Person Page - 69

     Emma Burnley was born circa 1840. She was the daughter of Samuel Burnley and Elizabeth Newsome.

     Barbara Walker married George Lister, son of Jacob Lister and Sarah Stubley, on 23 January 1804 at Batley witnesses George Walker and Robert Spedding.¹
Barbara Lister died in February 1847. She was buried on 24 February 1847 at Batley ; aged 58.¹

     Jacob Lister was born in 1813. He was the son of George Lister and Barbara Walker. Jacob Lister was baptized on 6 June 1813 at Batley.
He married Martha Stubley, daughter of Nathaniel Stubley and Frances Heaton, on 6 September 1830 at Tong.
In the census of 30 March 1851 he was listed as the head of household at North side Commercial St, Havercroft, Batley, as a cloth weaver.¹

     Sarah Lister was born in 1818. She was the daughter of George Lister and Barbara Walker. Sarah Lister was baptized on 20 March 1818 at Batley.¹

      Jenny Raper was also known as Jane. She was born at Pudsey. She married Joseph Lister, son of Jacob Lister and Sarah Stubley, on 7 November 1814 at Tong by banns with parents'consent. Witnesses were John Pyrah and James Houldroyde.
In the census of 30 March 1851 Jenny Lister was listed at Havercroft, Batley, as wife of Joseph Lister.^1,2

     Mary Lister was born in 1816. She was the daughter of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. Mary Lister was baptized on 17 March 1816 at Batley.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 she was listed as the daughter of Joseph Lister at Havercroft, Batley.²

     Jacob Lister was born in 1818. He was the son of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. Jacob Lister was baptized on 23 March 1818 at Batley.
In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as a woollen weaver the son of Joseph Lister at Havercroft, Batley.¹
Jacob Lister married Sarah Marsden on 24 February 1845 at Centenary chapel, Dewsbury.²
He was listed in the census of 30 March 1851 at Havercroft, Batley, as a hand loom weaver.³

     George Lister was born in 1820. He was the son of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. George Lister was baptized on 23 July 1820 at Batley.
He died in 1821. He was buried on 14 February 1821 ; as an infant.¹

     George Lister was born in 1822. He was the son of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. George Lister was baptized on 28 July 1822 at Batley.
In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as a woollen weaver the son of Joseph Lister at Havercroft, Batley.¹

     Raper Lister was born in 1824. He was the son of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. Raper Lister was baptized on 2 January 1825 at Batley.¹
He died in April 1825. He was buried on 7 April 1825 at Batley.¹

     Abraham Lister was born in 1828. He was the son of Joseph Lister and Jenny Raper. Abraham Lister was baptized on 17 February 1828 at Batley.¹

In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as a woollen weaver. aged 13 the son of Joseph Lister at Havercroft, Batley.²
He was seemingly apprenticed to another trade, for In the census of 30 March 1851 he was listed as a master shoemaker aged 23 the son of Joseph Lister at Havercroft, Batley.^3,4

Abraham Lister married Mary Ellen Barber on 4 November 1855 at Cathedral, Manchester, witnesses being Henry Brown and Mary Elliot. Abraham was described as the son of Joseph, a weaver, and Mary Ellen as the daughter of Joseph, a guard.⁵
In the census of 7 April 1861 he was listed as the head of household at Crosley St, Batley, as a shoe maker, master, aged 33.^3,6
Abraham Lister was must, it seems to me, have been the Abraham in the advertisement shown. He is said to have given up shoemaking because, as he explained to his customers, he could not "stand sitting" though this grocery venture may not have lasted, for later he is listed as a bill-poster.
Abraham seems to have taken over the shop at the top of Billy Well Lane from Sarah Blakeley.
In the census of 2 April 1871 he was listed as the head of household at Spa Hill, Batley, as a bill poster.^3,7

He was not merely a bill-poster, though; he wrote them, and his literary ambitions extended also to ventures in dialect almanacs popular at the time. These, modest booklets quite cheaply produced enabled the working man to play a part in recording the humour, attitudes and concerns of the time.
"T'Toadpipes Mill Almanac" was compiled by Abraham, and published in 1867 by Fearnsides of Batley.
Another which may only have had one issue was" T'Wooden Laddle Almenac", also published by Fearnsides.⁸
Abraham Lister was not the only Batley man to engage in writing these Almanacs, Isaac Binns was another.

In this website will be found mention of many involved in local politics, and who were elected to Batley Council. Whilst I think many of them made considerable efforts for their town, should they fall short Abraham was at hand to keep them up to the mark, and readily criticise what he saw as shortcomings. He is said never to have stood for election himself, but I daresay there were those who felt he should, and he certainly struck a pose of so doing in issueing posters with pithy comment at election times. My image shows the sort of poster to which I refer.³ John Lister has sent me copies of two more of these, which can be read by clicking on the text symbols here.⁹
I don't know how much education Abraham had himself, and if he sometimes slips into nonsense verse, this seems part humour, part consciousness of his limitations. Yet here was one who, with perhaps yet limited access to newspapers, was trying to keep abreast of national and world affairs and give voice to the concerns of the working man with a family to support.
Abraham Lister died on 3 December 1878.¹⁰ He was buried on 4 December 1878 at the Cemetery, Batley, That Abraham's opinions and criticisms were treated with some respect is indicated by the presence at his funeral of the then Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other councillors.^3,11


Isaac Binns tells of Abraham Lister as a well known character:-

When asked on what date one of his children was born he answered "T'day after Bryan Hardwick's pig wor killed."- - - - - -

