Tom Barker – family history from Mike Syer and Barker’s Brickworks Information
I think the picture was probably
taken abt 1910. Tom Barker
(1849-1920) is top right.
It is probably* his son John (18751953) on the right and his second
wife, Elizabeth (née Robson)
(1846-1925) in the middle.
The other two are presumably his
two daughters, Mary (b. 1878)
[perhaps at front right, as she is in
black], who married Matthew
Robson in 1898 and was widowed
the following year, and Rachel (b.
1883) [perhaps at front left], who
married James Hoy in 1913.
* I say this is probably John
because in the photograph I
attach, of workers at the
brickworks, it is obviously Tom
Barker top right. And one of
TB's great grandsons thinks that
the chap at bottom right is
probably his grandfather, John
.
summary of Mike’s notes on Tom Barker.
• World champion fives player, who invested his winnings in buying the brickworks on the site of
the first [working] Bowburn Colliery – though only, it seems, after 1901 – see below.
• @ 1851 Census, name given as Baker [but could look like Beker], aged 3, born Chilton,
Durham, living at West Hetton Houses, Coxhoe, Kelloe, Durham, with his parents (q.v.) etc..
• @ 1861 Census, aged 12, born Chilton, Durham, living at 47, Barretts Houses, Coxhoe, Kelloe,
Durham, with his parents (q.v.) etc.. Described as Labourer.
• Married Elizabeth Chicken in Q2 1865.
• 21 May 1870: Tom Barker became Fives Champion of the World, beating Dan Kelly of Tow
Law, at the Railway Hotel, Coxhoe, on the occasion of the opening of its new Ball Alley. Over
7,000+ people attended. He invested his winnings at Fives in the Bowburn Brickworks, on the site
of the old Bowburn Colliery, according to Robin Walton’s “History of Coxhoe”. However that may
have been some time later – see below.
• @ 1871 Census, aged 22, born Chilton Buildings, Durham, living at Clarence Hetton,
Coxhoe, with his wife, Elizabeth (23, born Gilesgate Moor, Durham). Described as Coal Miner.
• April 1874: Tom Barker, English Fives Champion, retained his title against Bill Walker. The
marathon contest, lasting 165 checks (rallies) and 3 hours 20 minutes, was held at the Tudhoe
Park Sporting Grounds. (Source: Undated newspaper article owned by Robin Walton, viewed on
15/7/2004.)
• @ 1881 Census, aged 32, born Coxhoe, Durham, living at Colliery Cottage[s], Dene Bridge,
Chilton, Durham, with his wife, Elizabeth (33, born Durham, Parish NK), and four children (Joseph,
8, born Durham, Parish NK; John, 6, born Durham, Parish NK; Mary,4, born Durham, Parish NK,
and Thomas, 1, born Durham, Parish NK), + his father, John Barker (63, born Yorkshire, Parish
NK, Coal Miner), his mother, Mary Barker (64, born Yorkshire, Parish NK) and brother, John
Barker, 19, born Durham, Parish NK, Coal Miner). Described as Coal Miner.
• @ 1891 Census, aged 42, born Chilton Buildings, Durham, living at 10, St. Helen’s Terrace,
Kelloe, Durham, with his wife, Elizabeth (43, born Gilesgate Moor, Durham), and six children
(Joseph, 18, born Coxhoe, Grocer’s Assistant; John, 16, born Coxhoe, Coal Miner; Mary, 13, born
Coxhoe, Scholar; Thomas, 11, born Windlestone, Scholar; Ann R., 9, born Dene Bridge, Durham,
Scholar, and Richard, 3, born Kelloe), + his mother, Mary Barker (widow, 75, born Reeth, Barnard
Castle, Yorkshire, Living on own Means). Described as Coal Miner.
• Q2 1895: Re-married, to Elizabeth Robson.
