Catherine Fretwell

Before John Fretwell and Isabella Farrel had been married one year their first child, Catherine was born. They must have known that she was not likely to live long as they had her privately baptised on 6th August 1753, and again publicly at St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, Yorks, on 2nd September of that year. Catherine lived only 15 months and was buried at Tadcaster on 22nd November 1754.

John Fretwell

Isabella was most likely pregnant again either just before or immediately after Catherine's death because a second child, John, arrived and was baptised at St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, on 10th August 1755. However he too died young, being buried at Tadcaster on 14th June 1759, just before his fourth birthday. The loss of two children within such a short time must have been devastating.

Francis Fretwell

John and Isabella would have taken consolation from the fact that their third child, and second son, Francis had been born in 1756. His baptism, also at St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, is recorded as taking place on 24th October 1756. However, there is no further information about Francis at this stage apart from a reference in a newspaper notice placed by the solicitors dealing with his younger brother John's Will. From this reference, together with no recorded early burial, it can be reasonably assumed that he lived to adulthood. But if he did survive childhood, it was not he, as eldest son, who took over the family business, as would have been his due, or as a fulfilment of his parents' expectations. Did he seek his fortunes elsewhere? Did he have a falling out with his parents? Or was the grocery trade not to his liking?

Mary Fretwell

Mary, fourth child of John and Isabella, must have been a more robust baby. She was baptised at St. Mary's Church, Tadcaster on 7th November 1757. Twenty years later she married Richard Kay, a gardener of Leeds, on 10th July 1777 at St. Peter's Parish Church Leeds, by Banns, the event witnessed by Andrew Duncan and Mary Widdell. Mary and Richard had two recorded children-sons John and Edward - the former who had died before 1848, and the latter still living, but 'of unsound mind' in 1848. From brother John's Will it would seem, however, that Mary and Richard had three daughters - Ann, Mary and Isabella. When Richard died is not known, but it was probably sometime before 1848. His widow lived to the ripe old age of 83. She was buried on 3rd December 1840 at St Paul's Church, Leeds.

Isabella Fretwell

The next in line of birth was Isabella, nearly two years Mary's junior. Isabella was baptised, as were her brothers and sisters before her, at St. Mary's Church, Tadcaster on 12th August 1759. She was almost 30 when she married William Fawcett. The wedding was conducted by banns at St Peter's Parish Church Leeds on 17th June 1789, and was witnessed by Dorothy Berkwith, Sarah Keighley and Hannah Gardner. William worked as a Carver and Gilder, in the cutlery industry, and in the 1807, 1809 and 1817 Leeds Directories there is a listing for a William Fawcett, Carver and Gilder of 17 Boar Lane, Leeds. This William is not listed in the 1839 Directory, from which it is assumed that he had retired, moved from the district, or died. William and Isabella had at least one child, a daughter, also named Isabella.

Ann Fretwell

As with Isabella, only the briefest details are so far recorded for Ann, child number six for John and Isabella Snr. She was baptised on 28th September 1760 at St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, and married, in her 25th year to Thomas Wright. He was a Clothworker of Leeds. The ceremony was held on 20th March 1785 at St Peter's Church Leeds, by banns, and was witnessed by Elizabeth Rollinson and Joh. Appleyard. I have identified two of John's nieces - Ann Mayking and Eliza Hollings - as being daughters of Ann and Thomas.

John Fretwell

John Fretwell, seventh child and as far as is known second surviving son of John and Isabella Fretwell, made his first recorded public appearance with his baptism on 23rd January 1763 - yet another entry in the St. Mary's Parish Register. John Fretwell Snr was the first to venture into the grocery business, and John Jnr capitalized on the experience, by which he was able to establish the family's reputation and standing in the commercial world of the City. He never married. Rather, during his working life he, in partnership with his brother William until the latter's premature death, and then with his sister-in-law Mary (née Vause), devoted his energies to advancing the family's grocery business. John died on 5th June 1855 at Leeds at the doughty age of 92. During his lifetime he amassed a considerable fortune and a number of properties in the Leeds district which were documented in his Will.

