51.2a Second Cousins of Henry Larard

James Larard's first cousin, Thomas Larard set up as a clock and watch maker in Hull in 1812. His family relationships were complicated, and he had twelve children - second cousins to Henry Larard. Two of the children are of special interest.

Alfred Larard (1829-1898)

Alfred was born in Hull. He married Catherine Maria Walton (1827-1899) at Holy Trinity, Hull in 1848.

Church of Holy Trinity, Hull (my photo)

The couple had five children:

• Thomas Larard (1849). Thomas died in 1849.
• Thomas Edward Larard (1850)
• John Larard (1852)
• Alfred Larard (1859)
• Sidney Larard (1867). Sidney died in 1868.

The interesting thing is that the first three sons were born in Hull, the later two in Victoria, Australia (Alfred in "New Chum Gully", Sandhurst).

After at 65,000 years of indigenous human occupation, things had moved quickly in this part of the world. In 1770, Captain James Cook claimed SE Australia as 'New South Wales' for Britain. With the loss of its American colonies in 1783, the British Government sent a fleet of ships, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, to establish a new penal colony in NSW. In 1802, Captain John Murray sailed into Port Philip, further south, named after Arthur. In 1835, Batman started a settlement just inland on the banks of the River Yarra - naturally it was called Batmania. In 1837, the governor renamed it in in honour of the British Prime Minister, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne. In 1847, Queen Victoria declared Melbourne a City. In 1851, gold was discovered locally, and the population started to grow exponentially; by the mid-1860s, it had overtaken Sydney.

In 1875, Alfred was in business with his son as a jeweller at 42 Little Collins Street East, Melbourne. This is about the time that his second cousins, Francis and Reginald Larard arrived in Australia to start gold prospecting.

Goldfields Miner's Brooch by Larard c 1895 (Bonhams)

Frederick Larard (1846-1918)

Frederick was only 15 when his father died. He is listed as a watchmaker in the 1861 census but, according to Eillen Cussons, his mother apprenticed him to Dees and Hunter in Bond Street, Hull, to learn the trade. Within five years, despite not earning a wage as an apprentice, had had save enough to buy out the business which his elder half-brother Thomas (1819) had inherited from Thomas (1786). This was the jewellers shop in Hull, described in Chapter 37.1.1.

In 1872, Frederick married Mary McCollin (1847-1881) in Sculcoates, Hull. They had two sons:

• William McCollin Larard (1871)
• Frederick Arthur Larard (1879)

Hull Maritime Museum (my photo).
42 Saville St is 5 down from the Yorkshire Penny Bank (Cafe Nero) on the left

In 1871, the family lived at 16 Milton Street, Sculcoates. For the business, Frederick bought 46 Saville Street, Hull (since refronted), where the business remained until 1975. Saville Street radiates from Queen Victoria Square, so close to the new 'centre of gravity' as the Square took shape. The Docks Office (now the Maritime Museum) was started in 1867 and in 1900, Hull Corporation included plans for a new City Hall, in a new street scheme, principally intended to create a central tram stop.

Edmund Larard at 46 Saville St (Eileen Cussons)

F. Larard shop sign from Saville St (my collection)

In 1881, they are at 10 Brunswick Terrace (now redeveloped). By 1891 (and still in 1901 and 1911), the family is at 15 Kingston Square, and they kept a servant. This has now been partially redeveloped, and I think their house is now under the New Theatre. In Victorian times, it was a smart address, and the oval in the middle of the square a place for perambulation. Frederick had remarried - to Delilah Phoebe Revel Atkinson (1857-1942), and they had eight children. Frederick died in 1918.

• Edmund Larard (1882)
• Sydney Larard (1883)
• Dora Larard (1884)
• Harold Larard (1888)
• Kate Larard (1890)
• Ethel Larard (1890)
• May Larard (1892)
• Norman Larard (1896)

But there is more....

Cussons describes Frederick as a young man with a strong sense of justice. He spoke up for workers, rate payers and 'the liberties of Englishmen'. He was elected to Hull Corporation in 1872. From the beginning he had an interest in the police, and was Chairman of the Watch Committee by 1876.

Frederick played a part in the tramways mentioned above. Cussons describes how he visited Hull fair to bid for the strongest horses. He visited Stockton (perhaps Benjamin Lambert was there) to investigate electric trams. He laid the first electric track in Hull himself in 1898, and even drove the first tram in front of the thronging crowds, to whom it seemed almost magical.

Alderman Frederick Larard in 1907 (Hull Guildhall)

Just as the great buildings were being erected on Queen Victoria Square, in 1904, Frederick was elected mayor of Hull. Amongst his achievement was keeping the phone system independent from the GPO. When he died, the firemen of Hull showed out to give his coffin a guard of honour.

There will be more on these families in Chapter 58.

Next (Fanny's siblings)