The House
Nun Monkton, Yorkshire
1800-1900s.
The Gowland family of Nun Monkton had been farmers in the village for many years. Much like them, the house my great granddad had been born in was witness to a myriad of changes-both good and bad- over the years.
Richard Gowland was working as a grocer and provision dealer from home with his wife Mary Elizabeth Holmes (also from a long line of farmers from this area) in the late 1800s. The first tragedy to befall the family came in 1881, when their first born Hilda Mary died as an infant. They didn’t have any more children until 1885 when my great granddad, Stephen Joseph, was born. As my grandmother had never known about Hilda, I assume Richard and Mary never told their children about the death of their eldest. Twins Elizabeth Ann and Richard John Peter was born in 1887, and Richard met an untimely death when he fell down the stairs inside the house and broke his neck in 1891 at the age of six. Their last child, Mary Ann C, was born in 1899.
Sometime in the early 1900s, Stephen Joseph’s good friend drowned in a fast-flowing nearby river (possibly the Ouse) after Stephen’s attempt to save him failed. In addition, the Gowland’s family lands that had been owned by them for centuries were taken by the Roman Catholic Church, leaving them the house and little else. So, Stephen decided to leave England and travel by boat to Australia, where he would start his new life.
Back in England, Elizabeth Ann was sent to an asylum (according to family lore) and was out in time to begin servant duties for two Irish Roman Catholic priests. I have not discovered what happened to Elizabeth after the 1911 Census- I am patiently waiting for 2021 to come around.
In 1916, Richard Gowland Sr died out the front of his house. He fell off of his horse and broke his neck. In 1939, his wife Mary Elizabeth died in the armchair of the living room in the old house. Mary was the fourth Gowland to die at the house.
My Gowland story ends in Australia with my grandmother, Dorothy. She loves reminiscing about her father and the stories he told her.