Memories
of my Father – Earliest days
My
father's memory has faded and the chance to have a meaningful
discussion on virtually anything has now gone forever. Old age has
become senility, vascular dementia has dealt its' cruel blow and only
his reminiscences that I have recorded remain for us. This is for
you my family, friends and anyone that may find his life of interest.
Background
My father Frank Barker was born in 1918 in Middlewich, Cheshire. Second son of Nina Charlesworth and John Massey Barker. Nina was a daughter of Thomas and Hannah Charlesworth from Badington, near Nantwich Cheshire. A child of first cousins, the result of which, blighted not only her life but those of her siblings. Many not surviving the first few years of life, and the remainder expiring earlier than would be expected. Whilst we may consider this type of marriage very distasteful, it appeared far more commonplace in the affluent Cheshire farming families than I had expected. There could only be one reason, money!, with children actually encouraged to marry cousins to maintain land and assets within the family.
John
Massey Barker was the youngest son of George J Barker, a farmer's and
veterinary surgeons son and Sarah Massey daughter of Edward Massey,
founder of Massey Bros. in Cranage, Cheshire. Tragically he was left
an orphan at the age of 12 and was taken into the care of his Aunt,
Lucy Manley (sister of his mother).
First
Memories “Old Ned Sandbach”
A
story of a close bond between a small boy and an Old Drover.
Dad's brother Harry, less than two
years older than Dad, suffered dreadfully from Eczema and without the
modern medications now available, needed constant attention. This
resulted in Dad not having a great deal of parental attention and
developing a close relationship with an old Drover, Ned Sandbach.
Ned was a real migrant, and turned up every Spring at Croxton Bank,
after living in Northwich Workhouse during the winter months.
Ned, was paid for work he did, lived
in the barn, being fed buttermilk and tatties. Unlike other
agricultural labourers he wouldn't sign up at the hiring fairs, but
managed to survive without being in the system. Dad remembers his
arrival in Spring, “Aye up misses hav e got any buttermilk and
tatties” he would shout. He helped out at local farms undertaking
droving work( taking the livestock to markets) and any other odd jobs
he could find. On one hand all of Ned fingers were knarled and bent,
the result of a severe horse bite left unattended due to the lack of
money for “doctoring”. The earliest recollection Dad has, was
when his brother was ill. Ned would say to Nina his mother, “Aye
up missus put child'tin pram and I'll take him down Dane”. The
Dane, being the river just past Croxton Bank. This relationship with
the old drover lasted well into Dad's early teens and he gained from
the old man, farming skills that would help him in the years ahead and "Old Ned" had a surrogate son, someone who loved him.
Notes:
1911
Census, Edward Sandbach aged 53 on the “Police Return of Homeless
Persons” living at Sheriff House Farm, Stansthorne, Cheshire in a
barn – born Middlewich, Cheshire.
