F. Barkway (active in 1888 in Syleham)
A newspaper report about a workmens’ treat held in the small village of Syleham on 27th December 1888 says, “Some excellent music was given by H. Barkway (violin), F. Barkway (dulcimer) and W. Shemming on the German flute.” This was for employees at Syleham Mill, and held “through the kindness of Mr and Mrs Holmes”. We have come across the Holmes before, hosting other such munificent events with music from the Shemming family, who included dulcimer players amongst their number.
We can be fairly sure that the F. Barkway mentioned was one of two brothers, either Frederick (1863-1925) or Frank (1873-1948).
The Barkway family kept the Fellmonger’s Arms in nearby Brockdish for over 60 years and their brother Thomas (possibly the T. Barkway mentioned in the article) lived near the Holmes in Syleham, where family members working at the drabbet mill.
Frederick and Frank both remained single all their lives and worked in the family trade of fellmongering (leather-working) and glove-making. Sometime after the Fellmonger’s Arms was closed, the two brothers moved to nearby Needham where they lived out the remainder of their lives.
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