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Walker

1841 Census

William Walker was baptized 12 August 1763 in Redmire, the son of Other Walker. On 14 Sep 1790, he married Margaret Horner, the daughter of Christopher Horner, who was baptized 24 October 1771 in Redmire.

William was known as the `Seer'. He was Parish Clerk and Sexton at Redmire Church, and played the Serpent, a now obsolete wind instrument, in Redmire and Castle Bolton. The Serpent was rescued by Marie Hartley and Joan Ingilby who had it restored and it is now in the Dales' Folk museum at Hawes. He, like his father and mother, lived to a great age.

From a history of Wensleydale:

Some twenty years ago there dwelt at Redmire, a `Seer', whse inward vision could (it is asserted) piece the mystery of the Future. On `dree' dark nights this warlock was wont to take his stand in the narrow green lane leading to the church where the spirits of those persons who were `soon' to die came to him in that vigil the Scot calls `Second Sight' in the form of some Spaewife. If the one `to pass' was a friend or of his kindred, the Seer kept silence, or only disclosed the secret to his wife in 'the witching hour' during disturbed slumber. At length he received his own dread summons, and the local community breathed again, relieved if not overtly glad of his decease.

It was strange that William should have been a member of the Church of England, because his mother Jane was converted to Methodism during John Wesley's visits and as a result was threatened to be horsewhipped by her husband, but he too became a convert a year later, in 1766.

Here we see William and Margaret with their two youngest children in 1841:

Name Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William 75 Parish clerk Yks
WALKER Margaret 65 Yks
WALKER Isabella 25 Yks
WALKER William 20 Yks

Isabella and William were the youngest of their twelve children, of which three died as infants:
  1. William: baptized 16 March 1791, buried 4 February 1801
  2. Other: baptized 5 May 1793, died 6 December 1862, buried 8 December 1862
  3. Elizabeth: baptized 2 May 1797, buried 28 December 1797
  4. Elizabeth: baptized 9 December 1798
  5. Alice: baptized 15 February 1801
  6. William: baptized 10 March 1803, buried 12 April 1806
  7. Margaret: baptized 26 May 1805
  8. Christopher: baptized 6 February 1807
  9. Grace: baptized 11 December 1808, buried 11 April 1898
  10. Ann: baptized 2 December 1810, buried 15 June 1894
  11. Isabella: baptized 12 June 1814
  12. William: baptized 9 April 1820

Another Walker family in 1841 is that of Other Walker, son of the above William and Margaret:

Name Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Other 45 Shoemaker Yks
WALKER Cathrine 35 Yks
WALKER Other 9 Yks
WALKER John 8 Yks

The two children living here are Other's children from his first marriage, to Mary Baty. Mary was baptized 22 January 1804, the child of John Baty and Elizabeth Wood. She married Other on 30 August 1830 and they had two children:
  1. Other: baptized 10 July 1831
  2. John: baptized 21 January 1833

Mary died on 4 May 1837 and was buried at Redmire on 6 May 1837. Other subsequently married Catharine, his wife shown here.

Another son of William and Margaret heads another 1841 Walker household:

Name Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Christopher 30 Coalminer Yks
WALKER Elizabeth 30 Yks
WALKER William 11 Yks
WALKER Hannah 9 Yks
WALKER Joseph 8 Yks
WALKER Other 5 Yks
WALKER Margaret 3 Yks
WALKER James 1 Yks

Christopher married Elizabeth Craddock on 24 May 1829 at Wensley. Elizabeth was the daughter of George Craddock and Maria Tomlin, born in Preston under Scar and baptized 10 May 1807 in Wensley. Prior to 1841, they had six children:
  1. William: baptized 17 June 1830, Wensley
  2. Hannah: baptized 5 Feb 1832, Wensley
  3. Joseph: baptized 29 December 1833, Wensley
  4. Other: baptized 7 February 1836, Wensley
  5. Margaret: (unknown)
  6. James: baptized 10 May 1840, Redmire

The final Walker family in 1841 is Mary, the widow of Thomas, and her son William.