The first time I can recall Lister was when he lived in a little cottage which then existed in the Cross-street, which forms a continuation of Well Lane and joins Commercial and Wellington Streets - passing the Bull and Butcher Inn. Abe was at that time a cobbler, but he did not stick to his "last" -- I expect because he could not. He was a ready-witted being and never cut so deep with his wit as to cause offence. In fact his sayings caused the laugh to come from those who were the objects of his wit; and if ever a town could boast of a jester it was Batley when Abe lived. I believe Abe turned billposter from this house, and went around also with the bell as town crier. I hardly know a man more missed than Abe, for when no man steps into the place of a departed one, then surely that man may be said to be missed. Abe Lister was therefore missed, for he has had no successor in his inimitable line. At election times especially, Abe came to the front. True it was that at times his electioneering squips were of an unattractive class, but his yearly election speech was generally loked for and always out in good time. - - - - - - -Abe,- - - seemed to have business in his head when he issued his electioneering addresses; for, after telling all he would do and all he wouldn't do if elected to the Town Council, he used to put the stereotyped postscript---- "My price for posting is as follows:- Double demy, one sheet bills, per 100, so much, etc., etc." Abe was a free-lance in reality and hit all round. One of his squibs referrring to an election where Mr Eli Ibberson and Mr. Marriott were contesting for the municipal seat, I well recollect, and it is a fair sample of what he did at such times. It was thus----- "Vote for Eli and Tom; Eli likes water without any gin, but Tom likes it better with a little sup in." Abe also for several years came out as a publisher, his publication taking the shape of an annual called "t'Toad -pipes" Almanac. The almanac was written in the dialect, and was composed of original and selected anecdotes and witticisms dressed in dialect dress; the majority selected."¹²

     Jonathan Allott was born in 1686. He was the son of John Allott and Sarah Whewell. Jonathan Allott was baptized on 9 May 1686 at Birstall.
He married Sarah Lee on 21 April 1712.

     Benjamin Farrar was born on 7 September 1803 at Batley. He was the son of Joseph Farrar and Ruth Drake. Benjamin Farrar married Hannah Maria Sheard, daughter of Benjamin Sheard and Elizabeth Chappel, on 26 December 1824 at Batley.¹
Benjamin Farrar died on 14 February 1851 at age 47.

     David Fox was born in 1785 at Dewsbury. He was the son of Benjamin Fox and Margaret Robinson. David Fox was baptized on 25 July 1785 at Dewsbury.¹
He married Rebecca Hall, daughter of Joseph Hall and Ann Turner, on 24 July 1806 at Batley witnesses Thomas Hudswell and Samuel Harrison.²
In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as the head of household at Carlinghow, Batley, as a cloth miller.³
In the census of 30 March 1851 at Carlinghow, Batley, David Fox was listed as a Cloth fuller.⁴
He was listed in the census of 7 April 1861 at Nussey's Yard, Batley, as a retired clothier, aged 76.⁵
He died in 1870 at Batley.

     Isabella Fox was born circa 1877. She was the daughter of Henry Fox and Emma Ellis. In the census of 3 April 1881 she was listed as aged 3 the daughter of Henry Fox at Wellington St., Batley.¹
In the census of 5 April 1891 she was listed as a scholar the daughter of Henry Fox at 3 Fox's Yard, Batley.²
In the census of 31 March 1901 she was listed as aged 23 the daughter of Henry Fox at 3, Fox's Yard, off Wellington St, Batley.³

     Michael Sheard Fox was born in 1879.¹ He was the son of Henry Fox and Emma Ellis. In the census of 3 April 1881 he was listed as aged 1 the son of Henry Fox at Wellington St., Batley.²
In the census of 5 April 1891 he was listed as a scholar the son of Henry Fox at 3 Fox's Yard, Batley.³

     Ada Fox was born circa 1881. She was the daughter of Henry Fox and Emma Ellis. In the census of 5 April 1891 she was listed as the daughter of Henry Fox at 3 Fox's Yard, Batley.¹
In the census of 31 March 1901 she was listed as a tailoress aged 19 the daughter of Henry Fox at 3, Fox's Yard, off Wellington St, Batley.²

     Amy Fox was born circa 1886. She was the daughter of Henry Fox and Emma Ellis. In the census of 5 April 1891 she was listed as the daughter of Henry Fox at 3 Fox's Yard, Batley.¹
In the census of 31 March 1901 she was listed as a general sservant, domestic, aged 15 the daughter of Henry Fox at 3, Fox's Yard, off Wellington St, Batley.²
Amy Fox died in 1950.

     Susan Hirst was born circa 1870 at Batley. She married John William Fox, son of Henry Fox and Emma Ellis, in 1896.¹

     Alfred Hirst Fox was born circa 1897. He was the son of John William Fox and Susan Hirst.

     Emma Ellis Fox was born circa 1900 at Batley. She was the daughter of John William Fox and Susan Hirst.

     Mary Sheard was born on 14 September 1805 at Batley. She was the daughter of George Sheard and Elizabeth Firth. Mary Sheard was baptized on 13 October 1805 at Batley.¹
She married John Blakeley, son of Samuel Blakeley and Elizabeth Stubley, on 23 February 1829 at Batley.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 Mary Blakeley was listed at New Batley, Batley, as wife of John Blakeley.²

     Sarah Ann Lee was born in 1853 at Batley Carr. She was the daughter of Isaac Lee and Mary Fox. Sarah Ann Lee married George Richard Porrit in 1874.
Sarah Ann Lee died in 1945 at Leeds.

     George Richard Porrit was born in 1846 at Gomersal. He married Sarah Ann Lee, daughter of Isaac Lee and Mary Fox, in 1874.
George Richard Porrit died in 1886 at Leeds.¹

     Benjamin Fox Hall was born on 9 February 1806. He was the son of David Fox and Rebecca Hall. Benjamin Fox Hall was baptized on 9 March 1806 at Batley.¹