Joseph BAXTER

The Baxters - A Goole Family

Joseph Baxter (1826-1915), a mariner, and his first wife, Sally née Ellin, are living near his parents in Knottingley, when they lose three of their little children, including a 5  year old son Alderson, one terrible year, in September 1857. Two older boys, Joseph, born 1848, and Sylvanus, born 1850, survive. 

A few years later, Joseph and Sally move to Goole, where Joseph Sr still works as a mariner, living in Doyle Street, very close to the docks.

In 1861, young Joseph is still home, age 13, not in work or school, but Sylvanus, only 11, is away. An 8 month old baby, Sally Ellen, will die just after this census. She’s buried in Hook, according to the parish register. Not sure why they are using Hook, as St John’s, their nearest church in Goole, is open for business now. 

By 1871, they’ve moved to Davis Yard, and Joseph is now a dock labourer.  The  boys are absent. Sylvanus is already, at age 21, mate aboard a vessel in the Pool of London.  Joseph Jr is no doubt also somewhere at sea. He’s met a girl in Ipswich, Susannah Cooper, daughter of another mariner, and they will marry the following year. 

Sally dies soon after this census, aged 52, and is buried in Hook in August 1871Joseph remarries a widow, Alice Dawson in 24 September 1872 , at a decent interval after his bereavement. They’ve probably known each other for some time, as Alice is listed in the 1871 census as a 38 year old widowed greengrocer, of Doyle Street, with an  8  year old son.  In the marriage certificate, she says she is the daughter of James Moore, born in Manchester. She doesn’t give an occupation. She signs her name with a flourish. Joseph can barely scrawl his own name. They soon start a new family, beginning with a second Alderson, born in 1873. 

Sadly, tragedy strikes again: Joseph’s son Sylvanus dies. The bereaved family place an announcement in the Goole Times on Friday 30 July 1875: “Death at Goole, July 22nd, Sylvanus Baxter, seaman,  age 26 “. Again, he’s buried in Hook. The printed transcript of the burial register says: Sylvanus Baxter age 26 of Doyle Street buried 24th July, 1875. 

1881 census, the second family is growing, now moved from Doyle Street, and living at 30 Alexandra Street: 

Joseph 54, listed as a grocer; Alice 48, b Manchester,  no occupation, but no doubt overseeing the shop; Alderson 7; Another Sylvanus 3, b 1878; Alice 5.  Also home is William Dawson, Alice’s son by previous marriage age 18, mariner. 

Alice dies 1886 aged 54.  Joseph now 60, has to look after the shop and bring up the children. It’s going to be a struggle. Both Alderson and Sylvanus are becoming a bit of a handful as they grow up. There’s a court report in the Howdenshire Gazette,  26 October 1888: 

Trespassing on Goole Railway Station on 3rd inst. Thomas Fletcher (16), Alderson Baxter (16) and Harry Bedford (16). 

The  Railway Police are loth to prosecute,  as the penalty falls on parents, but there had been frequent complaints about the youths “interfering with the comfort of passengers “. The magistrate has sympathy as the station doesn’t have much in the way of facilities for anyone. Baxter is ordered to be kept in custody until 8 o’clock, the other two for 24 hours or liberated on payment of 6 pence plus costs. 

Joseph puts a notice in the local paper the day after the incident. 

“I hereby give notice that I shall not be answerable for any debts contracted by my sons Alderson Baxter and Sylvanus Baxter after this date, 7 Cross Stanley Street Goole October 4th 1888.”   He must have been worried about the “6 pence plus costs”. 

There’s a further report in the Howdenshire Gazette on  Friday 19 Apr 1889, saying that “Joseph Baxter, dock labourer, Mason Terrace, [Goole] , states that the lad summoned before the last Bench for non-attendance at school was not a child of his”. Now, I believe that the boy in question is the young Sylvanus, aged 11, and the court has mistakenly summoned Joseph the grocer’s son, also called Joseph, the former mariner, now a dock labourer in Goole. He has a young family with his wife Susannah but their son (also Joseph, sorry if this is becoming confusing) is only 6 and presumably still biddable. Joseph the dock labourer is Sylvanus ‘s half brother, a generation apart, and not his father. Or perhaps Joseph the dock labourer deliberately went to court on behalf of his dad! 

In 1891, Joseph is 66, at Cross Stanley Street/Alexandra Street,  the corner shop, still a grocer, with his 16 year old daughter Alice (no occupation, but no doubt busy both in the shop and keeping house), and 14 year old Sylvanus, who is not in employment or education. 

Alderson is absent. 

To be continued…..  (J.I.)