the Australia 1 Line of Farndales and their story will be told in Act 21.

He was brought up on the family farm at Kilton and went to school in the village or possibly at Brotton and went to church regularly. His parents were churchgoers and about the turn of the century became methodists. There is no evidence that he ever left the farm in his early years.

In 1816 his father had taken a farm at Easby for his elder brother George and another at Skelton for his next elder brother John. This left Matthew with his father William and his younger brother Martin Farndale at Kilton Hall Farm. He was 23 when his elder brother left home and he started to do more at Kilton.

He married Hannah Thompson at Brotton on 13 May 1829

The Kilton accounts show Matthew paid a rent of £100 for the first time in 1834. The Poll Books from 1835 to 1850 all show Matthew Farndale, as Farmer; occupier of Kilton Hall Farm. From 1838 to 1850, Matthew was shown as a farmer at Kilton and with his brother Martin Farndale in the Register of Voters.

When Matthew’s father William died on 5 March 1846 aged 86, he left All my money upon note and other securities unto my said son Matthew Farndale ...... my said son Matthew Farndale, my sole executor. Clearly William expected his son Matthew to take over the farm at his death. We can only guess what was going through Matthew's mind however. It seems that he was not prepared to let down is father but it seems that he did not want to spend the rest of his life at Kilton. He was clearly at Kilton until 1849.

In 1849 Matthew and his family left Kilton and the Census of 1851 for Hallgarth, Kildale, south of Guisborough listed Matthew Farndale, a farmer of 150 acres with 2 labourers with his family.

He didn’t stay long in Kildale. The lease of his farms in Kildale were relinquished in 1851. Farms to Let at Kildale in Cleveland, Church House Farm, occupied by Matthew Farndale, containing, more or less, 76 acres of superior Turnip and Barley Soil; 74 acres in good Old Grass; and 85 acres of sheep pastures … Every encouragement will be shown to good and improving tenants. For further particulars apply to Mr George Peirson, Marske, Near Middlesbrough. Marske, January 1st, 1851.

Then in 1852, the family emigrated to Australia.

The full story of Matthew Farndale and his family is told in another webpage.

The Farmer of Kilton Hall

It was Martin Farndale (1798 to 1885) who continued the family farm in Kilton.

Kilton in 1850

Martin Farndale was a farmer of Kilton Hall Farm of 200 acres and later 600 acres. He married Elizabeth Hours and since he had no children it was John’s son Charles who then took over farming at Kilton Hall Farm.

A descendant of the poachers of Pickering Forest, Martin Farndale had his own problems with poaching on his land in the 1870s. He took various public offices, and faced various challenges as a farmer, including the slaughtering and quarantining of his cattle when disease hit his farm.

The full story of Martin and Elizabeth Farndale is told in another webpage.

Family Community

The large Farndale family operated as an extended family and provided its own community and support system.

When William’s eldest son, George Farndale needed support, he provided funds in his will in 1846 for his other brothers to look after his interests. And I give and bequeath unto my sons John Farndale, the said Matthew Farndale and Martin Farndale, the sum of One Hundred pounds upon trust to apply the same, or any interest which may arise therefrom in case my said three sons should place out or invest the said sum of One Hundred pounds at interest in providing Board Lodging Clothing or Medical attendance to and for my son George Farndale at such times and in such manner as my said three children shall think proper, provided always, and I declare and direct that in case my said three sons, the said John Farndale, Matthew Farndale and Martin Farndale shall think it expedient to lay out or expend the said sum of One Hundred pounds in any other manner than is hereinbefore mentioned, in favour of my said son George Farndale. I hereby authorise and empower them so to do, it being my Will and intention that my said three sons shall have the complete control, management and expenditure of the said principal sum of One Hundred pounds and interest if any. And I declare and direct that in case the said principal sum of One Hundred pounds and interest, or any part or parts thereof shall not be expended by my said three sons at the time of the decease of my said son George Farndale, then, and in that case, I give and bequeath the same to the children of my said son George Farndale to be divided equally between and amongst them.

