1830
Born
1830 at Scalby
1830 in Eight and Forty, Scalby, Gilberdike, East Yorkshire— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
Woodall Harrison
1830 – 1914
✓ Validated against records · 2026-07-04
Woodall Harrison was born in 1830 at the Eight and Forty — the houses on Wallingfen that kept the name of the forty-eight townships which once shared the great common — and was baptised at Blacktoft church on the 3rd of October, the transcript reading "Woodall, son of Robert & Ann Harrison — Scalby — Labourer". His christian name was his mother's maiden surname carried whole into the next generation. In later life he put a William in front of it — Kelly's Directory, the 1911 census and his burial all know him as William Woodall Harrison — but the font knew him as Woodall plain.
The 1841 census finds him aged eleven, not at home but boarded at Newport with a carpenter's household: a boy already out earning his keep. By 1851 he was a farm servant in John Hill's farmhouse on Front Street, Laxton, where the house servant was Harriet Wainman, eighteen, a Laxton labourer's youngest daughter. They married that September at Howden Minster — he "of full age, Husbandman, residing in Kilpin", she a minor, both making their marks, with Ann Edmondson and Henry Beck as witnesses. A farmhouse courtship, sealed within the year.
Forty years of farm labouring followed, at Laxton and then Eastrington: ten children, of whom the first, John Woodall, died in his first month, and the last, Charlotte, at a year old — the family kept the June 1874 leaf of Home Words, the Laxton parish magazine, that records her burial, and it is shown on this page. The Goole Times of November 1870 catches the middle of the life exactly: Howden Petty Sessions, a shilling fine with costs, for letting his horse stray on the highway without a tenter. In 1891, past sixty, he and Harriet had a houseful again — three of their son John's children boarded with them on Howden Road, the two-roomed house on Station Road being unable to hold ten; and beside them another Charlotte, who carried the name of the daughter they had buried — their daughter Mary Hannah's Dewsbury-born girl, whom they raised as their own.
Then, in his sixties, the rise. Kelly's Directory of 1893 lists "William Woodall Harrison, farm bailiff to Miss Whitely of Dewsbury", and his obituary completes the picture: he "managed a farm at Eastrington for 16 years for the late Mr William Whiteley and family… near Dewsbury". The labourer had become the man trusted with the farm — and the West Riding household he served is the likeliest explanation of where Mary Hannah had been in service, and why her Charlotte was born at Dewsbury. When he died, the Hull and East Yorkshire Times printed the sentence any working man might want kept: "His honest, straightforward character won the respect of all who knew him. He was particularly successful in feeding and rearing cattle."
Harriet died in November 1907 at their daughter Ann Elizabeth Waldock's house in Laxton — the Hull Daily Mail notice is on this page — and was buried at Laxton three days later, aged seventy-four. Woodall stayed with the Waldocks: the 1911 census has him a widower of eighty-one, a farm labourer still. After an illness of eighteen weeks he was buried beside her at Laxton on the 16th of March 1914, aged eighty-four; the funeral report's list of mourners reads as a roll-call of the family on these pages.
