BIOGRAPHIES

 

Alfred Hanley Folker was born in Brighton on 28 April 1830, the sixth of the family of seven children of Samuel Shepherd and Susannah Folker.

Details of his early life are not known at present except that it is believed that he was apprenticed to a draper in Brighton and slept under the counter in the shop. It may be, however, that it was to a hosier that Alfred was apprenticed as his profession is shown as Hosier in his marriage certificate and the birth certificates of his children.

Alfred married Eliza Pocock at St. Peter's church, Brighton on 21 January 1854. His place of residence at that time was shown as St. Mary le Strand, Middlesex.

After their marriage, Alfred and Eliza first lived at 41 Warstone lane, Birmingham where their first son, Alfred, was born in 1855. Ellen was born in 1856 and George in 1858.

They then lived at 20 Russell Square, Brighton where which is where their remaining two children, Horace and John were born in 1859 and 1861 respectively.

It seems that Alfred and Eliza may have parted soon after their last child was born. A birth certificate for a child called Fanny Folker, born on 31 October 1864 in Flamstead Hertfordshire, shows Alfred as the father and Letitia Folker, ne้ Porter, as the mother. There is, however, no record of their marriage. It would appear that Alfred was landlord of the Sebright Arms public house at the time. Nothing more is known about Fanny.

By 1875, Alfred had moved to Guildford where became the innkeeper at The Bowling Green public house. He did not remain there for more than a year or so before he established an Auctioneer's business at 6 Lea Pale Road, Guildford in 1876. Also that year he founded the Guildford Poultry Market which was held each Tuesday at 11 a.m.

By 1878, the business also had stores in Woodbridge Road as proclaimed in his advertisement in the front of The Guildford Directory and Almanac of that year. By 1880, The business additionally had offices at 64 High Street, Guildford.

The advertisements for the business offered services in the sale of property, transfer of businesses, debt collection, accountancy and insurance. He was agent for the Scottish Union national Insurance Co. for Life and Fire, the Imperial Union Accident Assurance Co and the national Provincial Plate Glass Co. He also stocked fertiliser and animal feed.

Alfred was carrying out his profession as an auctioneer at the Guildford markets where there was a poultry market each Tuesday at 11 a.m., wholesale dry goods each Saturday and horse sales on the first Tuesday of each month.

The census of 1881 lists Alfred's sister Emma who lived in his house in Lea Pale Road. Also listed was his son Horace who was also probably living with him at that time. Alfred's wife Eliza shows the same year as living in Hove with her daughter Ellen Eliza and son John Herbert. Son George Newton had left home by that time and joined the navy and eldest son Alfred Henry had married and was living in London.

In 1881, Horace joined Alfred as a partner in the business which then became known as Messrs Folker & Son and moved premises to Almorah Lodge in Woodbridge Road.

The partnership was short-lived being dissolved in 1884, three years after it was established. Horace then set up on his own account in competition with his father. At that time, the main offices were in Guildford Chambers, North Street, Guildford. Alfred remained here but Horace opened new premises at 74 High Street.

The reason for the split is not known but it certainly was complete. A possible cause may have been that they were both fairly stubborn and may not have been able to tolerate each other in close proximity.

Alfred continued in business as an Auctioneer although it is likely that Horace established himself in the stronger position and took the lions share of business.

Round about 1885, Alfred moved to 11 Guildford Park Road then moved again in around 1890 to Strasburg Villa in Martyr Road.

His wife, Eliza, died on 21 March 1900. On 31 October the same year, Alfred married a widow by the name of Catherine Mills and they lived at 46 Denzil Road. One month later, he drew up a new Will which, other than a previous settlement on his children, favoured his new wife.

Alfred passed away on St. Valentines day in 1901. He was buried at Stoke next Guildford and probate on his Will was granted to his wife, Catherine, the sole executrix, on 24 May the same year.