By 1851 Matthew Farndale had left Kilton and on 1 April 1851 Martin Farndale was farming at the main family farm of 207 acres at Kilton with 8 employees. His brother George Farndale, by then 60 and a widower and working as agricultural labourer, was living with him as was his 15 year old niece Maria Farndale, and Charles Farndale, 13, his nephew and son of his brother John.

Twenty years later in 1871 Martin Farndale was still at Kilton Hall Farm, Kilton, the head of the family, by then a farmer of 600 acres with 16 employees. Living with Martin and his wife Elizabeth was Matthew Farndale, aged 22, his grand nephew, described as a servant, so presumably working on the farm. Matthew was the son of the late Martin Farndale, and grandson of Martin’s brother the late George Farndale.

So the family farm provided a focus for the wider family community.

The rest of the family

in 1831 the third brother, William Farndale died of typhus fever, aged 38. There was an obituary to him in the Methodist Records October 21st at Kilton: In the Stokesley Circuit in his 37th year, Mr William Farndale Junior. He was of an open disposition and of studious habits. About the year 1815 a revival of the work of God took place in the neighbourhood where he resided when he was acquainted with his condition as a sinner and sought and found the Lord to the joy of his heart. He then listed himself to the Wesleyan Methodists and became very useful among them as an exhorter and local preacher. The complaint typhus fever which terminated his mortal existence, considerably affected his mind, yet when he recollected he expressed strong confidence in God.

The oldest sister was Mary Farndale, who died at the age of 21 in 1817, and was commemorated by a tea pot given to her by a sea captain.

In 1854 the second sister Anna Farndale raised a suit disputing the will of her father in law, William Phillips, supported by her brother, Martin against Elizabeth Hume who had married William Phillips’ niece. When the competency of the case was allowed, the defendant withdrew their defence. They suggested that they had to dispute the will because there were questions of its competency. PHILLIPS AND ORS V HUME – WILL CAUSE. The will in dispute in this case was that of Wm Phillips, late of Stokesley, gentleman, which was dated January 6th, 1852. The suit was promoted by Anna Phillips, the widow; John Henry Phillips, the nephew; and Martin Farndale, against Elizabeth Hume, the wife of Wm Hume, a niece of the deceased. MR TRAVIS submitted that in this case the competency of the testator had been full established, and prayed that the will should be confirmed. DR BOWER, after the inquiry which had taken place, had no longer to dispute the factum of the will. The defendant had required the inquiry which had taken place, not only because certain parties were excluded in the last will who were residuary legatees under a former will, but also because there were some reasons to question the competency of the testator, who was in a very infirm state when the last will was made in 1852. All had now been done that could be done for the next of kin, and therefore he only now asked for costs out of the estate. THE JUDGER said a perfectly legitimate course had been adopted by the next of kin, under the circumstances, and he had every right to have costs out of the estate.

The youngest sister was Elizabeth Farndale, who died when she was only 18.

Scene 5 - The Fifth Generation

Since Martin Farndale had no children it was John’s son Charles Farndale who then took over farming at Kilton Hall Farm in the fifth generation.

Charles had two elder brothers and five sisters.

The Customs Officer

William Masterman Farndale (1831 to 1913), the son of John & Martha Farndale then of Skelton Barnes Farm was baptised at Skelton on 24 March 1831.

In 1841 William Farndale, then aged aged 10 was living with his recently widowed father John, a farmer, and his siblings.

William was an Officer of HM Customs of Middlesbrough, when he married Jane Brownbridge, a spinster of Middlesbrough by licence, daughter of Thomas Brownbridge, an Office of the Inland Revenue, at the Parish Church Middlesbrough, on 18 November 1856.

On 3 April 1857 at Middlesbrough a fire broke out this morning, at three o’clock, on board the Hydrus, Shapter, of Exeter. Captain Shapter, accompanied by captain Tregonna, of the Perseverance, also of Exeter, went on board the Hydrus at one am, at which time there was no sign of fire. At the time above mentioned the fire was discovered by Mr W Farndale, assistant tide surveyor, then on duty, who, together with Mr C Smith, rendered every assistance. The fire broke out in the state room, and was quickly got under without much damage being done to the vessel. Captain Tregonna, who was missed during the fire, was afterwards discovered in the cabin burnt to a cinder.

