Mary Farndale

26 September 1832 to 26 January 1903

The Whitby 4 Line

FAR00320

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Straw bonnet maker of Whitby and mariner’s wife.

Her life was beset with tragedy. She lost her father when she was only five years old in 1837. She lost her husband at sea, when she was still only 36 years old, together with her brother, in a storm in 1868 (only months after her husband had survived another wrecking).

Dates are in red.

Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.

Headlines of Mary’s life are in brown.

References and citations are in turquoise.

Context and local history are in purple.

1832

Mary Farndale was born on 26 September 1832, the daughter of John Christopher and Ann (nee Ling) Farndale, (FAR00244). She was born on 26 September 1832 and baptised at Whitby on 24 October 1832 (Whitby PR ).

1837

Mary’s father, John Christopher Farndale the Elder died in 1837, when Mary was only five years old.

1841

After Mary’s father, John the Elder had died, the Census of 1841 for Whitby Cray listed his widow, Ann Farndale, age 45; born in Yorks (ie 1796); Thomas Farndale, age 13 (FAR00300); John Farndale, aged 10 (FAR00308); Mary Farndale, aged 8 (FAR00320).

1851

The Census of 1851 for St Anne’s Snaith, Whitby listed Mary Farndale, aged 18; unmarried; straw bonnet maker.

1852

Mary Farndale, 20, of Pier Whitby, daughter of the late John Christopher Farndale, married John Chambers, a mariner, son of John Chambers at St Mary the Virgin, Whitby on 10 December 1852 (Whitby PR).

1854

Sarah Ann Chambers was born in 1854 (1861 census).

1861

The 1861 Census for 8 George Street, Ruswarp, Whitby listed Ann Farndale, a widow, 65, Mary’s mother, was head of the household, with Mary Chambers, aged 25 (Mariner’s wife and house lodger), and Sarah Ann Chambers, her daughter, aged 7, a scholar.

So she seemed to have lived with her widowed mother and daughter. John was a mariner.

1868

Mary lost her husband, John Chambers at sea, with her brother John Christopher Farndale (FAR00308).

The Times, Thursday 20 February 1868, page 12 and The Newcastle Daily Journal, Friday 21 February 1868:

THE NORFOLK SCREW STEAMER.

The following is a list of the crew of the screw steamer Norfolk, of Wisbech, lost upon the French coast in the storms of a week ago. She was laden with coals from the Tyne for Barcelona, and her crew signed articles at the South Shields shipping office:

Master: John C Farndale, 56 years of age, belonging to Whitby, but residing at 14, New Parade, Wisbech;

Mate: William J Cousins, Portsmouth;

Second Mate: William H Telford, Wisbech;

Carpenter: Henry Nisbet, Sunderland;

Steward: Watson Leek, Whitby;

Boatswain: George Fern, Bridgewater;

Lamp trimmer: John Chambers, Whitby;

Seamen: Samuel Gridgeman, Wisbech; Samuel Matthews, Bristol; William Parry, Manchester; William Donnelly, Wisbech;

Engineer: George Moody, South Shields;

Assistant Engineer: David Harkness, South Shields;

Leading Fireman: George Laund, London;

Firemen: Thomas Previlage, Trieste; Charles Gordon, Manchester; William Rewscastle, South Shields, and Robert Graves, London.

The Ipswich Journal, Saturday 22 February 1868:

LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP NORFOLK.

Intelligence has been received at Wisbech of the loss of the fine steamship Norfolk, and all her crew, consisting of 18 persons. The Norfolk, which was launched about two years since, was on her voyage from Newcastle to Barcelona, laden with coals, and the telegram which was received from Nantes, February 7th, was as follows:

“Advice is from Roscoff, dated February 5th, stated that the master of the Aiglon arrived at that port, reported having seen a large steamer founder January 22nd, during a heavy gale, from the neighbourhood of Ushant. Some papers which are supposed to have belonged to the Norfolk (s), Ferndale (sic), from Newcastle for Barcelona, have been picked up near Plouescat, and a life buoy, marked Norfolk, has been picked up at sea by some Roscoff boats.”

The names of the crews so far as can be ascertained, were as follows: Captain John C Farndale, 37 of Wisbech, had been 17 years master and was much respected, has left a widow and three children. William John Cousins, chief officer, from Hartlepool. William H B Telford, 22, second officer. He passed his examination on the 8th of January, with great credit, and obtained the certificate at Sunderland only three days before he went on board. He was educated at Wisbech grammar school. He was brother of Mrs Farndale and son of J H Telford, of Wisbech. John Chambers, 38, third officer, married Captain Farndale's sister, and has left a widow and one child at Sunderland. This was his first voyage in the Norfolk, and only a few months ago he was wrecked, and was four days on board the wreck, off Yarmouth. Watson Lake, 25, who was also a relative of Captain Farndale. His mother is living at Whitby, and she has lost her husband and five sons at sea. William Donaby, about 25, boatswain, has left a sister at Wisbech; George Wenn, seaman; George Cox, 18, son of Captain John Cox, of the Robert Lowe (s), and Queen Street, Wisbech, apprentice, Samuel Gridgman, 21, seaman, his parents reside in the Leverington Road, Wisbech, John Stevenson, chief engineer, and eight others whose names are at present unknown. The Norfolk was the property of Richard young Esquire, MP, and was insured.

1903

Mary Chambers, died at Scarborough, aged 71, in the first quarter of 1903, she was born 1832 (GRO Vol 9d page 237). She died on 26 January 1903 (The Era, 31 January 1903).