John featured in a number of Leeds Directories. In 1807 and 1809 he is listed under Fretwell and Cockshott, Grocers of Market Place. By 1817 they have moved premises, and apparently expanded their business, being now recorded as Fretwell and Cockshott, Grocers, Tea Dealers and Hop Merchants, of 22 Cross Parish. For the same Directories, brother William is recorded as a Grocer and Tea Dealer in Upperhead Row, with the 1817 Directory listing sister-in-law and partner Mary as carrying out a grocery and tea dealer business from premises at 4 Upperhead Row. According to William Parson's 1826 Directory of Leeds, John was running his business and residing at 79 Briggate. In 1837 he was at 5 St Paul's Buildings. I839 finds him as John, Gentleman, 22 St Pauls Street, and Mrs Mary Fretwell listed as having moved to Knostrop. By this time John certainly had retired, and perhaps so too had Mary, although she may have kept a watchful eye over and interest in the business which was then carried on by her son, William - Wholesale and Retail Tea Dealer, Grocer and Coffee Roaster-operating out of Colonial Wharf, Dockside, Knostrop.

Following John's death in June 1855, the following newspaper notice was placed by by H Dawson, Solicitor, 58 Albion Street, Leeds (undated; Ref G11313):

HEIRS-AT-LAW of JOHN FRETWELL, formerly of Leeds, grocer, deceased, wanted. He had three brothers, namely, Francis, Peter and William. Francis is supposed to have died without issue. Peter had two daughters, Mary and Ann. Mary married John Robinson, weaver, of Deighton or Sheepbridge, near Huddersfield. She is supposed to have died there about 1833. The descendants of the said William Fretwell being known, need not claim.

The Executors of the Will were Charles Todd, George Newton, and John Eyres, the latter being given a legacy of 19 guineas. The Will was witnessed by M Blonne, Solicitor, Leeds, and his Clerk, Thomas Tubb. The premature death of Charles Todd, however, required a codicil dated 27th February 1854 to be added, which was witnessed by Edward Dawson, Incumbent of St. James' Leeds, and H Dawson, Solicitor, Leeds. "Whereas Charles Todd one of my Executors has lately died now I appoint my niece Isabella Todd of Leeds widow of the said Charles Todd and Henry May of the Hope Nursery Leeming Lane in the County of York nurseryman Executors in place of the said Charles Todd." The Will was duly proved on 17th November 1855 by George Newton of Leeds, Painter - one of the original Executors, Isabella Todd of the same place, and Henry May of Leeming Lane, Burneston in the County of York, Nurseryman. The final documentation on the estate was an 1890 reconciliation of accounts made on the death of the last living annuitant, Eliza Hollings. Click on the link to see John Fretwell's Will

Peter Fretwell

Peter arrived just over 18 months after John, and was the eighth child born to John and Isabella in the space of just under twelve years. He was baptised at St. Mary's, Tadcaster on 10th August 1764. Unlike his brothers John and William, but possibly following the example of brother Francis, Peter did not work in the family business. He must have done some form of apprenticeship as he earned his living as a Cabinet Maker. Whether he worked for himself or for someone else is not known. Just after his 23rd birthday Peter married Elizabeth Robinson, daughter of John Robinson of Kirkgate, Leeds. Elizabeth was 8 years older than Peter, having been born on 29th July 1756 and baptised on 6th September of that year, probably at St Peter's Parish Church, Leeds. The marriage was solemnized by John Cooper, Curate of St Peter's Church on 5th November 1787, by banns, also at St Peter's Church. Witnesses to the marriage were Henrietta Robinson (possibly a sister to Elizabeth) and Thomas Knight. By their fifth wedding anniversary three children had been born to Peter and Elizabeth-one son John, 1786, and two daughters Mary, 1790 and Ann, 1792. Elizabeth died aged 67 on 4th November and was buried on 7th November 1823 at St. John's Church, Leeds, Francis Cookson, Curate, officiating. 1823 must have been a particularly sad year with both Elizabeth and her daughter dying within 3 months of each other. An inscription on a tombstone, lying flat against the east-side outside of St John's Church, Leeds commemorates not only Elizabeth's death, but also that of their younger daughter Ann (and later that of the first daughter, Mary).