William and Jane had a son, Charles Masterman Farndale who was born at Middlesbrough in 1858; a daughter, Anne Maria Farndale born in 1861 and a younger son, William Henry Farndale, born in 1865. Charles became a ship broker’s clerk but died at the age of 31 and William became a rail clerk and died at the age of 27. Anna remained single and lived with her parents and later at Great Ayton.

By 1861, William Farndale and his family were living at the Preventive Office, Cargo Fleet, Ormesby, Guisborough, where William was working as an outdoor officer. In his daughter’s birth record, he was described as a tide waiter of Cleveland port. A tide waiter was an officer in various preventive customs services who boarded ships and watched the landing of goods. Ormesby is now south east Middlesbrough.

In July 1870, William Masterton Farndale was promoted to be assisting examining officer at Runcorn in Cheshire. Mr W M Farndale, out door officer 1st class at Middlesbrough, has been promoted to be assistant examining officer at Runcorn.

By 1871 the family were living at Peel Street, Runcorn, Cheshire and in 1877 they lived at Trentham Street, Runcorn.

In 1877 he was an examining officer, 2nd class, Runcorn, to Ramsgate and on 9 March 1878 returned as examining officer, 2nd class, from Ramsgate back to Runcorn, where by 1881 the family lived at South Bank Terrace, Runcorn. In 1891 they had moved to Newhall Street, Macclesfield and then to Bedford Villas, Egremont Road, St Bees Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumberland

He seems to have been involved in a Temperence mission, probably Wesleyan or Methodist in Macclesfield. On 7 March 1924 there was a review of the year’s work at Mill Street Mission. Glimpses of the work which is carried out at Mill Street mission, Macclesfield, from year to year, are afforded by a perusal of the 35th annual report. The anniversary celebrations of the Mission are to be held this weekend. In the course of the report, printed at the times office, it is stated: It is now 34 years since the late Mr C H Johnson, of Upton Hall, and his devoted wife, who, we are glad to say, is still doing good work, commenced the activities of the Mill Street Mission. Their vision of the possibilities of an institution in the town like ours was great. They were nobly assisted by the late Mr William Farndale; then Mr E Wolstencroft, and Miss Stead who laboured for a few years with marked success. For the last 27 years the work has been continued by the present missionary and his wife... If one could penetrate beyond all organisation and try to discover the source of the vitality which is unabated after 50 years, it will be found to be the clear note of the Gospel message proclaimed: redemption and regeneration from the ruin of sin through Jesus Christ.

On 10 October 1924, there has this week been inscribed upon the honest board of the Macclesfield Grammar School a notable addition. One of the school's former pupils, Dr Hewlett Johnson, has been appointed to the Deanery of Manchester, and there is additional satisfaction in that the new Dean claimed strong associations with Macclesfield, in the progress of which he still retains a vivid personal interest.... the new Dean has strong family ties with Macclesfield, where he resided as a lad... For some months until the first missionary (Mr W Farndale), was appointed, the Dean’s parents conducted and financed the mission, which, from small beginnings, has developed into the present large and important organisation. Mr and Mrs Johnson were zealous workers for the cause of religion, and the Dean as a young man shared that enthusiasm...

By 1901 William and Jane lived at 30 Regent Grove, Starbeck, Harrogate.

William M Farndale, age 82 died at Harrogate in 1913.

The Five Sisters

Four sisters perhaps at time of Charles' family at Kilton Lodge about 1890 – probably Elizabeth Mary Douthwaite (nee Farndale), Annie Hall (nee Farndale), perhaps with Charles’ wife, Ann Farndale and Teresa Featherstone (nee Farndale).

Mary Farndale was the eldest sister who may have got into a spot of trouble in 1861. Elizabeth Mary Douthwaite (nee Farndale) married a master confectioner in Middlesbrough. Teresa Featherstone (nee Farndale) married a tailor and they also lived in Middlesbrough, where she was later a lodge keeper. Annie Hall (nee Farndale) lived on Martin Farndale’s farm for a while and later married a farmer of 200 acres at Brawith Farm, Skutterskelfe, Stokesley. Annie was later widowed and continued to farm herself. Emma Farndale died an infant.

