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THE LAST INNKEEPERS OF THE FARRIERS ARMS BRIERLEY
William
Watson was born in Barnsley 23rd May 1788 and the earliest recording of
he being a Blacksmith in Brierley was around 1816. He was the son of
William Watson and Charlotte Pigot, who were married in the district of
Wadworth by Doncaster 19th September 1784. The Transcripts for Barnsley
shows he married Charlotte Cooke 7th March 1814, later to be said to be
of Darton. She was a daughter of Jane Cooke, and was baptised Darfield
6th December 1786.
The
1822 Trade Listing for Brierley shows William to be the Victualler at
the Farriers Arms, and the same list shows John Watson to be a Maltster.
There is a possibility of a family connection, but to be certain is
difficult to say. There are two or three Watson families living in the
district at this time.
By
1841, William and Charlotte Watson have completed the raising of their
children, and with the exception of Mary and Thomas, all are resident at
the Farriers. Five children have survived to reach the font, George 24th
November 1816, Mary 27th December 1818, Thomas 16th October 1825, Jane
31st January 1827 and finally William 7th March 1830.
The
1840’s were probably the heyday for the Farriers, William the
Innkeeper, with his wife looking after the Housekeeping. William’s son
George was grafting in the Smithy, with a resident Blacksmiths
Apprentice in the name of Jonathan Lunn aged 15. Jane and young William
are there to assist, but other sister Mary is absent.
Publican,
William Watson dies in 1847 and is interred Felkirk 23rd August aged 59.
Charlotte now takes over as the Innkeeper with the return of daughter
Mary, and the retention of Jane. Both daughters are unmarried. Son
William is lurking in the background but does not seem to be doing a
great deal of work.
The
1850’s sees the last of the resident Blacksmiths. Son George has set
up home ten houses away after marrying Mary in 1849. They have children
in the names of Mary Jane, born 1849 and son William born 1851.George
has named his daughter after both his sisters. 1851 also sees the
marriage of Jane Watson to Thomas Rogerson, the service-taking place at
Felkirk 21st December. Thomas, a stonemason, was the son of a stonemason
Thomas Rogerson and Mary Cusworth. They were married at Felkirk 25th
September 1826, and had moved from Shafton to Brierley in 1834. Thomas,
in later life becomes a builder and farmer of six and a half acres and
was resident at 5 Provident Terrace Brierley with one of his six
offspring living next door.
(In
later years, George and Mary have two further sons in the names of
Joseph (1854), and Samuel (1863).
Joseph,
an agricultural labourer weds Christiana from kirkby, and Samuel, a
coachman weds Harriet. There were children from each of these
marriages).
Back
to the Watson family and we find 15th January 1854 at the age of 68, the
death of Charlotte. She joins William at Felkirk. Under the long grass,
I feel sure there will be a stone to mark the grave.
The
1860’s, and the Farriers is said to be now on Doncaster Road. William
Watson junior has finally taken over as the Innkeeper. His sister, Jane
Rogerson is retained as Housekeeper. Jane has now two daughters in the
names of Mary Elizabeth and Clara Jane.
However,
husband Thomas has disappeared. In the next few years, Jane also leaves
the district. In 1871, William, still unmarried, has taken on the
35-year-old unmarried Jane Harrison, as Housekeeper. She is said to be
from Darton, although Higham was later to be recorded. George Watson the
Blacksmith dies 1st May 1875 and the Farriers is now in decline. It
possible that the death of George, (who I believe had been doing the
smithy work at the Farriers) prompted the change in occupation for his
brother William.
William
Watson moves out of the Farriers to take up the profession of Shopkeeper
come grocer/general provisions trading on Church Street. From
information already mentioned, I place the shop, roughly at the doorstep
of the residence/workshop of his late brother George. William’s
Domestic Servant, Jane Harrison, stays with him up till his death on 3rd
January 1894. The unmarried Jane Harrison joins him 17th December 1912.
Their grave is marked with a cross-shaped headstone that is close to the
church, on the roadside elevation.
The
third generation William Watson carries on the profession of his father
George. William marries Edith, and all their children are born and
baptised in Brierley. They are, Edith 1883, Herbert 1886, Wilfred 1888,
Mabel 1893, Anne Louise 1895, and Jessie 1899. In his middle fifties,
William becomes a dealer in cattle.
William
and Edith were buried in Brierley in 1921 and 1929 respectively, and
daughter Mabel was interred in the same grave in 1972. Although there
were two other Watson families, (not related), in Brierley, during this
same period, I feel sure there are other descendants, directly related,
living locally. In 1915, Joseph and William Watson were resident, and
Rowland had residence and shop in Brierley.
William
and Charlotte are my Great Great Great Grandparents on my Grandmothers
side. There are many descendants, reaching as far as eight generations,
but not one is, or has been, a Shopkeeper, Blacksmith or Innkeeper.
Trevor
Limbert Copyright free for Local History use only
The
photograph left shows Mary Elizabeth Rogerson with three of her four
daughters from her marriage to Stonemason, Samuel Squires. They are
standing, left, Ada Florence born 1885, Emily born 1883, seated are
Ethel born 1891 and Mary Elizabeth born 1855. A family grave in Barnsley
is where Jane Rogerson, Samuel Squires, Mary Elizabeth and three of her
children that died in infancy are interred.
The
photograph right shows the Farriers Arms after being converted to living
accommodation. Date unknown, possibly early 1900s. The house is still
standing today (Jan 2001) and is situated on Cordeux's Corner, opposite
Lindley House.
Trevor
Limbert comes from Mapplewell and I met him in September 2000 when he
called at my home to ask if I had any information or photographs on the
Farriers Arms of which Trevor’s ancestors where the victuallers.
Trevor informed me that he was researching his family tree and promised
me a copy of any information he gathered together about the Farriers.
These writings are in Trevor’s own words following his intense
research and I am privileged Trevor has allowed me to copy his work into
the Baipip archives for future generations to enjoy.
Baipip
1 November 2000
Update March 2009
Sadly Trevor has passed away
update
I have just found your website
today and I was reading about the Watsons of the Farriers arms and the
article by Trevor Limbert and he said no descendants of the Watsons were
ever Innkeepers. I have been researching William and Charlotte Watsons
daughter Mary born 1818...she married a publican Joshua Wilkinson of the
musical tavern Shambles Street Barnsley. When he died she became the Inn
keeper until her death in 1893 in which case her son Joshua Watson Wilkinson
took over until 1922. Mary's other son Joseph Henry Wilkinson went on to
become the publican of the Sovereign Inn in Shambles St Barnsley 1898-1905
and then Landlord of the Cock Inn from 1905-1917.
Susan Ross New Zealand
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