FORD—BATCHELOR—April 16, at St. Luke’s Church, Hull, John William, eldest son of Captain Robert Ford of this port, to Louisa Elizabeth, second daughter of Captain Thomas Batchelor, of Fowey. »
Robert Ford of Hull, born 1866 and eight years old, nursed an overriding ambition. Steam. His father, another Robert, sailing his own brig coastwise out of the Humber, argued that steam was a passing fad. “Stands to reason, son. Who’d charter a vessel half full of mucky coal before a ton of cargo can be put aboard? The cost of coal alone would send freight charges sky high. Owners will... »
Robert Ford and Sarah Ann Aspinall had 37 grandchildren: Ernest Shutwell Holmes (1878-1955), chemist. William Robert Ford (1878-1944), railway clerk. Seymour Augustus Ford (1879-1968), fish buyer. Served in Yorkshire Regiment. Beatrice Elizabeth Ford (1880-1957) Ethel Emily Holmes (1881-), dressmaker Walter Thomas Holmes (1882-1883) Robert Ford Holmes (1884-1962), marine engineer Harold Holmes (18... »
Capt. Robert and Mrs Ford, Who celebrated the 50th anniversary of their wedding on Monday. Captain Ford has had a long career on the high seas, and captained ships for 48 years. Captain and Mrs Ford, who are at present residing at Trinity House, were married at Holy Trinity Church on July 25th, 1849, and they have had twelve children born to them, three of whom are master mariners. In turn they ar... »
Robert Ford was born on 23 January 1826 in Beverley, Yorkshire – the fourth son of John Ford and Mary Hamilton of Hull. In 1834, he went to sea as a cabin boy and received his merchant seamen ticket 11 years later. According to this document, he was living in Hull, was 5′ 7″ tall, had dark brown hair, dark complexion and hazel eyes. In 1849, aged 23, Robert married 18-year-old Sarah An... »
When Robert Ford and Sarah Aspinall died in 1913, they left behind them a large family. Only seven of their children had survived the perils of a Victorian childhood but these seven had already produced 36 grandchildren, with one more arriving two years later. Their family stories are full of adventure, tragedy and human interest. »