Documents relating to Caroline Wyvile Walker

At a sale at Walterclough Hall-in-Southowram some time ago, a chest of drawers was sold in which the buyer discovered an intimate diary and memoirs of a daughter of the house: Caroline Wyvile Walker. The Walkers were connected in some way with the Thornhill family of Fixby, Huddersfield.

Writing as recently as 1908 an old resident of Ovenden who remembered Delia Walker stated:

I think Miss Delia was the last of four sisters for I never heard mention of the other three.

The Dawson family resided at the Hall (Walterclough) at the time (about 1850). I think their names were Arthur and Edmond and four young ladies of whom I remember Emma and Lucy.

They were very buoyant ladies and used to be rather unsympathetic to the old lady.

Miss Delia, I see her now, pacing the old lanes but beautiful about Walterclough, with her umbrella for a staff, always alone, stopping to rest and survey the old haunts of early days. She used to walk to Halifax on the Saturday, market day, up and down the long steep Southowram Bank, halting to rest; I fancy I see her silken shawl with corner downwards, not across as now. She was always in good time for morning service at Saint Anne's in the Grove Church, Southowram - poor old lady

Caroline herself appears to have been unfortunate in regard to Lord Evelyn Stuart, on whom she had set her affections in vain. But she goes on – Delia was a very great favourite with Mrs Thornhill, who wishes her very much to accompany her to town. Lady Massereene had come down with her. Delia was very fond of Mrs Thornhill but the censure which had prevailed made my mother very fearful of her going there. Tom Thornhill was very partial to Delia.

Caroline concludes her diary with a regret at the early death of her brother the only son of the family. The Walkers of Walterclough died out on male descent and Walterclough passed to Major Dawson a clergyman of small fortune who married the sister of John Walker