yeovil people
John Howe Farley
Glove Manufacturer and Mayor of Yeovil
John Howe Farley was born in Yeovil in 1837. He was the son of corn merchant John Farley (1799-1870) and his wife Elizabeth née Howe (1801-1882). John and Elizabeth had four children; Richard (1835-pre1851), John, Elizabeth Howe (1839-1910) and Maria Howe (b1844).
In the 1841 census John Farley was listed with his family in Hendford. The enumerator's description of his area noted "... to John Farley's house, the corner of South Street" indicating the exact location. More recently this was Chudleigh's seed merchants (see Gallery). The family were at the same address in the 1851 census, John Snr gave his occupatio0n as a corn factor while 14-year old John Jnr was a student. In the 1861 census, still at the same address, 62-year old John Snr and 24-year old John Jnr both gave their occupations as corn factors.
In 1864, at the age of 27, John Jnr became a Yeovil freemason, joining the Lodge of Brotherly Love. He was made Master of the lodge in 1871.
In 1870 John Snr died and the corn merchant's business was carried on by John Jnr. In fact, judging by the receipt (see Gallery) dated 1868, John had taken over the business before his father died. In the 1871 census Elizabeth was listed as the head of the household. With her was John and his sister Elizabeth as well as a domestic servant. John gave his occupation as a corn merchant.
On 19 August 1873, John married Adelaide Arthur (1850-1879) at Holy Trinity church. She was the daughter of farmer Daniel Arthur and his wife Rosanna, of Yarlington. Sadly, in the autumn of 1879, Adelaide died in Yeovil. She was just 29 years old. In the 1881 census John was recorded as a 43-year old widower living with him was his 10-year old nephew Thomas Blake and a domestic servant. John gave his occupation as 'Corn Dealer employing 1 Porter'.
In the 1891 edition of 'Where to Buy' John Farley's business was given the following description -
Mr John
H Farley
There is
a
peculiar
interest
in
describing
an old
established
business
that has
survived
generation
after
generation,
and
after
experiencing
all the
vicissitudes
of a
hundred
years,
still
maintains
a
leading
position
among
its
younger
rivals.
This has
been the
case
with the
important
trade
carried
on by Mr
John H.
Farley,
wholesale
and
retail
corn
merchant,
&c, of
Hendford
and
South
Street,
the
business
having
been
founded
in the
year
1785,
and
after a
career
of 15
years
coming
in the
year
1800,
into the
hands of
Mr
Farley's
grandfather,
Mr
Richard
Howe,
from
whom it
descended
to his
father,
and,
about 20
years
since,
to
himself.
During
all
these
years it
must
have
witnessed
many
changes
and
improvements
in the
ancient
borough.
Through
every
change,
however,
the
The
premises
are well
situated,
and are
arranged
and
fitted
up with
every
requirement
for an
extensive
trade.
Mr
Farley
always
retains
a large
stock of
the best
and most
reliable
corn for
seed and
feeding
purposes.
None but
the best
qualities
are
supplied,
and the
prices
throughout
are very
moderate.
Corn of
all
descriptions,
poultry
and
seed,
oil
cake,
and
every
kind of
feeding
stuff of
superior
quality
is
supplied,
and Mr.
Farley's
large
connection
is as
gratifying
as it is
well
deserved. |
In the 1891 census John was living on his own, with just a domestic servant. John had a similar entry in the 1901 census.
The fountain in Sidney Gardens (see Gallery), which hasn't seen water for many years, was presented to the town by John Farley on 24 May 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's 80th birthday.
John Farley died in Yeovil on 6 March 1906, aged 69.
gallery
A letterhead of John Farley Jnr. showing that by 1868 he had taken over his father's business at least two years before the death of his father.
This
colourised photograph
features in my
book "Lost Yeovil"
This photograph, probably taken in the 1960's, shows narrow South Street (with the car driving out of it) was at the time. The Three Choughs Hotel is at left. Chudleigh's seed merchants, formerly the premises of seed merchant John Farley and later his son John Howe Farley, was demolished in the 1960's to widen South Street along with the building next to it (with the BSA signs) which had earlier been John Chaffin's photographic studios between 1862 and 1919.
Courtesy of
Olly Ewens
This photograph is from a 1952 newspaper article and was taken on the occasion of the opening of Sidney Gardens in June 1898. The group, photographed with the Mayor, Mr John Vincent, has as its background the thatched bandstand given by Mr James Bazeley Petter to mark the opening. Standing (left to right) are: - E Benson, W Summers, J Kerby Whitby, Mr Brown, William Maynard, GH Gould, Edward Samuel Ewens, Henry Jesty (mace-bearer), William W Johnson, Charles J Hook, John Bazeley Petter (donor), W Armitage (Borough Surveyor), John Howe Farley, Walter J Nosworthy, William Beale Collins, Charles Fox. Sitting - Levi Beer, CW Pittard, Sidney Watts, Mrs Vincent, John Vincent (Mayor), Joseph Chaffey Moore, William Cox.
A colourised photograph of the presentation of the Sidney Gardens fountain on 24 May 1899. You'd have thought at least one of 'em could have raised a slight smile. John Farley is No 26 on the drawing below.
So, who was who?
Unfortunately
only some of the
gathering are
known, these are
as follows -
1 Cllr GH Gould,
2 Cllr Edward
Samuel Ewens, 4
Cllr William W Johnson,
5 G Gawler, 6
Cllr
James Bazeley
Petter, 7 WG
Armytage
(Borough
Surveyor),
Henry Jesty
(Mace Bearer), 9
Cllr Charles
Hook, 10 JK
Whitby, 11 Cllr
HF Raymond, 14
William Maynard,
15 Alderman
Sidney Watts,
16 Miss Watts,
17 Miss Vincent,
18 Mrs Vincent,
20 Alderman
William
Cox, 22 Mayor
John Vincent,
23 Alderman
Joseph Chaffey
Moore, 24
Cllr
Charles Wreford
Pittard, 25
Henry Butler
Batten (Town
Clerk), 26 John Howe
Farley (who
donated the
fountain), 27
Ebenezer Pittard,
29
William
Beale Collins.
From my
collection
A hand-coloured postcard sent in 1904, with John Farley's fountain full of water - a sight not seen for many years.
Courtesy of
Betty Barber
(née Bird)
John Farley's fountain in Sidney Gardens. Photographed in the 1960s.
The notice of John Farley's death in the 7 March 1906 edition of the Dundee Courier.
A notice of the sale of John Farley's shares from the 8 June 1906 edition of the Western Gazette.
Notice of John's estate from the 25 May 1906 edition of the Shepton Mallet Journal.