Martin Farndale
8 June 1881 to 11 September 1943
FAR00571
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He was an ironstone miner for a while before emigrating to Canada
in 1905 after which he became a cattle farmer in Alberta
Dates are in red.
Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.
Headlines of Martin’s life are in brown.
References and citations are in turquoise.
Context and local history are in purple.
Geographical context is in green.
Overview
See also the Farndales
of Tidkinhow
The Martin Farndale Story from the
Trochu Tribune and Kneehill MD History.
Martin Farndale was born in September 1881 in
Kilton.
He emigrated to Canada in 1905, and proceeded
west to Alberta, settling in Trochu District. He homesteaded SW ¼ -6-33-24,
near Paulson School, and began raising cattle. He was considered an excellent
cattleman.
In 1929, Martin married his cousin Ruth
Farndale, who also came from Yorkshire.
Martin Farndale had a keen interest in public
affairs. He served as Councillor of Stauffer Municipality for a number of years
and was also active in school affairs, serving as a trustee on the school board
at Paulson. Martin was a staunch Liberal.
Martin had a keen sense of humour and
delighted in telling yarns on himself. On one occasion, Martin was caught in a
raging blizzard late at night. He was hopelessly lost as visibility was nil,
and to keep from straying further he followed the fence line. After walking
some distance, Mr Farndale chanced on some buildings. Hoping to arouse the
occupants he yelled and hammered on the door of the house before he discovered
that it was his own home.
Martin Farndale was a man true to his own
convictions. He staunchly followed parliamentary procedure. However, when
serving as a councillor, if a mistake was made he was not afraid to rectify the
situation.
Martin Farndale died in October 1943 at the
age of 63. Ruth Farndale then returned to live in Yorkshire in 1947.
Kilton Thorpe
1881
Martin Farndale was born on
8 June 1881 at Kilton
Thorpe, the son of Martin and Catherine Jane Farndale of Kilton Thorpe,
(FAR00364)
farmer. He was baptised at Brotton
on 31 July 1881 (PR and family knowledge). Martin
Farndale’s birth was registered for Guisborough District in the third quarter
of 1881 (GRO Vol 9d page 464). Like his elder brother and sister he was baptised
at Brotton
Parish Church where the entry in the Parish Register reads: "Martin,
son of Martin and Catherine Jane Farndale of Kilton
Thorpe, farmer, baptised 31 July 1881."
Tidkinhow
1891
The 1891
Census for Tidkin Howe, Stanghow listed Martin
Farndale, 46, farmer and ironstone miner; Catherine Farndale, 35; John
Farndale, 12; Elizabeth Farndale, 11; Martin Farndale, 9; George Farndale,
8; Catherine J Farndale, 6; James Farndale, 5; Mary F Farndale; William
Farndale, 0.
1895
Like
the rest, Martin went to
school at Charltons until he was 11. He then went to Boosbeck
Council school until he was 14. That would be in 1895. He then helped on the
farm, and worked as a miner until 1905 when he went to Canada,
the first of many members of the family to do so
1901
The 1901
Census for Tidkinhow Farm, Stanghow listed Martin Farndale, head, 55,
farmer; Elizabeth L Farndale, 21; Martin Farndale, 19, ironstone miner underground;
Mary H Farndale, 12; William Farndale, 10; Grace A Farndale. 7; Dorothy A
Farndale, 6.
1902
Martin Farndale,
Tidkinhow, about 1902 aged about 20
Alberta, Canada
1905
Martin was the first of the family to emigrate to Canada, and he
arrived in Western Canada in 1904, and he homesteaded on the Trochu land to
farm at Paulson and raised cattle.
In 1905
there is a record of Martin Farndale and Harry Farndale (aged 8) (must be FAR00688)
travelling to USA, aged 24.
Martin
is remembered as not quite as strong as the rest. He was a great favourite of
his mother. When he decided to go to Canada, he could not bring himself to tell
his mother so he simply left home and wrote to his sister Lynn from Liverpool:
"June 16th 1905
Friday morning
Dear Sister
Just a few more lines. I left Liverpool on Thursday night for Canada on SS
Tunisian. I have had a good night's sleep. I have booked second class
on board and is very comfortable. We are passing by the north of Ireland this [
]. The ship makes a call here to take on more passengers. This letter will be
sent on from here. I shall not be able to post any more letters till I land at
yond side. I am enjoying the trip well so far. I hope mother will not fret
if she get to know before I write. I will send a letter to her as soon as
we land. I am going to do best . I am going a long way up the country. I am
to Calgary in Alberta. It is chiefly cattle farming there. There is several
more young men on ship that are going out from there can catch. But I have not
meet any lady that is my way yet. You must try and cheer mother up. There is
nothing for her to trouble about. I am as safe here as riding on the railways
in England. I shall be about other 7 days on the water. I will send a few
letters off before I start my land journey. I have not time write more. I want
to up on deck. We are just about to land at Londonderry I believe.
I must leave hoping you are all well.
M Farndale."
From
the passenger list for SS Tunisian 1905
And five days later:
"Letter cannot be posted for England
till we land so you will know if you get this that I landed all right.
Wednesday June 21st 1905
Dear Sister
I shall soon get my sea trip over now. Land was sighted today Newfoundland
I believe. Every body is beginning to lighten up now. But it will be Saturday
morning before we land at Montreal.
I have enjoyed voyage up to now. I had one day sea sick. It was awful. I don't
want that any more. We have had few very cold days. It is always cold in this
part of the Ocean. We saw a great iceberg this morning. It was a great sight.