Composed from validated records · 2026-07-04
- Birth
- 1830 in Eight and Forty, Scalby, Gilberdike, East Yorkshire
- Baptism
- October 3rd. 1830 Blacktoft Church (Parish Records)
- Marriage
- September 6th 1851 in Howden to Harriet Wainman
- Death
- March 16th 1914 Laxton aged 84 years (as William Woodhall Harrison)
- Parents
- Robert Harrison born Breighton, Bubwith, East Yorkshire Ann Woodall
- Siblings
- Nancy Harrison born August 24th 1806, died January 1807 Robert Harrison baptised July 15th 1808, North Cave George Harrison baptised June 18th 1810, North Cave William Harrison baptised May 25th 1812, died March 5th 1818 John Harrison baptised May 14th died May 17th 1814, North Cave Hannah Harrison baptised March 17th 1815, North Cave Sally Harrison baptised April 23rd 1817, North Cave William Harrison baptised March 7th 1819, North Cave John Harrison baptised March 16th 1823, North Cave Woodall Harrison baptised October 3rd 1830, Blacktoft Matthew Harrison* baptised December 22nd 1832, Wesleyan Newport by Howden Henry Harrison* baptised February 8th 1835, Wesleyan Newport by Howden *also baptised at Eastrington Church on June 7th 1840
- Children
- John Woodall Harrison baptised January 4th 1852, Laxton* died January 22nd 1852 Ann Elizabeth Harrison baptised March 20th 1853, Laxton Sarah Harrison born February 24th 1855, died February 12th 1890 John Harrison born December 4th 1856, baptised January 18th 1857, Laxton Robert Harrison baptised November 27th 1859, Laxton Martha Harrison born October 31st 1862, baptised November 30th 1862, Laxton Mary Hannah Harrison baptised November 12th 1865, Laxton Harriet Harrison baptised March 28th 1868, died April 23rd 1932 Sarah Ann Harrison baptised August 26th 1870, Laxton Charlotte Harrison baptised May 17th 1873, Laxton , died, burial May 26th 1874 age 1 *this is the only baptism in which Woodall Harrison is referred to as William Woodall Harrison
- 1841c
- Woclle (sic) Harrison, aged 11 born 1830, Yorkshire with William Stephenson, aged 60, Carpenter Also at the same residence were the Bishop family, Thomas and Hannah Bishop, plus children Address: Cottingham, Newport, Howden Occupation of Thomas Bishop, Brickmaker No occupation is recorded for Woodall
- 1851c
- Living with the Hill family in Laxton John Hill, Head, Farmer Sarah Hill, Wife + Children Woodle (sic) Harrison, born 1830 Eight and Forty Harriet Wainman, born 1833, Laxton, House Servant Address: Front Street Occupation: Agricultural Labourer
- 1851
- Living in Kilpin, East Yorkshire
- 1851
- Marries Harriet Wainman from Laxton 'Woodal Harrison, Batchelor, of full age, Husbandman* residing in Kilpin and Harriet Wainman, Spinster, Minor, residing in Laxton, were married in Howden Minster by banns on the 6th of September 1851, in the presence of Ann Edmondson and Henry Beck Fathers: Robert Harrison, Labourer, David Wainman, Labourer ' *Husbandman: a tenant farmer who cultivated the land Both Woodal and Harriet made their marks (x)
- 1861c
- Living in Laxton Woodall Harrison, Head, 1830 born Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, 1832, born Laxton Ann Elizabeth, Daughter, 1853, born Laxton Sarah Harrison, Daughter, 1855, born Laxton John Harrison Son, 1857, born Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, 1860 born Laxton Occupation: Agricultural Labourer
- 1871c
- Living in Laxton Wendall (sic) Harrison, Head, 1830, Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, 1832, Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, 1860 born Laxton Martha Harrison, Daughter, 1863, born Laxton Mary H. Harrison, Daughter, 1866, born Laxton Harriet Harrison, Daughter, 1868, born Laxton Sarah A Harrison, Daughter, 1870, born Laxton Occupation: Agricultural Labourer
- 1874
- Laxton Church Newsletter Burial May 26th 1874, Charlotte, daughter of Woodall and Harriet Harrison aged one year
- 1871-1881
- Moves to Eastrington
- 1881c
- Living in Eastrington Woodhall Harrison, Head, born 1830, Scalby, Brough Harriet Harrison, Wife, born 1832, Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, aged 21, born Laxton Harriet Harrison, Daughter, aged 13, born Laxton Sarah Harrison, Daughter, aged 10, born Laxton Address; Main Street Occupations: Woodall and Robert, Agricultural Labourers
- 1891c
- Living in Eastrington Woodall Harrison, Head, 1830, born Scalby Harriet, Wife, born 1840 Laxton Robert Harrison, Grandson, 1883 born Eastrington Harriet Harrison, Granddaughter, 1884, born Eastrington George Harrison, Grandson, 1887, born Eastrington Charlotte Harrison, Granddaughter, born 1887, Dewsbury* Address: 42 Howden Road Occupation: Farm Servant *Charlotte was the illegitimate daughter of Mary Hannah Harrison and was brought up by Woodall and Harriet. It was Charlotte's daughter who had the letters and photos from Canada.
