Family Of Four: 4 - James And Eliza Thomson
...To the right of the square hall was a pleasant morning room, dominated by an enormous mahogany bookcase filled with books of tooled leather, of glowing colours and gold lettering, which looked handsome and splendid. The dining room was large and well-proportioned, and the drawing room quite charming. Painted all in white, carpeted in delicate green with chairs spaced about richly upholstered and embroidered in silk and satin, and with delicate china and silver on display, it looked cool and dignified...
Vivien Hirst recalls the home of her grandfather, James Thomson, who walked all the way from Glasgow to Huddersfield in Yorkshire, there to prosper in the textile industry.
Vivien's nephew Raymond Prior arranged for the publication of her childhood memories.
Raymond and His Aunt Vivien could both claim descent from Robert, Earl of Gloucester, the illegitimate but politically important son of Henry I, and therefore grandson of William the Conqueror.
Granddad Thomson bore his father's name of James. The family lived in Glasgow and the elder became Bailie, or Alderman, Thomson. Nothing is known of James' boyhood, but he left home as a young man and is said to have walked the whole way from Glasgow to Huddersfield, in Yorkshire.
To me, this has always indicated a family row, but it may have been that he had accepted a position at a woollen mill, for he became a manufacturer's agent for three well-known firms in the district. In this way he gained sufficient experience of the cloth trade to enable him, in April 1888, together with a Mr. Jonathan Shaw, to commence his own business as a wool merchant.
The firm was known as Thomson, Shaw and Company. It flourished, but in 1897 Jonathan Shaw died. In the following year, his son, George, who had all along been a sleeping partner, was made a director. It was not until 1911 that Shaw Bros., who had been the suppliers of cloth to Granddad's firm, absorbed the business and Granddad retired.
Shaw Bros, were to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee 1893 - 1953, a good record; the firm safely weathered two World Wars, and the devastating slump that followed the first.
It was James, this young man of character and determination, who wooed, won, and wed his heart's desire, Eliza Jane Metcalfe. The marriage took place on February 20 1867, in St. Leonard's Church, Malton. James's heart swelled with pride for his bride looked beautiful with her happy, smiling face, lovely colouring and graceful carriage.
They came to live in Huddersfield in the quiet, residential district of Regent Road, Edgerton. The house was named "Leonard Place", and there three children were born to them. Florence Edith, on April 28th 1868, was followed in the autumn of the next year by Blanche, and after a gap of seven years the only son, James Albert Raymond, was born.
At a later period, James built a fine new house in Park Drive, not far from his old home. It was opposite Greenhead Park, and was called "Mount Royd", and numbered 13!
As I remember, it was large and spacious. To the right of the square hall was a pleasant morning room, dominated by an enormous mahogany bookcase filled with books of tooled leather, of glowing colours and gold lettering, which looked handsome and splendid. The dining room was large and well-proportioned, and the drawing room quite charming. Painted all in white, carpeted in delicate green with chairs spaced about richly upholstered and embroidered in silk and satin, and with delicate china and silver on display, it looked cool and dignified. A feature was a cosy corner. In a fireplace recess, and stretching to the window, a seat was built on spindle legs, high-backed, and topped with a narrow shelf adorned with ornaments.
Into this background, eleven years after their son was born, unexpected and unwelcomed, Irene Beatrice arrived in the Jubilee Year of Victoria 1887. She often called herself a "Jubilee Baby!"
This late child-bearing was a great trouble to her mother. She was dismayed at the very thought of it and all its implications and made no secret of her disgust and annoyance. Indeed, she allowed it to influence her beyond all reason, refusing to lead a normal life, to take walks, or even to go shopping. The strain of her unhappiness affected the whole household. She would sit and weep day after day and no one could encourage or cheer her.
Irene was pretty as a picture with golden curls and deep blue eyes, but wayward and naughty, and always difficult to control.