This is a great rock of ice. So you must know we were passing through a cold
front. This is a big vessel about two hundred yards long I should think. Every
body seem quite happy. There is a smoke room and a music room. And the best
of everything to eat. Third class seems to be rough quarters. But
they are in another part of the ship. There will be about eight hundred
passengers on board all together. Some men pulling long faces when the vessel
left Liverpool. I never thought anything about it. But I was like the rest. I
watched England till it disappeared out of sight. I hope mother will not
trouble about me. I will be all right. I thought it was my best thing to do.
I had nothing to start in business with in England. I shall be able to
get about £50 per year and board with the farmers out here. If I can stand
the climate. And I can settle. I shall be able to start farming for my self
in about two years.
Thursday
All letters are to be posted tonight on board so that they will get away as
soon as we land. They don't [ ] to a few hours when they land. So all has to be
ready.
First and Second class are having a Grand On Board tonight. We shall be quite
lively.
I now finish. Hoping you are all well. And remain your affectionate Bro.
M Farndale."
Martin was 24 years old. These are interesting letters, for they start a whole
branch of the Farndale family, still living north of Calgary.
Martin would go
first to Calgary, where he took some land from the Canadian Pacific Railway
near Trochu.
He built a small wooden house, a shack, a began farming.
1908
Martin Farndale –
photograph taken in Calgary on 28 August 1908
1910
The boys of
Tidkinhow in about 1910, with Martin, now in Canada, inset.
John, James,
Alfred, William, George and inset Martin
The
original house that Martin built
Martin's shack taken when it was still standing in 1981 Martin and
Ruth’s house 10 miles west of Trochu
Martin homesteaded on Trochu
town line, but in 1929 he bought a farm at Paulson and raised cattle. In 1929,
he married Ruth Farndale, his cousin, also from Yorkshire. They had no
children. He became well known on the Trochu
council and took a great deal of interest in education. He did much for the Trochu
community. Martin died, aged 62, in 1943, and is buried at Trochu.
His wife, Ruth, returned to England and lived for many years with her family.
He was remembered as an upright, intelligent man who was very interested in
people and very good with children. He helped his brothers, George, Jim and
Alfred, and his sisters, Kate and Grace, to settle in their turn near Trochu,
in Huxley. His work for the early days in Trochu
is still remembered (Family knowledge).
1920
Martin
at sea on a journey to and from England in about 1920
Martin at Tidkinhow in about 1920 Martin Farndale on a
visit to England from Canada, taken about 1920 when he was aged about 40
1927
In
1927 Martin travelled on the Ausonia (Furness Line) from Quebec to
London.
1928
In
1928, Martin, 40, unaccompanied, a farmer, travelled from Liverpool to Halifax,
Canada on the Athenia.
1929
In 1929, Martin married his cousin Ruth Farndale, also from
Yorkshire, but they had no children. He became well known on the Trochu Council and took a great
interest in education, doing a great deal for the community. He died in 1943
aged 63 and is buried in Trochu. He visited England once. (Our Huxley Heritage).
In 1929 Ruth
Farndale of Craggs Hall, 42, unaccompanied, travelled from Liverpool to
Montreal.
Martin Farndale, married Ruth Farndale, (FAR00619),
his first cousin, in Trochu,
Canada in 1929 (Family knowledge)
Ruth
Farndale Martin, early days in Canada
They lived near Trochu
in Alberta. They had no family.
There is more information about his life at Martin Farndale and at the Farndales
of Tidkinhow
1931
The Canadian
Farndales at the Kinseys in about 1931 (Martin, Jim, Kate, Grace,
George, Alfred)
1931
Census of Canada - Red Deer, Alberta
1940
Martin Farndale
and Howard Holmes, husband of Grace nee Farndale Holmes (FAR00659)
at the Holmes Ranch in Alberta in about 1940.
1943
Martin Farndale of Trochu,
Alberta Canada died in Calgary aged 62 years, on 11 September 1943. He is buried at Trochu Baptist
cemetery, Alberta, Canada (Monumental Record).
In a newspaper
article: MARTIN FARNDALE PASSES AWAY. The news, Saturday evening, of the
passing of Mr. Martin Farndale in the General Hospital, Calgary, came as
a distinct shock to many in the Trochu district, although he had been under
medical care for over a year. The late Mr Farndale, who was one of the
district's real old timers, was born in Guisborough, Yorkshire in 1881.
Coming to calendar in 1905 he came West to Alberta, and settled in Trochu
district, taking up a homestead on the town line, which he has farmed ever
since. His marriage took place in 1929. Always taking a keen interest in public
affairs, he served as Councillor of Stauffer municipality for a number of years
and was active in school affairs serving as a trustee. Highly respected by all
who knew him his passing is a severe loss to the district. Surviving are his
wife, Ruth, at home, two sisters, Mrs W Kinsey, of Trochu, and Mrs H Holmes, of
Huxley. A brother, George Farndale, of Three Hills, another brother, senator
James Farndale, of Nevada, also two brothers and three sisters in Yorkshire.
Reverend T H Chapman, Rural Dean, of Carbon, conducted the funeral services,
which were held in the United Church, Trochu, Tuesday afternoon, with burial
taking place in the Trochu cemetery. The pallbearers were Messrs G R Hogg, F
Kinsey, E Roach, M and J Sitala, O Bayes.
Card of Thanks. We wish to thank all
neighbours and friends for their kindness, also for the lovely floral tributes
sent during our recent bereavement. Mrs RUTH FARNDALE.
Martin Farndale’s grave at Huxley, taken in 1973
(The Calgary Albertan, 13 September
1943)
1974
Ruth
Farndale, died at Northallerton
District, Yorkshire in early 1974 (see her record at FAR00619).