The Crimean War Soldier

John George Farndale (1836 to 1909) the son of John & Martha Farndale then a farmer of Skelton was baptised at Skelton on 27 November 1836. By 1851 he was a printer’s apprentice in Skelton and shortly after that, he joined the army. He fought through the Crimean War and write letters home from the heights of Sebastopol. Then, in about 1870, he emigrated with his family to Ontario in Canada and his family were the Ontario 1 Line. His uncle Matthew Farndale had emigrated to Australia in 1852, but John and his family were the first of the family to go west.

We will pick up John George Farndale’s story on another webpage.

The Kilton Farmer

Charles Farndale (1838 to 1914) was born on 17 January 1838 and baptised on 27 February 1838 at Skelton. Charles Farndale took over the tenancy of the farm at Kilton from Martin Farndale who was his uncle, since Martin had no children of his own.  By 1871, Martin was farming 600 acres at Kilton at the age of 73, with 16 employees. By 1881 Martin had retired and Charles was farming 577 acres with 9 employees. 

On 16 April 1872, Charles Farndale married Ann Dale of Danby. Charles and Ann Farndale had a family of eight. 

His story is told in a separate webpage.

Scene 6 - The Sixth Generation

The eldest son of Charles and Ann Farndale, John Martin Farndale and their seventh child, Ernest Farndale both died at the age of two.

The Richmond Farndales

The second son of Charles and Ann Farndale was William Farndale (1875 to 1948). William was working on the farm at Kilton Hall Farm until about 1899, when he married Ada Fawell in Auckland. By the time of their wedding, they had moved to Gilling Wood Hall, at Gilling West, north of Richmond. Gillingwood was also part of the estate of the Wharton family of Skelton Castle, who were also landlords of the Kilton estate. The farm was named after the mansion of the Wharton family, Old Gillingwood Hall, which had burned down in 1750. Their children, Annie Farndale, Beatrice Farndale, Charles Farndale and Edith Farndale were all born at Gilling, though Edith died when she was only 17 days old. The family formed the Richmond Line of Farndales. His son Charley Farndale (1905 to 1973) continued to farm at Gilling through the second world war.

The Kilton Farmer

George Farndale (1876 to 1970) was born at Kilton on 24 August 1876 and it was he who continued the Farndale dynasty at Kilton Hall Farm. He was working in partnership with his father, Charles by 1911.

By 1939, George Farndale was living at Stank House in Kilton, with his sister Grace. They continued to be involved with the local Wesleyan Church. He did not marry nor have a family.

In 1940 George sold the stock at Kilton and this was the end of the Farndale association with Kilton. He and his sister moved to Saltburn and George Farndale died there in 1970. The farm sale at Kilton Lodge to take place on 18 April 1940 at 12 noon was advertised by T S Petch who was favoured with instructions from Mr George Farndale to sell by auction his valuable farming stock comprising 4 horses, 72 head of cattle, 140 sheep, poultry, implements, gears etc.

The end of the Farndale era was summarised by the Wesleyans on 8 March 1940. For over a century the Farndale family have been associated with the Loftus and Staithes Wesleyan Circuit, a connection which is soon to be severed by the removal of Mr George Farndale from Kilton Lodge to Saltburn. A member of the third generation of the well known family, Mr Farndale has been a circuit official for over 20 years, and a steward for seven. His grand father was a local preacher in the circuit for a number of years, and the late Charles Farndale upheld the family tradition by serving for the major period of his life as circuit official and steward. In the outlying districts of the circuit Mr George Farndale has worked equally hard, and stands as Trustee for many of the circuit chapels.

George was buried on 18 February 1970 at Saltburn Cemetery.

The full story of George Farndale is told in another webpage.

Grace Farndale

George’s sister Grace was brought up at Kilton Hall Farm and was doing dairywork there in 1911, when she was 31.

She was chief bridesmaid at a wedding in 1902 and regularly performed at local events including taking part in a series of exhibitions of living pictures in 1896 in which Miss G Farndale was the exhibitor.

She later lived at Kilton Hall farm with her brother George Farndale, and they bothg retired to Saltburn in 1940.

A photograph of Grace and her brother George (sitting), about 1925

She died on 1 March 1966 and is buried with her brother, George.

