Ernest
was born on November 29th 1856 the ninth of ten children (two girls
and eight boys) born to William and Caroline Youens, who married in 1837 and
moved to Dartford in about 1845. Their children were Caroline (1839-1919),
Ralph (1841-1910), Frank (1844-1910), Jesse (1846-1920), William (1848-1930), Albert
Frederick (1850-1931), Clement Thomas (1852-1919), Agnes Maud (1855-1855), Ernest
Christopher (1856-1933) and Urban Percival John (1859-1927). William Youens was
a basket maker who was born in Fulham, a son of Thomas Youens, also a basket maker.
His wife Caroline nee Eves, was born in Chatham.
Hourglass family
tree of Ernest Christopher Youens
The
1851 census shows William Youens and his family living at Willow Cottage in
Lowfield Street, Dartford. William was a devout non-conformist Christian. He
lent a room in Willow Cottage to a group of Strict Baptists for them to worship
in. This was known as Antioch Chapel1. William attended the
Independent Chapel in Lowfield Street and his wife Caroline was a teacher at
the Sunday School there2.
Thomas
Youens (grandfather of Ernest) had three children, namely William (father of
Ernest), Jane and Mary. His daughters married in the 1840s and emigrated to
America2. In 1858 Thomas, then aged 74, travelled to Texas to be
with his daughters. Three of William’s children namely Caroline (aged 19),
Frank (14) and Jesse (12) went with him. Dartford Library has a copy of letters
(transcribed) that Ralph Youens sent to his siblings in Texas over the period 1859
to 18762. Frank and Jesse both served in the Confederate Army for
about 7 months during the latter part of the American Civil War (which lasted
from 1861 to 65). By 1859, William and his family had moved to Tower Cottage,
Tower Road, Dartford. This was a house that William built with his own hands. It
was designed in an unusual style that incorporated some architectural features
of a church. The building was demolished in about 1935 (a spiritualist church
now occupies the site). In 1871, Jesse Youens built a house in Navasota, Texas
in the style of Tower Cottage. It still stands and has been declared a Texas
Historic Landmark.
Tower Cottage,
15 Tower Road, Dartford in about 1900 (photo from Dartford Library)
In
1861, the family living in Tower Cottage, Dartford consisted of William Youens
(47, a basket maker), his wife Caroline (44) and their children Ralph (19),
William (12), Albert (10), Clement (8), Ernest (4) and Urban (1). Ernest was
admitted to the Wesleyan Boys’ School in Dartford in June 1867, when he was
aged 103.
William
Youens (father of Ernest) died in 1870, aged 56, of heart disease2.
The 1871 census shows Caroline Youens (a widow aged 53) at Tower Cottage,
Dartford. Also living here were her sons Ralph (29), Albert (20), Ernest (14)
and Urban (11), all shown as basket makers. Their business was advertised in
the 1872 Perry’s Directory of Dartford.
Advert placed by
Youens Brothers (1872)
William
Youens (Ernest’s brother) married Ellen Elizabeth Bignall in 1874. They
travelled to Texas later that year with Clement Youens. In 1881, the Youens family
in Dartford consisted of Caroline (63), Ralph (39), Clement (28, who had
returned from America) and Ernest (24). The sons were all basket makers and unmarried.
As a sideline, Ernest kept bees at Tower Cottage and sold the honey.
Blank invoice
for Youens honey
In
1887, Ernest married Kate Plastow in Dartford. He was aged 30, she was 29. Kate
was born in Dartford. In the 1881 census, she is shown as a needle mistress at
the Metropolitan Imbecile Asylum and School in Darenth (on the outskirts of
Dartford). Ernest and Kate went on to have three children, Harold Ernest (b
1888), Marian Kate (b 1891) and Dorothy May (b 1896). The census in 1891 shows
Ernest (34, basket maker), Kate (33) and Harold (3) living at 17 Tower Road.
Ernest’s mother Caroline (73) was still living next door at 15 Tower Road with
her unmarried sons Ralph (49), Clement (38), Albert (40) and Urban (31). Ralph
and Clement were basket makers. Albert and Urban were both described as “artist
in natural flowers”. Caroline Youens died in 1894 aged 76.