- 1901c
- Living in Eastrington Woodhall Harrison, Head, age 71, born Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, age 68, born Laxton Address; 119 Newland Occupation: Farm Labourer
- 1893
- Kelly's Trade Directory Eastrington William Woodall Harrison farm bailiff to Miss Whitely of Dewsbury
- 1907
- November 25th Harriet dies aged 74 years November 25th at Laxton, the residence of her daughter A. Waldock, Harriett, the beloved wife of William Woodall Harrison. Interred at Laxton, November 28th at 3pm Hull Daily Mail November 27th 1907
- 1911
- Named as William Woodall Harrison living with daughter Ann Elizabeth and grandson William Woodall Harrison, Widower, aged 81 born 1830 Scalby, Farm Labourer Anne Elizabeth Waldock, Widow aged 58 born Laxton George Harrison Waldock born 1888 Blacktoft, aged 23, Single, Farm labourer Address Laxton (6 rooms)
- 1914
- Woodall dies aged 84 years.
In your grandmother’s words · from her notebook
Family
Parents
· · · · · · · · · Woodall Harrison b. 1830this page
Marriage
Children
Photographs
1 photograph is with the family — family sign-in
Life
Confirmed — anchored to a recordEstimated — inferred
1830
Wallingfen and the Eight and Forty — the end of a common
Two of this family's records stand on the same ground: Robert Harrison was living at the Eight and Forty by 1830, and his son Woodall was born there that year — a small cluster of houses on Wallingfen that kept, in its name, the memory of how this land had worked for centuries. Wallingfen was a great low common, some five thousand acres of fen and rough pasture in the flat country between the Ouse and the moor edge, and it belonged, in use if not in title, to the people of forty-eight surrounding townships and hamlets, who held rights of common upon it — grazing, fuel, fowling. Its affairs were governed by the commoners themselves, and the house where the Fen's governors met was the Eight and Forty House: the name the settlement inherited. In the 1770s an Act of Parliament ended it. The common was drained, surveyed, hedged and dealt out in allotments — the largest to the largest owners — and the families who had lived partly by common right became wage labourers on other men's fields. The Harrisons' own road makes the point without a pamphlet: Robert, born a few years after the award, walked the levels from hiring to hiring — New Village, Bedlam, Blacktoft, the Eight and Forty itself — and his son, christened with the common's houses around him, was boarded out to earn his keep at eleven. On the Brock side of this family the Isle of Axholme fought its drainers for a century; here on Wallingfen the change came by Act and award, quieter and just as total. What remained was a name on the map — and for a generation, the Harrisons lived in it.
Historical context Evidence
Background composed for this site from published history. It frames the family’s world; it is not one of Mum’s records.