Mary Farndale

Mary Farndale was also doing dairywork at Kilton Hall Farm into her thirties. She married William Hodge in 1927 with the reception at Kilton Hall when she was 49.

Mary’s wedding at Kilton Hall.

The Architect

Albert Farndale (1881 to 1918) was born in 1881 and brought up at Kilton Hall Farm. By 1895 he was in charge of the toy department at the Wesleyan Methodist Bazaar. By 1901 he was an architect pupil and in late 1902 he had prepared plans for the new schools at Skinningrove. On Wednesday afternoon the new Sunday School building which has been erected by the Wesleyan Methodists of Skinningrove were formally opened by Mrs H L Samuel, wife of the member for the Cleveland Division. The school is situated immediately behind the chapel, and is built of red brick with stone dressings in harmony with the chapel. The schoolroom is 30 feet 5 feet long by 20 feet wide, capable of seating 172 scholars. The roof is vaulted, with a pitch pine ceiling, stained and varnished. On each of the longer sides, under the corners is a freize, intersected by continuations of the principal rafters resting on core bells and so forming squares for the display of texts. The chapel is accessible from the schoolroom, and at one side of the building there is a vestry and a classroom, each being connected with the side street by an entrance lobby. In the vestry there are appliances for public teas. The whole is heated by hot water on the high pressure system. The lighting is good, there being for Norman windows on the south elevation, and at night incandescent gas will be the luminant from neat pendants from the roof. The plans were prepared by Mr Albert Farndale, of Kilton Lodge, now of London, and the contract has been most efficiently carried out by Messrs Ridsdale brothers, of Skelton. The contract price was £450, but this does not include the heating apparatus or the furniture, which have cost about £150 more. At the opening ceremony there was a large gathering of people, who waited outside the building.

On 22 October 1910 thirty two sets of drawings, sent in competition for the new Town Hall, markets and municipal buildings for the ancient borough of Denbigh, North Wales, have just been adjudicated upon. A design by Mr. A Farndale, of Kilton Lodge, Brotton, was awarded second premium by the assessors, Messrs Leeming and Leeming, FFRIBO, London. Mr Farndale's plans were recently accepted by the urban council of South Bank, for their new town hall, markets and council offices.

In 1911 he was living at Stank House, with his family.

In April 1911 the Local Government Board Inspector on Tuesday held an inquiry at South Bank into the application of the Council for sanction to borrow £7,000 in order to erect a new town hall, market hall etc on the site of the present buildings... Competitive designs were then requested for a complete scheme in which to do away with the present buildings altogether, and eventually a selection was made, the plans of Mr A Farndale, Brotton, being successful, and application to borrow £7,000 to cover those plans was made to the Local Government Board.

In December 1911 reported the Carlin How and Skinningrove District has grown very rapidly during the last few years, and, in order to cope with the increasing demand for accommodation, the friends of the Wesleyan body have decided to build a new Wesleyan Church at Carlin How. The cost of the church will be £850, £500 of which has already been raised or promised. Mr T C Hutchinson, managing director of the Skinningrove iron works, has generously given the site. The buildings will be of brick, and will accommodate about 250 people. Mr. A Farndale is the architect, and Mr J K Wilson is superintending the work of erection. The foundation stone laying ceremony took place on Wednesday, in the presence of a good company. The Rev W Powell, Loftus conducted the ceremony, and stones were placed by Mrs M Moore, Westfield, Loftus,… C Farndale …. M Farndale, Craggs Hall... Mr E Lofthouse laid a stone in memory of the late Mr. A Murray weather, a prominent Brotton Wesleyan. The Rev J C Adelard (Saltburn) gave an address and a public tea took place in the preaching room, which has, for many years, done duty as a place of worship, but is now totally inadequate to meet the demands made-up on it.

In March 1912 at a special meeting of the Spennymoor Urban Council on Thursday week plans from 23 competitors were considered for the erection of a market, market shops, council room, offices and public hall, which scheme is to cost about £15,000. The first prize was awarded the plans of Mr George T Welburn, ARIBA, of Middlesbrough and Redcar; the second to Messrs Clark and Moscrop, FRIBA, Darlington; and third to Mr. A Farndale, Kilton Lodge, Brotton. Mr Welburn's plans were accepted by the Council.

