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William Baker IV of Fenton and Hasfield Court 2 February 1800 (baptised) to 16
August 1865
BAK00301
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Headlines of William Baker IV’s life are in brown.
Dates are in red.
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Context and local history are in purple.
1800
William Baker IV was the son of William and Mary (nee
Bourne) Baker (BAK00106).
He was born in 1800 and baptised at St
Peter Ad Vincula, Stoke on Trent on 2 February 1800.
1810
William was educated at Manchester Grammar School.
1820
William Baker IV was a pottery and encaustic tile manufacturer, in
partnership with Ralph Bourne and John Bourne as Bourne, Baker & Bourne at
Fenton (dissolved
1833). They employed 500 employees.
1833
The Staffordshire
Advertiser, 16 November 1833: DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP. Notice is
hereby given that the partnership later carried on at Fenton, in Staffordshire,
in the Firm of BOURNE, BAKER and BOURNE, by and between the undersigned Ralph
Bourne, and the late William Baker and John Bourne, both deceased, as
manufacturers of China and Earthen Ware, and owners and workers of Coal Mines;
and which partnership, since the decease of the said William Baker and John
Bourne respectively, has been carried on by their respective executives, in
conjunction with the said Ralph Bourne, was this day finally dissolved. As
witness our hands the 11th day of November, 1833.
Ralph Bourne, Ralph Bourne, William Baker, John Baker, executives of William
Bourne, deceased. Ralph Bourne, John Pratt Jun, Abm
Kaye Holmes, executives of John Baker, deceased. Signed by all the said parties
in the presence of T Fenton.
William Baker IV was trading with Ralph
Bourne and John Baker as Bourne, Baker and Baker in 1833, until Ralph Bourne
died in 1835.
1840
By 1840, William Baker IV was running
the business alone as William Baker & Co. A History of Stoke on Trent by
Ward commented that these manufactories com,bine every advantageous
arrangement, with millwork and machinery for the exercise of potters’
operations. It was said that the
factory produced an ordinary class of printed, sponged and pearl-white granite
ware, suitable for the British, North American, West Indian, African and Indian
markets. He was very successful and made a large fortune from pottery. Wedgewoods were said to have offered to take him into
partnership, but William declined, saying there was more money to be made in
selling chamber pots to Canada.
Ralph Bourne’s will had bequeathed the
sum of £2,500 in the hands of Viscount Sandon and Rev R Bourne Baker as
trustees for the erection of a church in Fenton and a further £1,000 for its
endowment. An additional £3,000 was later given by Ralph Bourne’s sister, Mrs
William Baker and the east window and organ were also provided by the Bourne
family.
William was active in local affairs and
served as an Improvement Officer and in 1840 was Chief Bailiff for the Fenton
District and he was a JP.
The Staffordshire
Advertiser, 1 November 1834: ABSTRACT OF THE PARISH ACCOUNTS, From
the 15th March, to the 13th
September, 1834, WILLIAM BAKER, Fenton, Mr WILLIAM PARKER, Shelton,
Churchwardens.
1841
Census 1841 – High Street,
Stoke upon Trent
Mary Baker, Female, 70, 1771,
Staffordshire, England
William Baker, Male, 40, 1801, Staffordshire, England
Jane Baker, Female, 35, 1806,
Staffordshire, England
Charlotte Baker, Female, 25, 1816,
Staffordshire, England
Thomas Naylor, Male, 20, 1821,
Staffordshire, England
Sarah Bailey, Female, 30, 1811,
Staffordshire, England
Charlotte Leese, Female, 20, 1821,
Staffordshire, England
Elizabeth Gee, Female, 12, 1829,
Staffordshire, England
William was unmarried and so had no children. He is said to have
been a taciturn man.
Although who was this? The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser,
21 September 1841: MARRIED. Lately, at Gretna, and afterwards at the
Cathedral, Chester, WILLIAM BAKER Esq, of the Upper House, Fenton Potteries, to
MARY, daughter of GEORGE SYERS, Esq, of Everton.
