Archibald Hoodless second of his name in the Wetheral branch was baptised here at St Mary’s Church, Rockliffe, a rural village on the banks of the River Eden close to the estuary where the river enters the Solway Firth.
Archibald-Hoodless-1828Timeline
- Archibald was baptised on 7th October 1827 in the small village of Rockcliffe, near Carlisle in Cumberland the fourth child of Archibald Hoodless and Elizabeth Clark.
- 1841 Census records him living with the family at Wetheral.
- 1851 Census records that 23 year old, agricultural labourer, Archibald is married to 28 year old Esther Atkinson of Mawbray. They have a 2 year old daughter Elizabeth and 3 month old Ann. They are living in Wetheral.
- Ten years later in the small hamlet of Kingmoor Archibald is still a farm worker and they have five kids – Ann, Jane, Archibald, John and Margaret. Elizabeth is living nearby with her grandfather Archibald, a widower at this time, helping out around the house.
- 1871 the census records Archibald and Esther living at Moorville, Kingmoor just north of Carlisle where he is still a farm worker. In their forties now they have two kids still at home, Mary 9 and Esther 7.
- Between 1871 and 1881 things change significantly for Archibald. He has progressed to a tenancy of his own and is now a “farmer of 96 acres” working now for his own benefit, owning his own livestock and farming for profit. The farm is called Park Fauld farm, Blackwell High, just south of Carlisle. The farm is still there.
This seems to have been a true family venture because in 1881 Archibald’s son John and his daughters Margaret and Jane are also living and working on the farm.
- 1884 youngest daughter Esther dies at the age of 20 years old.
- 1891 Census shows Archie and Esther continue on at Park Fauld farming, which indicates a successful farming business.
- Esther his wife dies in October 1893
- Archibald Hoodless of Park Fauld dies on 24th March 1901 a few days before the 1901 Census was taken. His daughter Margaret is residing at Park Fauld in that census. He left a an estate of £2316 which presumably after debts were settled became a net personal estate of £574. Since his wife had already passed the estate is bequeathed to his sons and daughters. There are six who survive him.