He joined in the Cleveland hunt from time to time. On 4 November 1912 considerable interest was yesterday taken in the opening meet of the Cleveland Hounds at Skelton Castle, the residence of the popular master and huntsman, Mr WHA Wharton, and a large crowd gathered on the lawn. Bright sunshine prevailed and there was every prospect of an excellent day's sport. Among those who were present at the meet were Mr. A Farndale, Kilton Lodge.

Then tragedy struck in 1918, when the pressures of Albert’s architectural career seem to have become too much for him. He died aged 37 and was buried at St Peter, Brotton, on 23 December 1918.

Albert Farndale, 37, son of a farmer, of Kilton Lodge, Brotton, died under tragic circumstances, yesterday. Missing from his home some hours a search was made, and his body was found in one of the outbuildings on the farm. His head was shattered, and nearby was a double barreled gun. Appearances went to show that Farndale had first fixed the gun in a vice, and after placing the muzzle in his mouth, had pushed the trigger with a piece of iron about two feet in length. About 9 or 10 years ago deceased was an architect at South Bank, but since that time has been engaged in agricultural pursuits.

On Thursday afternoon, last week, Albert Farndale, 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.

The Performer

The youngest of the family was Sophia Farndale, born in 1884.

At local events in Kilton she seems to have been the entertainer. Miss S Farndale was accompanist. Songs, duets and recitations were rendered by Miss Farndale. For the entertainment to visitors there was Mrs Jolly’s waxwork, tableaux vivants by the Misses Farndale and others, a ping pong tournament and a concert by the Loftus spring band. A tableau vivant, a French term for a living picture, was a static scene composed by actors who were stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and scenery, and sometimes theatrically lit.

She married Maxwell Foster and they settled in Stockton, the once home of her grandfather, John Farndale, where they had a large family of eight. She eventually lived in a house there which was called ‘Kilton’ on The Drive at Stockton.

She died in Hartlepool in 1971.

Scene 7 - The Kilton Wanderers

George Farndale’s family

You will recall that George Farndale of the fourth generation of Kilton Farndales, left Kilton and his family made new lives for themselves away from Kilton. So whilst the branch of the family we have met above continued to live at Kilton until 1940, George’s family left Kilton and quickly spread across Cleveland. Since George was my great x3 grandfather, his family are the Kilton offshoots from which my part of the family descend.

In 1816 William Farndale had taken a farm at Easby for George who married Mary Armstrong that year and they had seven sons.

George farmed in Easby near Stokesley after his marriage in 1816 until about 1825. He then moved to Marton, near Ormesby and Great Ayton, before moving back to Kilton by 1841, by which time he was working on the farm and supported by his brother.

When his father died in 1846, he had left funds to George’s three brothers for his care. George seems to have fallen ill and needed support and the Kilton farm passed to George’s younger brother Martin Farndale, and later to John Farndale’s son, Charles Farndale. He died aged 68 years, at Kilton on 8 May 1858. of pneumonia and effusion of fluid in the ventricle of the brain.

George and Mary’s fifth son, John Farndale had died at the age of only one, and the rest of his family by then had dispersed across Cleveland.

Finding Work

In the Victorian Age, the most obvious employment for those who left the security of generations of living from the land, was ironstone mining. We will return to the impact of ironstone mining in Chapter 18. As they left the protection of the generational community at Kilton, George’s family picked up what work they could, as miners and labourers.

William Farndale (1817 to 1901) was a labourer in Stokesley by 1861, but by 1881, he was working in the mines at Margrove Park. His son Joseph Farndale (1875 to 1921) worked around Cleveland variously as a labourer, a farm worker, a bricklayer and a hind looking after horses.

George Farndale (1820 to 1891) was a tile maker in Stokesley by 1861 and he was working as an ironstone miner at Middlesbrough by 1861 and was later a brick maker.