1847
The Morning
Herald, 30 November 1847: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that, JOHN PRATT,
the younger, and WILLIAM PRATT, of Lane Delph, in the Parish of Stoke on Trent,
in the County of Stafford, earthenware manufacture Co
partners, have and each of them hath by an indenture of release and
assignment, bearing date the 9th day of November, 1847, and made between the
said John Pratt, the younger, and William Pratt, of the first part; William
Baker, or Fenton, in the said parish of Stoke upon Trent, earthenware manufacturer,
and Edward Kinnersley, of Newcastle under Lyme who shall execute the same
indenture, being creditors upon the said co-partnership stock or joint fund of
the said John Pratt, the younger and William Pratt, of the third part; Conveyed
and assigned all their and each of their real and personal estate and effects
to the said William Baker and Edward Kinnersley, in trust for the equal benefit
of the creditors of the said John Pratt the younger, and William Pratt, parties
thereto. The said indenture of release and assignment was duly executed by the
said John Pratt, the younger, and William pratt, on the 9th day of November,
1847, in the presence of an attested by Frances Stanier, of Newcastle under
Lyme aforesaid, attorney at law, and Thomas Udall, at the same place, attorney
at law; and the same indenture was duly executed by the said William Baker and
Edward Kinnersley at the same 9th day of the said month of November,
in the presence of and attested by the said Francis Stanier and Thomas Udall.
Francis Stanier, Solicitor to the Trustees.
1851
Census 1851 - High Street, Stoke upon Trent
Mary Baker, Head, Widow, Female, 81,
1770, Annuitant, Shelton, Staffordshire, England
William Baker, Son, Unmarried, Male, 50, 1801, Joint coal proprietor
earthenware manufacturer employing 380 males and 187 females farmer of 31
acres, Fenton, Staffordshire
Jane Baker, Daughter, Unmarried, Female,
40, 1811, Lady Fenton, Staffordshire,
England
Charlotte Baker, Daughter, Unmarried,
Female, 35, 1816, Lady Fenton, Staffordshire, England
Thomas Naylor, Servant, Unmarried, Male, 30, 1821, Footman, Cheshire, England
Sarah Lowe, Servant, Unmarried, Female,
30, 1821 , House servant cook, Drayton,
Shropshire, England
Mary Chatfield , Servant, Unmarried, Female, 38, 1813, House servant housemaid,
Sandon, Staffordshire, England
Elizabeth Chatfield, Servant, Unmarried,
Female, 26, 1825, House servant housemaid, Manchester, Lancashire, England
1853
A building called the Athenaeum was provided by him at his own
expense in 1853. It was a ‘nicely Italianate” building and housed a library,
public lecture room and assembly room, also used as a school room.
1857
The Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial and
General Advertiser, 2 May 1857: LECTURE AT THE
FENTON ATHANEAUM. This chaste and beautiful edifice, dedicated to the people,
erected at the munificent cost of William Baker, Esquire, whose sainted mother
laid the foundation stone, is a noble example of the private and disinterested
benevolence on the part of Mr. Baker, worthy of imitation. This building
contains a lecture hall, an assembly room, library, reading and committee
rooms. The benevolent object of the founder is being carried out in both public
and class lectures, conducted by a most respectable and energetic committee, of
which of which Mr. John Hancock is honorary secretary. On Monday evening last,
the second lecture of the season was delivered by the Rev JS Broad, MA, of St.
Georges Church, Newcastle. Subject: “A month on the Rhine” with pictorial
illustrations. The Rev W Sollis, MA, incumbent of Christ Church, Fenton,
presided in the absence of W Baker, Esquire, president of the Society. Among others,
we noticed J Pratt Esq, SC Peers Esq, W Pratt Esq, W Hancock Esq, W Locket Esq,
and party; Mrs J Pratt, Mr and Mrs Jensen, Mr McCreevy, Mr. J Hancock, Mr AK
Holmes, etc the Rev Chairman briefly introduced the lecturer, who at once
applied himself to the theme without a prologue. The Rhine, said he, was called
everybody's tour, but everybody had not made the tour of the Rhine. He left the
shores of old England with a light heart, a fair breeze, and a clear sky,
sailing to those lands of great historical association, the continent of
Europe. If any of that audience had made the tour, he trusted that he should
that evening refresh their memories with a repetition of the recollections of
the Rhine, and the ancient ruins on the banks. After a long and pleasant sea
trip, he took the rails. The first place he spoke of was cologne, “The city of stenches”...
