By Wendy Price (USA) August 2012
In 2006, I decided to investigate my father’s side of the family tree. My dad’s name was Aaron Alexander Franks (born May 3rd, 1921) and he died July 17th, 1988 just after my daughter was born. He was a very successful Building Commissioner in the large city in Ontario, Canada where I grew up. While he was alive, he told me proudly of his Yorkshire roots and how beautiful the north of England was. Every Sunday he made roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and whenever he had a few drinks in him, he would revert back to some old Yorkshire sayings and his accent became thicker. We were living in Canada, where he had emigrated in the late 1950s but I always knew how proud he was to be from the north of England. He told us little of his family back in England, although I did know his father’s name (David) and his mother’s maiden name (Margaret Hannah Robinson). I also knew that he came from a large family and each of his aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents etc also came from huge families. So with very little to go on, I started my search. Six years later, I have learned that the lovely village of Husthwaite played a large part in my ancestry.
The Frank family lived in Yorkshire (Ottringham) and my research tells me that my great, great, great grandfather Charles Frank married a girl there named Frances Marshill on February 18th, 1805. Six months later (on August 23rd) my 2x great grandfather George was born. It’s unclear where the family lived or when exactly the move to Husthwaite happened. But, the next we hear from George he is grown up and marries a girl from nearby Helmsley. Her name was Rebecca Bowes and they got married on June 16th, 1832. George was 26 years old and Rebecca was 19 years old. Around this time they had their first child, a son named William. In 1833 they had a daughter named Ann, in 1835 a son Benjamin was born, in 1838 daughter Sarah was born and in 1841 they had another daughter named Jane.
When the first official census was recorded in 1841, George and Rebecca were listed as living in Husthwaite with their 5 children. According to the Husthwaite House Plots*, they were renting the house now known as Aletheia House on High Street (which was owned by Thomas Moncaster). Also, in 1841, the garden at the back of what is now called Broom House, a few houses further along the road, was jointly let to George and his friend Charles Bosonworth. The census lists George’s trade as a farm labourer. George was born at Oulston, a village 2 miles from Husthwaite and his wife at Carlton 2 miles north of Helmsley.
In 1843, George and Rebecca had their 6th child, a son named George. Three years later (in 1847) they had a daughter they named Margaret, followed by a son named Charles in 1849. My research also showed that the boy Benjamin (who was born in 1835) must have died because in 1851, the census lists George and Rebecca as having had another son they named Benjamin. I am told this “double naming” was a common practice in those days.
On October 29th, 1852 my great grandfather David was born in Husthwaite. In the 1861 census, the family is still living in Husthwaite and had been for at least 20 years. Their address is now listed as Highthorne, Husthwaite and the Ecclesiastical District is cited as St. Peter’s of York. The only children still living at home were Charles (age 12), Benjamin (age 10) and my great grandfather David (age 7). All three boys are listed as “scholars” so presumably, they were enrolled in the local school. Sometime after the 1861 census, the family left Husthwaite.
They apparently moved north to Durham, perhaps so George could find work in a coal mine. Their son George (b. 1843) had already moved to Durham and was working in the mines so it is feasible that George, Rebecca and the children followed the younger George to Durham. Records show that George Senior was working as a Hewer in the Esh Colliery in the 1860s. Sadly, on the 25th of September, 1867 he was killed in a mining accident. The death certificate lists his age as 59 years and the cause of death was as follows, “Accidentally struck on the head by the cage and jammed against the bunting. Death instantaneous. Information received from Thomas Dean, Coroner for Darlington Ward. Inquest held 27th of September, 1867.” George Franks’ name is listed in the Memorium section of the Mining Museum’s web page. After his death, Rebecca continued to live with George Jr and his wife and kids.
In researching my family tree, I stumbled upon your beautiful village. I am proud that my ancestors lived in Husthwaite for an extended period of time. I have been in contact with both Jan Coulthard (who currently lives in the same house George and Rebecca started out in, ie Aletheia House) and Angela Ovenston. They have both been gracious and accommodating with my search and I have no doubt, whenever I make it back to England for a visit, the village of Husthwaite will be the star of the itinerary!
* With grateful thanks to Prof. Stuart Marriott for information about occupancy of the plots at Aletheia House and Broom House from Houses of Husthwaite (Village dwelling sites from the early Seventeenth Century to 1841) downloaded from www.husthwaitehistory.co.uk.