1830
Baptised
3 October 1830
Oct. 3 — Woodall, son of Robert & Ann Harrison — Scalby — Labourer — Edw. S[tr]ead [reading soft], Curate.— Baptism — Blacktoft (Bishop's Transcript, 1830)
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- Baptism — Blacktoft (Bishop's Transcript, 1830) — Blacktoft Bishop's Transcript (Borthwick Institute; findmypast image GBPRS/YORKSHIRE/007587774/00199), read 4 July 2026. Settles the date: Mum's two pages disagreed (the 3rd on his own, the 30th on his father's) — the entry sits between the 31st of August and the 17th of October, so the 3rd it is. The abode, Scalby, is the Eight-and-Forty side of Blacktoft parish. read at the image
1841
A boy boarded at Newport — the 1841 census
1841
Woclle (sic) Harrison, aged 11 born 1830, Yorkshire with William Stephenson, aged 60, Carpenter Also at the same residence were the Bishop family, Thomas and Hannah Bishop, plus children Address: Cottingham, Newport, Howden Occupation of Thomas Bishop, Brickmaker No occupation is recorded for Woodall
— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1851
The Hill farmhouse, Laxton — where he met Harriet
1851
Front Street, Laxton — John Hill, head, 38, farmer, born Crowle; Sarah Hill, wife, 34; Elizabeth, 3; Alice, 1; Alan, 0 days — Woodle Harrison, farm servant, 21, born Eight & Forty — Robert Bishop, 16; Ann Ellis, 15 — Harriet Wainman, house servant, 18, born Laxton.— The 1851 census — the Hill farmhouse
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- The 1851 census — the Hill farmhouse — HO 107/2358, folio 370, Laxton (read via FamilySearch, entry 1:1:SG12-DGT, 4 July 2026 — findmypast's index garbles the whole household, 'Woodle' included; the image itself is on the archive list). Census night caught the farmhouse mid-event: the Hills' son Alan was aged nought days. Woodall and Harriet, farm servant and house servant under one roof, married six months later. read at the image
1851
In 1851
1851
Living in Kilpin, East Yorkshire— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1851
Married Harriet Wainman
6 September 1851 at Howden Minster
Sept. 6th 1851 — Woodal Harrison, of full age, Bachelor, Husbandman, Kilpin, [father] Robert Harrison, Labourer — Harriet Wainman, Minor, Spinster, Laxton, [father] David Wainman, Labourer — married in the Parish Church after Banns. Woodal Harrison's mark ✗ — Harriet Wainman's mark ✗ — in the Presence of: Ann Edmondson, Henry Beck.
— Marriage — Howden Minster (1851)
Sept. 6th 1851 — Woodal Harrison, of full age, Bachelor, Husbandman, Kilpin, [father] Robert Harrison, Labourer — Harriet Wainman, Minor, Spinster, Laxton, [father] David Wainman, Labourer — married in the Parish Church after Banns, by me, Wm Hutchinson, Curate. Woodal Harrison's mark ✗ — Harriet Wainman's mark ✗ — in the Presence of: Ann Edmondson, Henry Beck.
— Marriage — Howden Minster (1851)
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- Marriage — Howden Minster (1851) — Howden Minster marriage register, PE 121/22 page 31, entry no. 62 (East Riding Archives; findmypast image ...PE-121-22-VERS-1537-1900/00033), read 4 July 2026. She married at eighteen — "Minor" in the register — six months after the census that put her and Woodall under the Hills' one roof. read at the image
- Marriage — Howden Minster (1851) — Howden Minster marriage register, PE 121/22 page 31, entry no. 62 (East Riding Archives; findmypast image GBPRS/YORKSHIRE/13-0743_GB-YOR_PARISH-REGISTERS-E-PE-121-22-VERS-1537-1900/00033), read 4 July 2026. Every field of Mum's transcription holds — the trade, the minority, the marks, the witnesses. read at the image
1861
Census · 1861
1861
Living in Laxton Woodall Harrison, Head, 1830 born Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, 1832, born Laxton Ann Elizabeth, Daughter, 1853, born Laxton Sarah Harrison, Daughter, 1855, born Laxton John Harrison Son, 1857, born Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, 1860 born Laxton Occupation: Agricultural Labourer— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1870
Howden Petty Sessions — a stray horse
1870 at Howden
STRAY HORSES.—William Proctor, farmer, Kilpin, was charged by Supt. Green with allowing his horse to stray without a tenter on the highway on the 27th Sept.—Fined 1s., with 9s. 6d. costs.——The Superintendent preferred a similar charge against Woodall Harrison, labourer, Laxton, and he was fined 1s., with 8s. 6d. costs.