• @ 1901 Census, aged 52, born Kelloe [sic], Durham, living at 5, Park Street, Thornley, Durham,
with his [second] wife, Elizabeth (54, born Coxhoe, Durham), and a widowed daughter (listed as
“W[ife’s?] Dau’r” – but presumed to be his own), Mary Robson (23, born Windlestone, Durham),
and three unmarried children (Thomas Barker, 21, born Dean Bridge, Durham, Colliery Labourer,
below ground; Rachael [Rachel] Barker [listed as “W{ife’s?} Dau’r” – but presumed to be his
own], 19, born West Cornforth, Durham, and John Robson (16, born West Cornforth, Colliery
Putter, below ground). Described as Colliery Labourer, below ground.
Note that TB does not appear to have bought the brickworks until after 1901, as he was still
described as Coal Miner in 1891 and as Colliery Labourer in 1901, and only as Brick Manufacturer
in 1911.
• @ 1911 Census, aged 62, born Chilton Buildings, Durham, living at Prospect Place, Durham, with
his wife, Elizabeth (65, born Kelloe, Durham, married for 16 years [no. of children borne not given]),
and a widowed daughter, Mary Robson (33, born Coxhoe), and an unmarried daughter,
Rachel Barker (28, born Denebridge, Durham), and a grandson [son John’s son], Richard Barker
(17, born Thornley, Brickmaker). Described as Brick Manufacturer (Employer, working at home).
• 14 Oct 1912: The right of way that was later known as Footpath 29 (Cassop-cumQuarrington) was created by a diversion order made by Durham Rural District Council. The
diversion established a path round the edge of Barker’s brickworks, which had just or was
about to be extended to the east, and closed those which had gone round the smaller site (and
previously criss-crossed across it).
• Thomas Barker was registered to vote at Bowburn brickyard in 1914 and 1915, by virtue of
his ownership of that business, but still living at Prospect House, Coxhoe.
• It is believed that Barker’s Brick yard closed in 1914. The “machinery, plant &c. at Bowburn Brick
Works were sold on 24 Jan 1917, for £959/3/-, of which £47/19/- went to the auctioneers (John
Pallister & Son, of Crook); NER got £30; £308/15/6 went to T. Marshall for “principal interest and
costs” (presumably repayment of a loan); Church Commissioners got £6/13/9 rent; T. Jennings
got £6/1/10 “costs to 1913” (presumably unpaid bill) + £10/10/5 “same re sale” and £4/9/6 went in
Income Tax.
That left £544/13/- for T. Barker & Co.. This was divided half to Mr. T. Barker (£2726/6); one
quarter to Mr. J. W. Atkinson, and one quarter to Mr. T. Leonard’s Estate (£136/3/3 each).
(Source: Bowburn Brick Co. Partnership A/c – copy obtained from a relative.)
• Died 6 Sep 1920, leaving £288 2s. 6d. to his widow: “Barker, Thomas, of 4, Prospect-place,
Coxhoe, county Durham, died 6 September 1920. Administration Durham, 12 September 1922, to
Elizabeth Barker, widow. Effects £288 2s. 6d.” – England & Wales, National Probate
Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861-1941 (via Ancestry).
• Also in the 1881 Census, there was a William Barker, aged 59, born Toddington, Bedfordshire,
living at Bowburn Brick Works, Quarrington, Durham, with his wife, Jane (55, born Blenheim,
Bedfordshire). He was described as Brickmaker, employing 4 men & 3 boys and she as
Brickmaker’s wife.
In 1871, William & Jane Barker (49, born Toddington & Hockliffe, Bedfordshire) had been at 9,
Askew Road, Gateshead. He was described as Foreman at Brickworks. She died before the
1891 Census, when he was a widow, aged 67, born Toddington, living at Castle View, Birtley,
with his unmarried daughter, Affra [sic] (33, born Horsley, Yorkshire). He was described as
Foreman Brickmaker.
I have not yet found him before or after 1871. His daughter is probably the Affra (or Afpraor
Appia) Barker whose birth was registered at Stroud, Gloucestershire [not Yorkshire], in Q2 1855
and who in 1871 was a Housemaid & Servant in the household of the Rev. Charles B. Harris (54,
born Kennington, Surrey) at Upper Houghton, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. She probably died
at Wandsworth, Greater London, in Q1 1913, aged 56.
– I have not yet found any family connection between this William Barker and Tom Barker,
the fives champion and owner of the brickworks…