Bell Family

In memory of William Bell who departed this life 17th of January 1798 aged 39 years

Also John Bell died 14 July 1809 aged 20 years

Also Frances Bell who died 11th of April 1811 aged 24 years also William son of above

William Bell who died 15 December 1813 aged 28 years

Frances Varley died 6 November 1829 aged 73 years

“The baker, the miller and Anne Lister’s stockings”

William Bell (senior) the baker, was baptised in St Margaret’s, Walmgate, on 19 March 1758. At the age of twelve, William became apprenticed to York baker, John Potter. In February 1779, aged 21, William became a freeman - a status that included membership of York’s governing body.

Just one year later, William married Frances Newell, daughter of an innkeeper, at St Crux. Between the years of 1782 and 1794, William and Frances had nine children: Sarah (who probably lived only two years) Mary, William, the twins Frances and Anne, John, Elizabeth, George (who may also have died in childhood) and Edward.

Sadly, William died when his youngest child was just five years old, but Frances remained well provided for: the Land Tax Redemption entries for 1799 list her as the proprietor of three adjacent properties. Frances was also surrounded by friends. In 1799, her neighbour, another widowed mother named Sarah Monk, witnessed Frances’ marriage to John Varley.

In 1823, records show John Varley as the York miller. So, did the baker’s wife turn to the miller for comfort when her husband died? Actually, no... Frances provided her husband with his career: upon his death, William had left the “Spittle Croft with the Mill in the Lordship of Heworth” to his wife, and, she turned Varley from “gentleman” (his occupation as stated when they married) to “milller”. Frances died in 1829, and chose to be buried with her first husband, William, their two sons, daughter and grandson (baby William), in the graveyard at Holy Trinity.

Frances’ eldest son, William (junior), who became the owner of the drapery business in College Street (which is the National Trust shop today), is one of those who lies with them. William Bell (junior) and his wife, Rebecca Nicholson, make a brief appearance in the diary of Anne Lister – they sold her stockings on her trips to York. They also employed George Hudson during the early years of his career (before he became the “Railway King” and Mayor of York memorialised inside Holy Trinity).