The notation on Elizabeth's burial certificate describes her as a widow. This begs the question as to what happened to Peter. The date of his death is unknown, but it is reputed that he died in the West Indies. Certainly by the time his brother's solicitors were seeking legal heirs the family had lost touch with Peter's family. From the notice it is clear that they were unaware of Peter's daughter Ann's death, or the date of Mary's, nor were they sure if Peter and Elizabeth had any grandchildren. Taking as fact that Peter did go to the West Indies begs the questions - When? - How? - by what vessel/s? and Why? Further research may uncover more information about the roving Peter.

William Fretwell

William, the ninth child of John and Isabella was born at Tadcaster on 8th July 1766, and baptised some six weeks later on 28th August 1766 at St Mary's Church Tadcaster. He went into family's grocery business with his brother John, 21/2 years his senior, and is listed in the Leeds Directories of 1797 and 1800-Fretwell Wm, grocer and tea dealer, Upperhead Row. But prior to this he had met and married, and produced a relatively modest brood of Fretwells. The marriage of William Fretwell, Grocer, to Mary Vause, Spinster, by Licence, was solemnised in the Parish Church of Leeds on 3rd September 1795. The officiating minister was Edward Wilson, and the two witnesses were Robert Butherford and Thomas Atkinson. As attested by William, no parental consent was required because he was 29 and Mary 30 at the time of their marriage. The Vause background is sketchy, with one theory being that that the family originated from London. It is thought that Mary had been born on 12th March 1765 at Belton, or Epworth in Lincolnshire.

 In a marriage spanning nearly 14 years William and Mary had 6 children-2 daughters and 4 sons-the last two being born when Mary was in her 40s. Of these, two died as infants, two survived past childhood, but died young. Only two lived beyond their twenties and of these only one married and had a family of his own.

Bartholomew Fretwell

John and Isabella had already produced nine children in the space of twelve years, when, maintaining this daunting cycle, Bartholomew was born in the 14th year of their marriage, and he was to be their last child. Perhaps the sadness of his early death decided John and Isabella against having any more children. They were now both approaching their 40th birthdays, and had certainly 'done their bit' to ensure the continuity of the Fretwell line. Bartholomew was yet another Fretwell statistic in the St Mary's Church, Tadcaster, records. He was baptised on 9th October 1768, and buried just over 31/2 years later on 30th May 1772.

We move now from the city environment to the village of Hoylandswaine, and to the grandchildren of Joshua Fretwell, by his first wife Easter Denton, and his second wife Ann Tayle(o)r.

The Two Mary Fretwells (Daughters of William)

We have a record of two daughters being born to William Fretwell of Hoylandswaine. The name of the mother/s of these two little girls is not known. As they were both named Mary, it can be assumed that the first had died prior to the birth of the second. Mary number one was, according to the Silkstone Parish Register, baptised on 30th September 1733. There is no corresponding record of burial, but if she survived infancy, she did not, in all probability, survive past her 9th year. The baptism of Mary number two, also recorded in the Silkstone Parish Register, occurred on 3rd July 1741. Whether or not she survived to adulthood is unknown.

Sara Fretwell (Daughter of John)

Sara, daughter of John and Grace Fretwell (née) Burgon of Hoylandswaine, and cousin of William's two Marys, was born just after Mary number one. For this child all we have is the baptismal record of 22nd February 1733/34 in the Silkstone Parish Register.

Frettwell, Sara, d. of John Frettwell of Hoylandswaine baptized.

Ann and Joshua Fretwell (Children of Joshua)

Joshua and Ann's son Joshua and his wife Elizabeth had two children, a girl and a boy.

Children of Joshua Fretwell and Elizabeth Heeley

First born Ann was christened on 14th February 1755, probably at the Silkstone Parish Church. Just before her twentieth birthday, on 2nd January 1775 she married, at Silkstone, Jonas Walshaw, who was her senior by five days. We do not know how long this couple lived, but their second and last known child was born probably in 1779.

The family name Joshua is yet again perpetuated with the baptism of Joshua, senior, and Ann's second child. Born just sixteen months after his sister Ann, Joshua was baptised, again probably at the Silkstone Church, on 26 June 1756. He lived to a goodly age, with his passing at the age of 86 in the year 1842.

There are no further references to the Hoylandswaine Fretwells in the inherited family records, but the Index to the 1851 Census for Hoylandswaine lists 11 Fretwells.