— Goole Times — Howden Petty Sessions (1870)
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- Goole Times — Howden Petty Sessions (1870) — The Goole and Marshland Weekly Times, Saturday 5 November 1870, page 4 (British Newspaper Archive via findmypast, issue BL/0001957/18701105), read 4 July 2026. A record Mum never saw. The case before his was a Kilpin farmer's, on the same charge — Kilpin, where Woodall had lodged at his marriage. read at the image
1871
Census · 1871
1871
Living in Laxton Wendall (sic) Harrison, Head, 1830, Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, 1832, Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, 1860 born Laxton Martha Harrison, Daughter, 1863, born Laxton Mary H. Harrison, Daughter, 1866, born Laxton Harriet Harrison, Daughter, 1868, born Laxton Sarah A Harrison, Daughter, 1870, born Laxton Occupation: Agricultural Labourer
— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1871
In 1871
1871
Moves to Eastrington— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1874
In 1874
1874
Burial. May 26th, Charlotte, daughter of Woodhall and Harriet Harrison, aged one year.— Home Words, Laxton Parochial Magazine — June 1874
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research, cited — not yet re-verified at the image:
- Home Words, Laxton Parochial Magazine — June 1874 — The original leaf, kept in the family for a century and a half and photographed into Mum's notebook — it is shown on this page. Between the choir notice and the Clothing Club nights, the month's one burial is theirs. from Mum’s research
1881
Census · 1881
1881
Living in Eastrington Woodhall Harrison, Head, born 1830, Scalby, Brough Harriet Harrison, Wife, born 1832, Laxton Robert Harrison, Son, aged 21, born Laxton Harriet Harrison, Daughter, aged 13, born Laxton Sarah Harrison, Daughter, aged 10, born Laxton Address; Main Street Occupations: Woodall and Robert, Agricultural Labourers
— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1891
Howden Road — a houseful of grandchildren
1891
Living in Eastrington Woodall Harrison, Head, 1830, born Scalby Harriet, Wife, born 1840 Laxton Robert Harrison, Grandson, 1883 born Eastrington Harriet Harrison, Granddaughter, 1884, born Eastrington George Harrison, Grandson, 1887, born Eastrington Charlotte Harrison, Granddaughter, born 1887, Dewsbury* Address: 42 Howden Road Occupation: Farm Servant *Charlotte was the illegitimate daughter of Mary Hannah Harrison and was brought up by Woodall and Harriet. It was Charlotte's daughter who had the letters and photos from Canada.
— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1893
In 1893
1893
Kelly's Directory, 1893, Eastrington: William Woodall Harrison, farm bailiff to Miss Whitely of Dewsbury.— Kelly's Directory of the North & East Ridings (1893)
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research, cited — not yet re-verified at the image:
- Kelly's Directory of the North & East Ridings (1893) — Mum's extract from Kelly's 1893, Eastrington entry; corroborated in full by the 1914 funeral report. The directory page image joins the download list. from Mum’s research
1901
Census · 1901
1901
Living in Eastrington Woodhall Harrison, Head, age 71, born Scalby Harriet Harrison, Wife, age 68, born Laxton Address; 119 Newland Occupation: Farm Labourer— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1907
In 1907
1907
Harrison.—November 25th, at Laxton, the residence [of] her daughter, A. Waldock, Harriett, the beloved wife [of] William Woodall Harrison. Interred Laxton, November 28th, at [3] p.m.— Hull Daily Mail — Harriet's death notice (1907)
No. 431 — Harriet Harrison — Laxton — November 28th 1907 — 74 years — A. A. Slipper (Curate).— Harriet's burial — Laxton register (1907)
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- Hull Daily Mail — Harriet's death notice (1907) — Hull Daily Mail, Wednesday 27 November 1907 (British Newspaper Archive via findmypast), read 4 July 2026 — the notice Mum transcribed, found and confirmed word for word. read at the image
- Harriet's burial — Laxton register (1907) — Laxton burial register, PE 91/4/2 (East Riding Archives; findmypast image ...PE-91-4-2-VERS-1537-1900/00029), read 4 July 2026. read at the image
1911
In 1911
1911
Named as William Woodall Harrison living with daughter Ann Elizabeth and grandson William Woodall Harrison, Widower, aged 81 born 1830 Scalby, Farm Labourer Anne Elizabeth Waldock, Widow aged 58 born Laxton George Harrison Waldock born 1888 Blacktoft, aged 23, Single, Farm labourer Address Laxton (6 rooms)
— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1914
In 1914
1914
Woodall dies aged 84 years.— From Janet Brock’s research
Mum’s record Evidence
From Janet Brock’s research notebook.
