Introduction

Walter Baker worked in twine and web weaving factories in East and West Coker. He lived at Hardington Moor with his parents during the late 1880s and early 1890s. He spent his later life at East Coker and West Coker and died at the age of 53 after a surgical operation. Walter and his wife had one daughter, Rhena, who was academically gifted, although her potential was limited by the constraints of her time.

Early life at East Coker

Walter was born in late 1872 or early 1873 at East Coker, the youngest of eight children born to Charles and Frances Baker.

His father, Charles, was born at West Coker, while his mother, Frances Adella Voizey, was born at East Chinnock. They married at West Coker on 10 July 1853 and lived there for a few years before moving to Burton, East Coker, between June 1856 and February 1857.

Walter’s father worked in the Coker weaving industry. In April 1861, he was a labourer in a sailcloth factory, a yarn sorter in April 1871, a sacking weaver in April 1881, and a web weaver in April 1891.

Move to Hardington

By 1889, Charles and his family had moved to Hardington Moor, where they lived in a cottage owned by Thomas Guppy.[1] In April 1891, Charles was a web weaver. He died in January 1895, at the age of 59 and was buried at West Coker.

After her husband’s death, Frances lived in the household of her son, Henry, in Chur Lane. She died in November 1904 at the age of 73.

Marriage

On 26 March 1894, Walter married Emily Jane Rendell at West Coker. At the time, Walter was about 21 years old, and Emily was 20. She was the daughter of George William Rendell, a twine maker.

Return to East Coker

In March 1901, Walter and Emily lived at Primrose Hill, East Coker, and Walter was a web weaver.

West Coker

By April 1911, they had moved to the High Street, West Coker, and Walter worked as a power loom web weaver. In June 1921, they lived at Orchard View, West Coker, and Walter worked as a power loom web weaver for F. Drake & Co.

Daughter

Walter and Emily had one daughter, Rhena Rosalie Carnation, who was born at East Coker on 3 April 1902. She attended Yeovil High School and passed a Cambridge local examination in 1918.[2] By June 1921, she was a school teacher at Milborne St Andrew, Dorset. On Tuesday, 3 July 1923, Rhena married Donald John Wheeler, the second son of Harry and Elizabeth Wheeler, of Hill Grove, Yeovil, at St Martin’s Church, West Coker. Her father gave her away, and she was attended by two bridesmaids.[3]

Death

In around April 1926, Walter underwent a surgical kidney procedure that proved unsuccessful. He died on October 3, 1926, at the age of 53, with his daughter Rhena by his side[4]

Emily died in 1930 at the age of 57.

References

[1] Hardington voters’ lists; guardian valuation lists.

[2] Western Times, 6 September 1918, p.3.

[3] Western Chronicle, 6 July 1923, p.11.Rhena later lived at Martock, where her husband worked for the Great Western Railway as a Chief Goods Clerk. She had one son, but unfortunately, she died at the age of 38.

[4] Death certificate of Walter Baker.