Name Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Mary 45 Agricultural Labourer Yks
WALKER William 20 Lead Miner Yks

Thomas Walker, baptized 28 July 1769 in Redmire, is the younger brother of William Walker (b. 1763) and son of Other. He married Mary Dinsdale on 23 June 1808. Thomas and Mary had three children baptized in Redmire, including the William shown above:
  1. Jane: baptized 27 August 1809
  2. Mary: baptizeed 10 April 1812
  3. William: baptized 14 August 1816

Thomas Walker died in 1817, and was buried at Redmire 26 April 1817.

1851 Census

By 1851, Christopher and Elizabeth's family has grown with another five children:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Christopher Head 44 Lead Miner Redmire
WALKER Elizabeth Wife 43 Redmire
WALKER William Son 20 Lead Miner Redmire
WALKER Other Son 15 Lead Miner Redmire
WALKER Margaret Daughter 13 Scholar Redmire
WALKER James Son 11 Scholar Redmire
WALKER Ann Daughter 5 Scholar Redmire
WALKER Alice Daughter 9 Scholar Redmire
WALKER Jane Daughter 7 Scholar Redmire
WALKER Forster Son 3 Redmire
WALKER Elizabeth Daughter 2 Redmire

The arrivals since 1841 were all baptized in Redmire:
  1. Alice: baptized 3 April 1842
  2. Jane: baptized 9 June 1844
  3. Ann: baptized 29 March 1846
  4. Forster: baptized 19 March 1848
  5. Elizabeth: baptized 10 February 1850

Christopher's older brother Other is still living nearby, now farming with his second wife:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Other Head 57 Farmer 7 acres Redmire
WALKER Catharine Wife 47 Redmire

Christopher and Other's parents are also still alive in 1851. William Walker, together with the Rev. John Calvert (see *) are now the oldest priest and clerk in the country:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William Head 87 Farmer 5 acres & Parish Clerk Redmire
WALKER Margaret Wife 79 Redmire
WALKER Isabella Daughter 36 Redmire
WALKER William Son 31 Lead Miner Redmire

1861 Census

By 1861, young Alice Walker has left home, and is occupied as a house servant in the Blades household:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
BLADES Christiana Head, Widow 55 landed proprietor Redmire
BLADES Christiana Daughter, Unmarried 31 Wensley
BLADES Ann Daughter, Unmarried 29 Wensley
BLADES Isabella Daughter, Unmarried 21 Wensley
WALKER Alice Servant, Unmarried 19 House Servant Wensley

Shortly after we saw William last, he married Margaret Pattison in Redmire in May 1852, and is now seen with his young family:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William Head, Married 41 Farmer, Labourer Redmire
WALKER Margaret Wife, Married 41 Bellerby
WALKER Other Son 8 Redmire
WALKER George Son 8 Redmire
WALKER Margaret Daughter 6 Redmire
WALKER William T. Son 4 Redmire

William and Margaret had four children baptized in Redmire by 1861:
  1. Twins Other and George: baptized 25 March 1853
  2. Margaret: baptized 30 September 1855
  3. William Thomas: baptized 24 March 1857

Other Walker has now taken on the role of Methodist preacher in Redmire.

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Other Head, Married 67 Farmer, Labourer, Lead Miner, Methodist local preacher Redmire
WALKER Catharine Wife, Married 57 Redmire

Another Methodist Walker family is headed up by Mary Ann, widow of William Walker:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Mary A. Head, Widow 29 washerwoman Gunnerside
WALKER Sarah Daughter 7 Scholar Redmire
WALKER Christopher Son 5 Scholar Redmire

William Walker was the son of Christopher and Elizabeth (below). He married Mary Ann Sunter in Redmire, November 1852. Mary Ann was the daughter of Christopher Sunter and Sarey, baptized 29 July 1832 at Gunnerside Wesleyan. William and Mary Ann's children were baptized at the Methodist chapel:
  1. Sarah: born 14 December 1853, baptized 20 March 1854
  2. Christopher: born 14 January 1856, baptized 2 March 1856
William was buried in Redmire 9 January 1859.