1914
Laid to rest at Laxton — after eighteen weeks
16 March 1914
LAXTON. FUNERAL.—On Tuesday the remains of Mr Woodall Harrison were laid to rest, after an illness lasting 18 weeks. Deceased, who had reached the advanced age of 84 years, was born at Scalby and in his younger days managed a farm at Eastrington [for] 16 years for the late Mr William Whiteley and family, of [Annineaton], near Dewsbury. His honest, straightforward character won the respect of all who knew him. He was particularly successful in feeding and rearing cattle. The chief [mourners] were: Mrs Waldock, Mr and Mrs J. Harrison (Eastrington), Mr and Mrs [B.?] Harrison, Mr and Mrs Rams[den?] (Bradford), Mrs Franklin, Mrs Gaythorpe (Spofforth?), Mr Terry (Hemingbrough), Mr and Mrs J. Waldock (Howden), Mr and Mrs Wall[er?] (Bradford), Mr Brown (Goole), Mr R. Harrison, Mr G. Harrison, Miss Harrison, Misses A. and E. Harrison (Eastrington) … and Messrs G. and F. Waldock.
— Hull & East Yorkshire Times — the funeral report (1914)
No. 478 — William Woodhall Harrison — Laxton — 16 March 1914 — 84 — Charles C. Potts (Parish Priest).— His burial — Laxton register (1914)
The record image is with the family — family sign-in
Read at the image record Evidence
Confirmed against the original record, read at the image:
- Hull & East Yorkshire Times — the funeral report (1914) — Hull and East Yorkshire Times, Saturday 21 March 1914, page 12 (British Newspaper Archive via findmypast, issue BL/0007168/19140321) — digitised in January 2026; a report Mum could never have seen. The mourners' list is given as printed, its readings soft where the type fails; "Annineaton" is the compositor's, not the family's. read at the image
- His burial — Laxton register (1914) — Laxton burial register, PE 91/4/2 page 60 (East Riding Archives; findmypast image ...PE-91-4-2-VERS-1537-1900/00032), read 4 July 2026. One refinement of Mum's page: her "death March 16th" is the burial's date — he died in the days before, at the end of the eighteen-week illness the obituary describes. read at the image
Records & papers
1 record image is with the family — family sign-in
Our research
The Dewsbury connection, and two family images
Open research · Eastrington, Laxton & the West Riding
- The Whiteleys of Dewsbury. Kelly's 1893 ("farm bailiff to Miss Whitely of Dewsbury") and the 1914 obituary ("the late Mr William Whiteley and family") agree; the obituary's placename is typeset as "Annineaton" — the real place near Dewsbury is unresolved. Mary Hannah's daughter Charlotte was born at Dewsbury in 1887 — service with the Whiteley household would explain it. To do: Charlotte's Dewsbury birth/baptism — West Yorkshire registers are an Ancestry-side set (Library Edition at the archive, or the batched Ancestry month); and the Whiteley farm at Eastrington in the 1881/1891 censuses.
- Charlotte's Canada letters. Mum noted that Charlotte's daughter had "the letters and photos from Canada" — a family-artefact hunt among the cousins, not an archive one.
- The unplaced portrait. Mum's notebook carries a studio portrait of a young woman by Saville Kirk of Ilkley — unidentified. The West Riding studio hints at Mary Hannah's service years, but a guess is not a caption: it stays parked until someone in the family knows the face.
- Images to fetch: Kelly's 1893 page; the 1841 and 1911 census pages (Mum's transcriptions carried meanwhile).