AUDLEY & DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
A group from Audley and District Family History Society went along to Radio Stoke to listen to Cedric Barber talk about his family connections with the black African slave Francis Barber. It was a fascination and riveting account, which was all the more interesting because Cedric was white. There was nothing in his appearance or demeanour that would lead anyone to say that his ancestors were black.
The story of Francis and how he came to England began 200 years ago on the plantation of Lord Bathurst, a wealthy English nobleman. Francis was sold along with his mother and brother to Lord Bathurst for the sum of £5.00 and began work on the land in Barbados They were treated very well indeed and Francis became a favourite houseboy, being educated and cared for by his master. Cedric had obtained what he considered to be the only picture of Francis .He had downloaded this from the Internet, this showed a handsome, well-dressed black boy, obviously a very special individual.
On Bathurst' death Francis found himself a new guardian. This was no other than the great Dr. Samuel Johnson. Dr Johnson had been a close friend of Lord Bathurst and had promised that he would care for Francis in the event of the latter's death. The boy had, obviously, made a great impression on both men. This then was how Francis came to live in England. Johnson treated him well he became more of a son than a servant. In fact Francis was treated so well that on the death of his master he inherited the residual estate and became a wealthy man. By this time he had met and married a white girl and with this union the colour began to dilute. Francis, however, was not a particularly good businessman and shortly the money he inherited disappeared. Gradually he produced a family and one of his sons, named Samuel (presumably after Johnson) began work in the pottery industry. Samuel became known as Black Sam and was a hard worker but not particularly God fearing. Sam could not find fulfilment in his life until one day he experienced a Damascus Moment. He believed he heard the voice of God calling him. From that moment Sam found his purpose in life and became a very well known preacher, he stood along side such luminaries as Hugh Bourne and William Clowes and embraced the new approach to religion that of Methodism.
Discovering this about Black Sam was, to Cedric, a defining moment in his own life. Cedric too is a local preacher and he could empathise with his ancestor's struggle to find faith.
In conclusion Cedric produced the findings of a DNA test that he had undergone. The results were revealing as Cedric had always thought that his family roots were along the Gold Coast of Africa, they were in fact from the Eastern side of South Africa. The story of the Barber family has not ended by any means. No information has yet been discovered about the father of Francis and the other branches of the family are yet to be explored, a task, which will take Cedric Barber many years.
This was a fascinating, thrilling and sometimes sad tale, which combined the two events we celebrate in 2007, the abolition of the Slave Trade and the birth of Methodism. The Barber family has more reason than most to remember these momentous events. Cedric Barber is taking the Christian message forward and at the same time is celebrating his black heritage with pride.
It was a moving and thought provoking experience, one that we all shared and enjoyed.
MINE ALONE; Rosemary Mercer
It is nearly a year since I was in touch with you, re the book I was writing about Joseph Taylor, born
Audley, and half-brother of William Dodd. The book is now published and available from me. It is the product of years of research.
Audley people might like to check out our website to decide whether they want to buy it or not. We have included a link to your piece on William Dodd, which was of great value to me.
Joseph Taylor's discovery of the Puponga coalmine started a mini-wave of immigration from Staffordshire to Northwest Nelson over the following 20 years. Besides references to Staffordshire Taylors and Dodds here and there in the book there are two chapters on Joseph Taylor and family when he lived in and around Audley. My cousin Jeff Taylor tells me you have also published a short article on Joseph's older brother George Taylor who was a prominent citizen of Audley.
The following is the cover blurb:
"Admired or hated, Joseph Taylor could not be ignored, he is an enigma still. From working in a Staffordshire coal mine at the age of ten he came to study geology and theology, training as a preacher and as a mining engineer. This story of the lives of Joseph and his wife Annie centres on the years 1894-1902 when he emigrated to New Zealand and began as the Collingwood lay reader, going on to establish the Puponga coal mine at the northernmost tip of the South Island. Colourful characters both friendly and adversarial have cameo roles in the drama that ensues. The New Zealand scenes are set in Nelson, in Wellington, and especially Puponga to Bainham in the upper Aorere valley in the early days of immigrants who were not ‘settlers’."
Website: www.butterflycreek.net.nz .
Details:
Title: MINE ALONE: the unrelenting struggle of an immigrant mining engineer from Staffordshire for recognition in colonial New Zealand.
277 pages including Notes, Bibliography and Index. 16 illustrations.
‘A Window On The Eardley Family’ by Robert Mayer.
The cost of the book is £5 plus the cost of postage when required.
The book is a truly historical record of the experiences and memories of events at the worldwide Eardley Family during the years 1995 to the summer of 2003. Much of the book contains the words of the many contributors who have written to Robert following our earlier requests for memories & information. Robert Mayer has brought all these contributions together to form a fascinating historical story, supplemented with many photographs and illustrations. It will make a fabulous present for your families and is sure to become a family heirloom to be handed down to future generations of Eardleys through your children. The book covers the period when Robert Jack Eardley MD sent his first letter in 1995 to many Eardley families around the world. The Millennium World-wide Eardley Family Reunion at Audley is fully covered and is followed by the stories of planning and fundraising to ensure the restoration of the magnificent East Window in the church of St James The Great in Audley, which was the actual focus of the reunion. The Re-dedication of the restored window, the ‘Stitch Day’ when so many Eardley family members played their part in history making at Audley in 2003 are fully covered, plus many other personal stories told by yourselves are to be found in ‘A WINDOW ON THE EARDLEY FAMILY.
The editor’s thanks go to David Eardley for this review.