William HARROLD ^2,11

   User ID: HARR0122.

  General Notes:

Baptism states : William s.o. James and Sarah, father's occupation is labourer

Birth Certificate : #199 29th December 1841 William, boy, s.o. James HARROLD and Sarah HARROLD formerly GIBBS, Labourer. Informant The mark X of Sarah HARROLD Mother Bolton Lane Dursley 3rd February 1842

Could have been named for the late King William IV.

It seems he had a hard childhood. He is a labourer aged 8 in the 1851 census, a sawyer aged 19 in the 1861.

After his marriage, he learned the trade of Ropemaking at Champions in Parsonage Street [source Marion HARROLD]

He went on to start his own ropemaking business in 1879. It is known that Sarah did all the secretarial work for her husband. [source Marion HARROLD]

Maybe Sarah also brought some capital with her for by 1882, twenty years after their wedding, they were living in Twinberrow Lane where they had a rope works. In the Dursley Gazette of that year William advertised for "Boys for the ropeyard, those used to halter weaving preferred. Also a man as spinner who can turn his hand to twine or to anything in the trade".

Kellys 1894 Dursley William HARROLD Ropemaker Prosepect House.

So 1897 William Harrold a rope maker living at Prospect House, Union Street.
Thus sometime between 1882 and 1894 they were successful enough to move to this much larger premises.

Kellys Directory 1902 Dursley : William HARROLD Ropemaker Prospect House

An indication of the comparative prices can be noted from a record in the accounts of Giddings, painter and decorator, of work done for Prospect House in 1898.

2 bedrooms -whiten ceilings and paper walls.
Labour 18 hours at 5 1/2d 8s 3d
Whiting 2s 0d
Plaster 6d
Paste 6d 11
rolls of paper 7s 4d
Paint 2s 6d
Turps and colour 1 s 3d
--------------------
Total £1 2s 4d
Discount 4d
--------------
£1 2s 0d

Was the discount for quick payment?
Also in Giddings accounts for Prospect Works in 1901
Painting and cementing outside of house £3 3s. 0d
Inside house -kitchen, pantry, halls (2 coats)
Plastering dining room ceiling £3 8s 0d
---------------------------
Total £6 11s 0d
Discount 1 s 0d
------------------
Total £6 10s 0d

He appears in the British census follows :

1851/1861 : see father's entry

1871 :
HARROLDWilliam29
Sarah27
Family...
{Transcription incomplete}

1881 :
HARROTS WilliamM39Nunnery Lane Farm, Dursley, Head, Ropemaker &c employing 5 boysDursley
SarahM37Wife, RopemakerDursley
Herbert WJU18Ropemakers AssistantDursley
George U15Drapers ApprenticeDursley
Laura E. 14Dressmakers ApprenticeDursley
Ralph G. 12Son, ScholarDursley
Gilbert Hy. 10Son, ScholarDursley
Fredk. Dl. 9Son, ScholarDursley
Christopher 8Son, ScholarDursley
Arthur 2Son, ScholarDursley

1891 :

HARROLDWilliam49188, Union StreetHead, Ropemaker ManufacturerDursley
Sarah S?47188, Union StreetDursley
Laura E 24188, Union StreetDo.Dursley
Ralph E22188, Union StreetOutfitters AssistantDursley
Frederick19188, Union StreetGrocers AssistantDursley
Christopher18188, Union StreetScholarDursley
Arthur 12188, Union StreetScholarDursley
Margaret9188, Union StreetScholarDursley
Florence7188, Union StreetScholarDursley
Violet 4188, Union StreetScholarDursley

1901 :

HARROLDWilliamM59116 Union StreetHead, Employer, Rope & Twine ManufacturerDursleyOswald HARROLD and Caroline POVEY are 2 doors down
Sarah P.M57Wife Dursley
Laura E S34Dau. Dursley
Arthur S22Son School TeacherDursley
MargaretS19Son School TeacherDursley
FlorenceS17Dau. DressmakerDursley
Violet P.14Dau. Dursley

You can also trace the movements of William around Dursley through his location (and occupation given in the baptisms of his children.

Cause of death Throat cancer. [Source Katharine Smith] Died 4.15pm. [Source Sarah Smith's family Bible]





His will is as follows :

I William Harrold of Dursley in the County of Gloucester Ropemaker hereby revoke all previous wills and testamentary depositions made by me and declare this to be my last will and testament. I appoint my wife Sarah Phillimore Harrold sole Executrix and trustee of this my will and Guardian of my infant children. I appoint my son Ralph Ernest Harrold manager to my Business during the lifetime of my wife at a weekly salary of thirty five shillings or such other amount as my son Ralph Ernest and my wife may agree upon and on the death of my wife I give to my son Ralph Ernest the goodwill of my business together with the stock in trade and machinery used in the business for his sole use my dwellinghouse and business premises including in the latter my ropewalk and all warerooms and workshops as well as my personal estate and effects I give to my wife for her use during her lifetime and on her death it is to be sold and the proceeds (after payment of all costs and expenses attending such sales) to be equally divided amongst my children Herbert William James, George, Gilbert Henry, Frederick Daniel, Christopher, Arthur, Laura Eliza, Margaret Anne, Florence Mary and Violet as shall survive her In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand this ninth day of April in the year of our lord one thousand nine hundred and six.

William Harrold

Signed by the said William Harrold the testator in our presence who in his presence and the presence of each other at the same time subscribed our names as witness - Walter Charlie Morgan Parsonage St. Dursley Arthur Henry Smart Fortfields Dursley.

On the 28th Day of February 1908 Probate of this will was granted at Gloucester to Sarah Phillimore Harrold the sole Executrix.

In 1995 Prospect house was up for sale, its previous use as a ropeworks being quoted to upgrade its value. [Source Marion HARROLD]

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Sawyer.

William married Sarah SMITH, daughter of Ralph SMITH and Ann PHILEMORE, on 8 Aug 1862 in St James Dursley.² (Sarah SMITH was born on 17 May 1843 ¹⁷, christened on 23 Nov 1843 in Dursley, Glos.,² died on 26 Oct 1927 ¹⁷ and was buried on 29 Oct 1927 in Woodmancote, St Marks ².)

  Marriage Notes:

Groom's Father James Harrold Labourer, Brides Father Henry Smith
Labourer, witnesses John Higgins & Ann Smith (signed herself),
Sarah signed her name, Wm by Mark
Fathers James Harrold and Henry Smith, witnesses John Higgins and Ann Smith

²