Other Events:

• Occupation: Storekeeper, lock-keeper

Notes:

Family moved from North Wales in the early 1850s to Ince in Makerfield, where Gomer was a collier. Robert was a schoolteacher and agent in 1871 census, time and storekeeper for brass finisher in 1881 (Wigan), lock-keeper at Wortley, Leeds 1891, Top Locks, Lathom, 1901, and Bank Newton, Gargrave 1911.
Mike Clarke, President of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society, records in a document on canal maintenance: "During and after the First World War, Robert Kendrick was lock-keeper at the top of Bank Newton, and his diary gives details of how ice was dealt with. From 1st to 16th February 1917 he noted that they were icebound, but then with nine horses and 13 men managed to break the ice as far as Ulber (Hulber), about a mile, before giving up.\they finally broke through on 20th, allowing three boats to pass.
"Later that year on Dec 4 they set off with ice boat No 9 for the first time after nine hard nights of frost. The ice was three-eighths of an inch thick and they used one horse with three men. By 23rd the ice was too thick and the steamer had to come to assist in keeping the canal open. 1925 was also a bad year as on Nov 12 he noted five-eighths of an inch of ice, with one of the local carpenters, Richard Turner, coming to remove the washboards at Hulber and the second lock, presumably so they could act as ice shoots. He described Dec 4 as the worst day he had had at Bank Newton for snow, ice and boats, with 30 boats passing on 8th after the canal reopened,.
"He retired at the end of that year on a pension of 10/- a week, after 40 and a half years working for the Canal Company."
Probate record (1935, Liverpool) cites Christopher Nevison, company director and Lilian Kendrick, spinster (daughter). Effects ?659 2s 10d.

Robert married Margaret Ellen McKie in 1875 in Wigan Register Office. Margaret (daughter of William McKie and Bella Clough, daughter of Thomas McKie and Ellen Leigh) was born about Nov 1848 in Wigan; died about Aug 1917 in Skipton. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Henry Kirkwhite Kendrick was born in 1876 in Wigan; died about Nov 1891 in Bramley, Leeds.
2. Dora Kendrick was born in 1879 in Wigan.
3. Nellie Kendrick was born in 1879 in Wigan; died in 1879 in Wigan.
4. Lilian Kendrick was born on 21 Jan 1881 in Wigan; died about Nov 1964 in Ormskirk.

Other Events:

• Occupation: Coal miner

Gomer married Maria Jones in 1846 in St James, Holywell. Maria was born in 1827 in Holywell, Flintshire; died about Nov 1892 in Wigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]