Ambition and Work
Exploring the ambitions of our ancestors
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Opportunity
Before the Industrial Revolution, our ancestors worked in a rural
world confined by immediate neighbourhood. Their horizons were naturally
limited. Journeys of even a few miles were difficult. Opportunities for work
were limited to the agricultural tasks of the neighbourhood. Those who did not
own or lease their own land, offered their services to those who did. Thus many
of our ancestors appear in the census records as ‘agricultural labourers’.
Sometimes they were forced to take more desperate measures to survive, such as our ancestors poachers
in the fourteenth and fifteenth century who were fined, outlawed or even
excommunicated
Yet even in the fourteenth century, our family looked south from
the valley of Farndale, and emigrated to Sheriff Hutton, York and Doncaster. Within a few
centuries of their serfdom in Farndale, three generations of Johannis de Farendale had found work as saddler, and butcher and become
freemen of the City of York from 1363. By 1355, William Farndale (FAR00038)
had become chaplain of Doncaster Parish and by 1396 was its vicar.
Military opportunity …
Aspiration
John Christopher Farndale the Elder (FAR00244) was born
in Whitby probably to a family who knew life at sea. His mother claimed a
pension from the Royal Hospital Chelsea after his father had died, so his
father may have worked for the Royal Navy, possibly as a carpenter. John
Christopher would become a Master Mariner, an ambitious sea captain commanding
collier brigs along the coast, and two of his sons would in time become Master
Mariners themselves, and another son was a ship broker’s clerk.
Emigrations to Canada, Australia, New Zealand …
Determination
William Farndale (FAR00038)
was chaplain of Doncaster Parish by 1355. Doncaster was badly impacted by the
Black Death which hit the down in about 1347. William must have survived the
Black Death. Perhaps he was already a chaplain by the time of the Black Death
and his pastoral skills would have been tested to their limit. Perhaps having
survived the Black Death, he was driven to his future success.
Apprenticeship
Lark Rise, Flora
Thomson, Chapter II, A Hamlet Childhood: Edmund must be apprenticed to a good trade—a
carpenter's, perhaps—for if a man had a good trade in his hands he was always
sure of a living. Laura might become a school-teacher, or, if that proved
impossible, a children's nurse in a good family. But, first and foremost, the
family must move from Lark Rise to a house in the market town.
John Chistopher Farndale the Younger (FAR00308) became a
sea apprentice by the age of 15. As a teenager, it is perhaps not surprising
that he was not entirely focused on his future at that stage. The Hull Packet, 28 February
1845 reported: CAUTION TO
APPRENTICES. JUSTICE ROOM, WHITBY. FEB 19. Before Thos Fishburn, and John
Chapman, Esqrs. On Saturday four sea apprentices, named Matthew Walker, John
Christopher Farndale, Isaac Wilson, and Thomas Hill, where charged with
absenting themselves from the ship Great Britain, belonging to Mr Joseph
Tindale, of Whitby. The charge was clearly proved by the master, and the lads
failing to show any justifiable cause for their misconduct, were committed to
Northallerton for one month’s hard labour. We hope this punishment will bring
the young delinquents to a sense of their duty, and act as a warning to others.
It is notorious that the owners of vessels in Whitby harbour, particularly the
owner of the Great Britain, have suffered considerably by the incorrigible
conduct of their apprentices; and Mr Tynedale is, in our opinion, worthy of
praise for thus stepping forward to put a check on such proceedings. Yet
John clearly had ambition because in time, he would become a master mariner and
captained vessels trading across the Baltic and to Russia.
Achievement
Joseph Farndale (FAR00350B) was
born in 1842 in Whitby. His father was an agricultural labourer. By the age of
19, in 1861, Joseph was working as a drainer at Eskdaleside and like his
father, he began work in the fields. The Sheffield Independent, 15 March 1899 told the story of his path to become Chief Constable of
Birmingham City Police: … His cousin, who still resides and works in the
midst of those rural scenes of Yorkshire which the smart member of the
Farndale family quitted to earn fame and fortune, tells that young
Joseph Farndale was at work in the fields one day, at the tail of the dung cart,
when some word of blame brought his natural dislike of the occupation to a
head, and throwing down the fork, he explained, “I'll go for a
policeman!” No sooner said than done. He joined the force in a neighbouring
town that very day and soon became a particularly capable constable. From
Middlesbrough Farndale passed to Chesterfield, now well on the path of rapid
promotion. He was Chief Constable of Leicester for a few years, and then obtained
the valuable Birmingham appointment. He was particularly respected from his
rising ‘through the ranks’ to become head of the Birmingham City Police. His
nephew, also Joseph Farndale (FAR00463)
similarly joined the Halifax Police as a police constable in 1884 and spent
nine years on the beat, though rising quickly to sergeant and detective, before
become Chief Constable of Margate, York and then Bradford Police.
Jim
Farndale (FAR00607)
was the sixth born of a family of twelve to Martin, who farmed at Tidkinhow. He worked for local farmers, as a stockman,
and for a while as a miner, but opportunities were limited. In 1911, the year
before the Titanic sank on the same route, he crossed the Atlantic to follow
other members of his family to Alberta. He decided to move south into USA and
sought every opportunity to improve his education, finding a place at Valpraiso University (‘Valpro’)
in Indiana. He went to France in the army in 1917 and returned to find work as
a carpenter. He worked in an architect’s office for a while. Despite ill health
he worked hard and by the 1930s he was actively involved in the Boulder Dam
Project, fighting for the rights of those working on the project through the
Carpenter’s Union. By 1936 he was elected for the first of two terms on the
Nevada Assembly and from 1942 to 1946 he became state senator. In 1945 he wrote
to his brother: I enjoy this work very much as I have always very much
interested in political matters and matters concerning government. There is of
course quite a bit of honour in being a member of the Legislature. We don't
meet every year but once in two years, then only for 60 days. There is always a
lot to do. Any member can introduce bills and I always get more done than
average, because I work harder than most of them.