1859
The Staffordshire Advertiser, 4 June 1859: AT the THIRTEENTH ORDINARY MEETING of the PROPRIETORS of the
STAFFORDSHIREW POTTERIES WATERWORKS COMPANY, held at the Offices of the
Company, on Tuesday, the 31st day of May 1859, JOHN RIDGWAY Esq in
the Chair; It was resolved, That the common seal of the Company be affixed to
the registry of Shareholders. That the replacement of accounts as published and
now produced be approved and adopted. That the profits of the half year will
yield a dividend at the rate of 6% per annum, free of income tax, and that such
dividend be now declared payable on and after the 24th
June next. That the remaining 16s per share be called up, payable on the second
August next, that notice be given accordingly. An application having been made
from the borough of Hanley for a supply of water for a drinking fountain about
to be erected there, it was resolved, that the water be supplied for one
fountain to each of the following places free of charge: Hanley, Shelton,
Tunstall, Longton, Burslem, Stoke, Fenton, and
Newcastle. That any additional ones be left to the discretion of the director's
and be made in the satisfaction of the engineer and his assistant. That John
Alcock, William Baker, John Heath, and Nicholas Price Wood Esquires, the
directors who go out by rotation, be and are hereby re
elected. That William Brownfield Esq be appointed a director, in place
of Timothy Dimmock Esquire, who has sent in his resignation. That this meeting
has pleasure in acknowledging the long and valuable attention of Timothy Dimock
Esquire to the interests of the company, and on his retirement, owing to his
removal to a distance, begs to present him in his family it's best wishes for
their health and happiness. That this meeting has two objects to press on the
directors. The first, that every obstacle may be removed which stands in the
way of giving their customers a full and constant supply of water, accidents
only accepted; And second, that the strictest economy may be practised in the
expenditure consistent with the efficiency of the works, to both of which this
meeting will depend on their giving their best attention. That the thanks of
the meeting be presented to Mr Whittingham and the other shareholders who have
offered so many valuable suggestions. That the thanks of the meeting be given
to the chairman and the directors for their valuable services. That the
retiring auditor, Mr. John Shirley, be and is hereby re
elected, with thanks to Mr Lamb and him for their valuable services.
That the thanks of the meeting be given to the engineer, secretary
and other officials for their useful services. John Ridgeway, chairman.
1861
Census 1861 - 14, High Street South Side, Stoke upon
Trent
William Baker, Head Unmarried,
Male, 61, 1800, Earthen ware manufacturer employing 600 persons, Fenton,
Staffordshire, England
Charlotte Baker, Sister, Unmarried,
Female, 50, 1811, Railway proprietor, Fenton,
Staffordshire, England
Mary E Cartwright,
Niece, Unmarried, Female, 33, 1828, Railway proprietor, Trentham,
Staffordshire, England
Mary Chatfield, House servant, Married,
Female, 46, 1815, Ladies maid, Sandon, Staffordshire, England
Ann Kent, House servant, Unmarried,
Female, 36, 1825, Cook, Cheshire, England
Mary Fenton, House servant, Unmarried,
Female, 22, 1839, Housemaid, Stone, Staffordshire, England
Ann Marsh, House servant, Unmarried,
Female, 19, 1842, Housemaid, Staffordshire, England
Thomas Naylor, House servant, Unmarried,
Male, 48, 1813, Footman, Rock Ferry, Lancashire, England
1863
He had inherited Fenton House from his father in 1833 and purchased
the Hasfield Court estate, in Gloucestershire in 1863 for £42,500. William had stayed there
as a boy and had memories of it. There is a family story that he bought it in order to grow exotic fruits, including banans in greenhouses on the estate. The original medieval
house was probably moated and the Paucefoot family
owned it from 1200 to 1598 when they had to see during the ‘persecution of the recusants’. He had planned to reface the brick walls with
stone and add a porch, but he died before he could do so, and his brother Ralph
did the work, along with the addition of bay windows.
William Baker IV
died on 16 August 1865, aged 65, and the day of his funeral was a day of great
mourning in Fenton. All the blinds were drawn, no courts were held and the
workers from the factories attended the funeral. He is buried in Fenton
churchyard.
At
his death his property of Fenton, Hasfield, and Doveridge Woodhouse passed to his next brother, Rev. Ralph
Bourne Baker.