In
about 1897, Ernest decided to seek a living as a photographer. The Perry’s
Directory of Dartford for that year contains the entry “17 Tower Road, E
Youens, photographer.” The 1901 census shows Ernest (44, photographer), Kate
(42), Harold (13), Marian (9) and Dorothy (5) living at 17 & 19 Tower Road
(this property still exists). Ernest took portrait photos.
1913 advert
Ernest’s studio
at 17 & 19 Tower Road
He
also built up a collection of local photos, which he offered for sale.
1908 advert
Ernest Youens with his wife Kate and daughters Marian and Dorothy c 1903
In March 1906, Ernest wrote a letter, published in the Dartford Chronicle, suggesting that a museum be established in Dartford. An exhibition of local antiquities was held that year in a room in the Congregational Church4. A museum committee was formed by Dartford Urban District Council. In 1907 it was decided to collect and display exhibits at the Dartford Technical Institute in Essex Road. Ernest was appointed as the Honorary Curator of this collection, a position he held until his death. His role was unpaid at first. Ernest was later paid a small salary, which he sometimes used to acquire specimens5. The museum was transferred to a room in the new public library building in 1921.
In
1932 Sidney Kilworth Keyes published his book “Dartford : Some Historical
Notes”. Ernest helped him by supplying information and pictures. Keyes included
the page below in the book, to thank him.
Harold
Youens, Ernest’s son, died in 1911 aged 23. His elder daughter Marian married
Horace Snowden (who worked for his family’s printing business in Dartford) in
1922 and they had a son in 1923. Ernest’s other daughter Dorothy married Percy
Cutter in 1918 and they had daughters in 1923 and 1926.
The 1921 census shows Ernest Youens aged 64, a photographer, living at 17 Tower Road, Dartford with his wife Kate (62) and daughter Marian (29).
Kate
Youens, Ernest’s wife, died in 1930 aged 72. Ernest passed away at his house at
17 & 19 Tower Road in 1933 aged 76. He had been in failing health for some
time and died from a heart attack in his sleep at night. Ernest’s funeral
service was held at Dartford Congregational Church on West Hill, which he had
attended for over 50 years. He took an active part in the church’s activities –
he was in the choir, treasurer and a senior deacon5. An obituary6
said “Ernest Youens was a kindly,
peaceful soul who pursued the even tenor of his ways, unruffled by the
artificial storms of modern times.”
Ernest
was buried in East Hill Cemetery in the same grave as his wife and son. It is
inscribed
HAROLD ERNEST
YOUENS, born 10th Feb 1888, died 5th Oct 1911. / Accersitus ab angelis,
quiescit in domino Jesu / KATE YOUENS, born 29th March 1858, died 20th Aug 1930
/ A soul so truly sweet can never die, but lives and loves throughout eternity
/ ERNEST CHRISTOPHER / YOUENS / died 16th Nov 1933.
“Accersitus
ab angelis, quiescit in domino Jesu” is Latin for “Summoned by angels, he rests
in Lord Jesus”.
The grave of
Ernest Christopher Youens
Ernest
was the last of his siblings to die. His father, mother and brothers Ralph,
Albert, Clement and Urban are buried near him in East Hill Cemetery. Ernest’s
sister Caroline (who married William Armstrong) and brothers Frank, Jesse and
William died in Texas. Memorials to all of them are on the Find A Grave
website.
Philip
Taylor © 2014
PhilT42LQS@Yahoo.co.uk
References
1.
Dartford, Some Historical Notes,
Sidney Kilworth Keyes, 1932.
2.
Youens Letters Transcribed, Ernest
Lewis Youens.
3.
At Maidstone Archives, Dorothy
Galdwyn, North West Kent Family History Society Magazine, January 1982, page
189.
4.
History of Dartford museum - a long and
varied history, on Dartford Borough Council website, accessed March 3rd
2014.
5.
Museum Curator’s Funeral, Dartford
Reporter, November 25th 1933.
6.
The Passing of a Kindly Gentleman, West
Kent Advertiser, November 23rd 1933.
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