Biography of William Henry FOLKER
[Ref. O.4]
| Ancestors |  |
Profile | |
Professional life | |
Index for FOLKER |
Biography of William Henry FOLKER
[Ref. O.4]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Professional life | |
Index for FOLKER |
William Henry Folker was born at Brighton on 30 August 1826, the fourth of the seven children of
Samuel Shepherd and Susannah Folker. He was baptised on 1 September 1826 but his three younger
siblings had all died before he was born. The family were living in North Street at that time.
William's sister Maria and brother Alfred were also born in Brighton. When his sister Emma was born in 1933, they were living in London at Westminster. When William's father died in 1837, they were living in Oxford where their mother had been born. William's education was at New College School in Oxford under George Valentine Cox MA, then at university in Paris.
The family can not be found in the 1841 census but in 1851 their mother was living at 10 Holywell Street in Oxford, although the children are not listed with her. William was then a medical student at Charing Cross Hospital in London and living at 23 Gerrard Place in Westminster. He had become a member of the Royal College of Surgeons that same year. He took up a post at the North Stafford Infirmary at Stoke-upon-Trent in 1853. He commenced practice in Hanley three years later.
William was married to Ellen Jane Fourdrinier on 30 April 1857 at Weston upon Trent in Staffordshire. They lived at Bedford House, Havelock Place, Hanley, a large house on the corner of Clarke Street. He held his surgery in that house which was in an area that was developing quickly.
Their first child, Ernest Henry was born in 1858 and by the time of the 1861 census at which they were living at 13 Market Street, daughter Marian Ellen was one year old. The household supported two general servants according to that census, Elizabeth Kingston and Louisa Snape. That census also listed Charles William Fourdrinier, Ellen's brother, who was visiting.
Daughter Edith Emily was born in 1862 then son Herbert Henry in 1864. Agnes Shepherd was born in 1866 and finally Percy Newton in 1868.
The census of 1871 shows the family as living at Havelock Place in Shelton, Staffordshire, and employing a Housemaid, a Nurse and a Cook. William's occupation is entered as Surgeon FRCS, LACL. At that time they were being visited by Ellen's cousin Antoinette and her daughter Marian. Antionette had married Samuel Plant who was vicar of Weston and had officiated at the wedding of William and Ellen.
The census of 1881 shows William and the family still at Bedford House in Havelock Place, although only Edith and Agnes were still living at home. Nonetheless, there were three servants, a Housekeeper, a Cook and an Under Housemaid.
Tragedy struck in 1882 when William's wife Ellen was found drowned in the canal near their home, having been missing for a week. An inquest ruled that it was an accident without finding it necessary to call William as a witness.
The 1891 census finds William still living at the same place although it is listed as 1 Clarke Street, Hanley as Bedford House is on the corner of Havelock Place and Clarke Street. His children Edith, Herbert and Agnes are living with him and there are two general servants in the house.
William's name appears on a passenger list as having sailed from Liverpool on 3 june 1896 aboard the White Star Line ship RMS Teutonic, arriving at New York on 10 June. He was accompanied by C H Fourdrinier, a member of his wife's family.
In 1901, William still has Edith and Agnes with him at 1 Clarke Street, Hanley, although Agnes had married Alexander John Lodge by that time. He was listed as being at home in Hartshill, Stoke-upon-Trent. The staff at the Folker household now comprised only a cook.
According the the information in his obituary, William was a Conservative but took no active part in politics, having no taste for public life. He declined both to be on the Council or to be a magistrate when the offers were made. He was, however, a Freemason, and was PM of the Sutherland Lodge 451 at Burslem, and held provisional rank in the Gailefroi de Beaufflon Poeceplory.
William died of senile dacay at home on 26 March 1912 in the presence of his son-in-law Alexander John Lodge. Detailed obituaries appeared in The Staffordshire Sentinal and The British Medical Journal. He was buried at Bucknall Church on 1 April after a service at St.Jude's Church in Hanley.
In his Will, William shared his holding of stocks between his children. The house at Bedford Place was left to his son Herbert together with family portraits, a painting by Adriaen van Utrecht and a framed writing by his father Samuel Shepherd Folker. The value of the Will was £21,331 6s 9d.
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