The bear and she bear....

[Blues Mark]

apparantly on the list of regular offenders brought before the courts at Market Drayton in the mid 19th century were William Farnell alias the bear and Eliza Farnell also known as the she bear. How do i go about finding out more. i have an ancester called William Farnell born 1827 who in 1841 lived with his widowed mother and elder sister Elizabeth. William was a tailors apprentice and by 1851 had left the town but it would be interesting to find out more about these fellons and see if there is any link to my forebears.

[Tolly]

Hi

would this be the same william who in 1861 was living as a lodger in eccleshall? (b Mkt Drayton 1828) TNA ref: RG9 Piece 1912 Folio 14 page 20

1871 census: living with spouse Rebecca (b 1834 Brecksworth Northants) + children Elizabeth (1855 Chorlton), Mary (1857 Madeley) William (1859 stoke/trent) Arthur (1866 stoke), Frances (1868 stoke). occupation given as journeyman tailor. residence stoke on trent. TNA ref: Class: RG10; Piece: 2869; Folio: 72; Page: 37

Paul

..... ironic that Farnell's was a company making teddy BEARS in london from 1840s onwards?!!!

[Kerrywood]

William Farnell alias the bear

According to various newspaper reports of the Market Drayton riots of 1865, 'the bear' was Thomas FARNELL.

If you don't have access to the British Library 19th Century Newspapers database through your county library membership, there is a paysite here

newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/ (put http:// in front)

[Blues Mark]

to answer the first reply yes thats the family they moved to Stoke via Chorlton. But i have him as an apprentice tailor at Horton, Wellington in 1861. I found the references in an article by Peter Brown who quotes William as the bear. William did have an older brother called Thomas and there were other Farnell families in the town. My ancestors had left by 1851 so i wasnt aware of the riots or perhaps the families role in it. Unfortunately i dont think we are anything to do with the teddy bear family.