The Bishop Auckland Farndales

Thomas Farndale (1822 to 1854) was a pit man in Auckland by 1850 and later a coal miner. He died of phthisis at the age of 32. His family were the Bishop Auckland Line. Thomas’s son William Farndale worked in a wine vault at Firby, near Bedale, who adopted Nora Bovill with his sister Mary Ann Farndale. Mary Ann Farndale was an excellent needlewoman. She did not drink alcohol but offered spirits to visitors who she met in the ‘front room’ of the Dun Cow where she knew the landlady. Mary Ann visited Bishop Auckland each Thursday for market day and to meet other family members. She was strict but extremely kind and was only ever spoken of in terms of great respect and affection. She knew that she came from a huge extended family but did not know many of them. Her adopted daughter Nora had vivid memories of holidays at Cragg Hall Farm; she was adamant that she knew it is Cragg and not Craggs. Matthew Farndale, affectionately called Mattha by Mary Ann, was an elderly widower by then and he appeared to enjoy her fussing over him. Mary Ann and Nora remembered a beautiful rose garden hidden at the back of the farm seen only by those at the farm, with fruit bushes dripping with berries, and she remembers taking the farmworkers lunches out to the fields at midday, and being allowed to go shopping on her own to Carlin How or Brotton when she was only 5 or 6 at the time. She remembered reading Pilgrims Progress in the rarely used ‘front room’ A special treat was to be taken for rides in the side car of Herbert Farndale’s motor bike. Herbert, Matthews’ son was presumably running Craggs farm by this stage.

The Coatham Farndales

Matthew Farndale (1827 to 1905) was ploughman on a farm in Ormsby by 1850 and also worked as an agricultural labourer. He married Ann Readman of Coatham in 1855 and he moved there to live at Coatham Sand Banks. By 1871 he was a foreman at Sand Banks and his wife Ann Farndale ran a Temperance Hotel there. They had a family of three daughters and three sons, the Coatham Line. The daughters were laundresses and dressmakers. His son George Farndale was a successful footballer in the Redcar Crusaders team. His grandson, George William Farndale, emigrated to USA and George’s family were the American 2 Line.

The carpenter and cordwainer

Robert Farndale (1830 to 1875) continued to live at Kilton Hall Farm with his grandfather William Farndale until 1841 and he seems to have been favoured by his grandfather who bequeathed his silver watch and £20 to pay for his apprenticeship when William died in 1846. By 1851 Robert left Kilton for Loftus, where he was an apprentice joiner and cartwright with John Walker. By 1861, he was a cordwainer in Stockton. A cordwainer was distinguished from a cobbler as an artisan trained in the technical aspects of crafting a shoe from scratch.

The Farmer of Fogga Farm

Martin Farndale (1818 to 1862) was the second son of George and Mary Farndale, and the website author’s great great grandfather. Martin was born in 1818 and baptised on 17 December 1818 at Great Ayton. By 1841, he was working on the farm of Michael Dixon at Skelton.

Martin married Elizabeth Taylor at Skelton, on 27 February 1842, who was the granddaughter of John Andrew, the notorious smuggler chief of Old Saltburn.

Martin and Elizabeth (known as Bessie) had four sons. The oldest was William Farndale who died aged only 11. The second son was Martin Farndale, my great grandfather, who settled at Tidkinhow, and whose story will be told in Act 23. The third son was John Farndale, who became a railwayman. The fourth son was Matthew Farndale, who took a farm at Craggs Hill.

By 1851, Martin Farndale was a farmer of 70 acres at Fogga Farm in Skelton. Fogga Farm was located in present day North Skelton where the Ironstone Mine was later opened in 1872. It was also known as Old Fogga.

Martin Farndale died on 12 July 1862 aged 43 Guisborough from empyema. Elizabeth Farndale was present at the death. There is a family story that Martin was kicked by a horse. Empyema is the medical term for pockets of pus that have collected inside a body cavity. They can form if a bacterial infection is left untreated, or if it fails to fully respond to treatment. The term empyema is most commonly used to refer to pus-filled pockets that develop in the pleural space.

Elizabeth Farndale, widow of Martin Farndale, farmer, aged 83, died of influenza and sirgultas on 21 March 1894 at Craggs Hall Farm, the farm of her son, Matthew Farndale.

Martin and Elizabeth are buried at the entrance to Skelton Old Church.

Return to the Contents Page

or

Go Straight to Act 14 – The other Kilton Farndales