Frances Clark
Frances Nelson Clark
Frances Nelson, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Nelson, was born in East Howle where her father was a miner, in 1865.
Frances married John Thomas Wood Clark at Holy Trinity Church in 1884 when she was nineteen. Her husband known as Thomas was twenty four. On the marriage certificate Frances signed her own name, in an accomplished hand, which was witnessed by her mother. Thomas signed the marriage certificate with a cross witnessed by the vicar the reverend B Parker. Thomas had been deaf since he was two years old. His deafness may have affected his schooling. His occupation is listed as a ‘cart man’. Thomas’s father William was a farmer.
Frances’ and Thomas’ first child Richard William Clark was born on 13th November 1985 at The Mill. Cornforth Lane. The couples’ second child; Thomas was born in 1888, their third child Arthur George was born on May 4th 1890. Arthur George was baptised the day he was born possibly because he was sickly. Sadly Arthur George died in infancy.
A fourth child, another son, Joseph, was born on May 17th 1894. Jane Anne, Frances’ and Thomas’ first and eldest daughter was born in 1896. A second daughter Maggie was born on the 8th of June 1900. Twins; Ernest and Frances, were born in 1902, their sixth son, Charles was born on 2 August 1904 and another set of twins Polly and Elizabeth were born on May 18th 1907 when Frances was 42.
Frances was young when she married, her husband was almost six years older and reputedly short tempered possibly due to the frustrations caused by his deafness. Frances lived with her in laws at White House Farm close to ‘The Green’. Everyone worked on the farm; Frances fed the poultry and sold milk to people from Cornforth who came to the farm to buy it.
A regular church going, God fearing, woman Frances worked hard and expected the same of her children. Frances was a loyal and supportive wife. Her main role was as housekeeper and mother. Feeding a large family was a priority. Food was kept under lock and key. Frances had the set of keys; a chatelaine, which she kept about her person. The food cupboard was only opened by her at meal times.
Richard, Frances’ eldest child was a great help around the farm and was skilled at training and handling the horses. Not long after he left school Richard ran away to his Granny ‘Gursby’ who lived in a small hamlet of the same name near Yarm. Granny ‘Gursby’ was his grandfather William’s mother. Apparently Richard ran away because he resented his mother keeping the food cupboard locked.
Richard returned in 1901 and took up an apprenticeship as a butcher at Coxhoe Cooperative Store where he worked until he retired. Richard married Frances Bird in 1904 and his mother’s first grandchild, a girl was born in 1905. Frances and Frances; mother in law and daughter in law did not always get on.
Mother, mother in law and grandmother Frances had given birth to Charles the year before and went on to have another set of twins who were younger than her granddaughter.
Thomas, Frances’ second son was also apprenticed to the Cooperative Store in Coxhoe as a drapery assistant. Thomas lived with his parents until his marriage to Lily Applegarth in 1914 when he was 26. After their marriage Thomas and Lily lived in West Cornforth. Two short years later in 1916 Thomas was killed in action in France, he was twenty eight.
Maggie, Frances’ second daughter who had been born in 1900 helped on the farm, milking the cows and selling the milk. Maggie married a farmer and went to live in Catterick village.
Frances’ daughter Frances died in 1924 aged just 22 years old.
Frances’ responsibilities were great. Feeding and clothing a large family took determination and effort. No doubt she had to make some hard decisions. Frances was seen to be stern, a view that was reinforced perhaps, because she wore black at all times.
Frances had a long married life. Thomas died in 1937 just weeks before their fifty fifth wedding anniversary. Frances died on August 2nd 1945 and is buried with her husband Thomas close by the cross that commemorates the lives of her three children; Arthur, Thomas and Frances who predeceased her.
Jane Adams – Frances’ Great grand daughter.