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Christopher Head, Married 53 Lead Miner Redmire
WALKER Elizabeth Wife, Married 53 Preston
WALKER Other Son, Unmarried 26 Lead Miner Preston
WALKER Elizabeth Daughter 11 Redmire
WALKER Hannah Daughter 7 Redmire

Christopher and Elizabeth have had another child since the 1851 census, their twelfth!
  1. Hannah: baptized 30 October 1853

1871 Census

In 1871, there are only two Walker families in the village. The first is William Walker's growing family:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William Head, Married 51 Labourer Redmire
WALKER Margaret Wife, Married 52 Bellerby
WALKER Other Son, Unmarried 18 Redmire
WALKER Margaret Daughter 15 Scholar Redmire
WALKER WIlliam Thomas Son 14 Scholar Redmire

Christopher Walker has already died, buried in Redmire 28 June 1863, leaving his widow Elizabeth:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Elizabeth Head, Widow 64 Farmer Preston
WALKER Hannah Daughter, Unmarried 17 Redmire
CRADOCK Maud Half-cousin 3 Redmire
CRADOCK Violet Half-cousin 1 Redmire

1881 Census

Hannah Walker is living with the Peacock family in 1881:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
PEACOCK Anthony Head, Married 63 Lead Miner Redmire
PEACOCK Ann Wife, Married 70 Redmire
WALKER Hannah A. Grand-Daughter 11 Scholar Redmire

Hannah is the child of Henry Walker and Margaret Peacock, Margaret being the daughter of the above Anthony and Ann. They married February 1869 in Redmire, at which time Henry Walker was of Constable Burton. They had one other child, Anthony, baptized at Redmire 8 October 1871.

Christopher's widow, Elizabeth has a recent arrival in the household, the illegitimate daughter of her child Elizabeth:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER Elizabeth Head, Widow 74 Cottager Preston
WALKER Lucy Ann Granddaughter 8 Scholar Redmire

Lucy Ann was baptized 2 February 1873 in Redmire. The bastardy sessions in Leyburn, 31 January 1873 give the name of Joseph Simpson of Bellerby as father.

William and Margaret's family are still in the village, although their son William Thomas has died and was buried 18 Feb 1872 in Redmire.

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William Head, Married 61 Farmer and Labourer Redmire
WALKER Margaret Wife, Married 62 Redmire
WALKER Other Son, Unmarried 27 Lead Miner Redmire
WALKER Margaret Daughter, Unmarried 24 Dressmaker Redmire

1891 Census

In 1891 there is one Walker family in Redmire, plus Hannah, still living with her grandparents:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
PEACOCK Anthony Head, Married 73 Ret. miner Redmire
PEACOCK Ann Wife, Married 80 Redmire
WALKER Hannah A. Grand-Daughter, Unmarried 21 Redmire

The last Walker family is headed up by William and Margaret. William is still going strong at 71, extending his occupation with road contractor:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
WALKER William head, Married 71 Road Contractor, Farmer Redmire
WALKER Margaret Wife, Married 71 Bellerby
WALKER Other Son, Unmarried 37 Agricultural Labourer Redmire
WALKER Margaret Daughter, Unmarried 34 Dressmaker Redmire

1901 Census

By 1901, there is only one person named Walker in the village, Other, seen here living with his sister Margaret and her husband:

Name Relationship Age Occupation Birthplace
HORN Ralph Head, Married 34 General Labourer Castle Bolton
HORN Margaret Wife, Married 40 Redmire
WALKER Other Brother-in-law, Unmarried 43 General Labourer Redmire

©2004 David W.J. Stringer-Calvert, Christine Amsden, Larraine Williams

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