one of twelve children born to Thomas Jack Nixon (1843–1907)and Margaret Jane Nixon neé Nicholson (1846–1919)
father Thomas was station master at various locations including Nether Staveley, Burton & Holme, Nether Wyresdale and Plumpton
in 1871 living at Nether Staveley railway station
scholar in 1881 living at Station House, Burton-in-Kendal
in 1890 married Elizabeth Todd Stainton (1865–1946)
railway clerk in 1891 living at Harterbeck, Roeburndale, Lancashire with wife’s mother, stepfather and family
living at Clifton, Westmorland from 1892 to 1895 or later
railway clerk in 1901 living at Lay Pitts, Burton-in-Kendal
railway booking clerk in 1911 living at 24 Helmside, Oxenholme
Thomas died 5 October 1926 and is buried at St Mark’s Church, Natland
probate Carlisle 14 December to widow Elizabeth Todd Nixon
effects £627 9s 8d
his widow Elizabeth continued to live at 24 Helmside, Oxenholme
she won numerous prizes for her bread-baking in the thirties
Elizabeth died 1 July 1946 at 10 Gandy Street, Kendal and is buried at St. Mark’s Church, Natland
probate to son Percy Nixon railway engine driver
effects £597 14s 8d
Thomas and Elizabeth had five children:
Elizabeth Nixon (1890–1891) – born at Roeburndale, Lancashire and died as an infant
Herbert Nixon (1892–1920) – see further information below
Percy Nixon (1895–1976)– see further information below
Florence Nixon (1901–1983)– born 24 April 1901 at Burton-in-Kendal – married William Teasdale in 1937 – died in 1983
Leslie Stainton Nixon (1904–1924) – born at Natland in 1904 – died 17 August 1924 aged 19
Herbert Nixon (1892–1920)
Herbert Nixon 1892-1920 Photograph courtesy of his daughter Marian
born at Clifton, Westmorland in 1892
railway storeman in 1917
married Helen Escolme (1894–1918)in July 1917
sadly wife Helen died in October 1918
Herbert initially served as a Private in the RASC Motor Transport Unit
died from typhus on 25 January 1920 while serving in Southern Russia
his name is recorded on the Haidar Pasha Memorial, Turkey and on a supplementary plaque added to the Natland memorial in 2008
Helen Escolme 1894-1918 Photograph courtesy of daughter Marion
Herbert and Helen had one daughter:
Marion Nixon (1918–) – mother Helen died just three weeks after giving birth and so Marion was brought up by her mother’s sister
Percy Nixon (1895–1976)
born 2 October 1895 at Clifton, Westmorland
living with parents at Lay Pitts, Burton-in-Kendal in 1901
railway bookstall clerk in 1911 living with parents at 24 Helmside, Oxenholme
railway fireman at Oxenholme
served with the Railway Operating Division in World War 1
awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”
While attached to the 4th Australian Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company, Sapper Percy Nixon, together with Corporal Norman James Lewis and 2nd Corporal James Edward Waters of that Company, were the train crew working with a party of Royal Engineers between Villers Faucon and Tincourt on 21 March 1918. They were constantly subjected to intense shell fire, They were the train crew that removed the last rolling stock from Roisel and also from Tincourt.
married Mary Eleanor ‘Nellie’ Bell (1901–1991) daughter of railway foreman shunter William Bellin 1927
Percy died on 16 October 1976 aged 81
widow Nellie died on 13 July 1991 aged 90
With special thanks to: The Escolme Family
Can you add any information to this page? Do you have any photographs or memories you could share? If so, please contact us.
The Armer family lived at Oxenholme from before 1891 until tbc
George Armer (c.1836–1915)
born c.1836 at Burton-in-Kendal, Westmorland
ninth of ten children born to agricultural labourer James Armer (1798–1874)and Margaret Armer neé Cowperthwaite (1799–1871)
factory boy aged 15 in 1851 living at Burton-in-Kendal
married Annie Cannon (1835–1892)at Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire on 12 November 1857
railway watchman in 1861 living at Lambrigg Head, Westmorland
railway pointsman in 1871 living at 10 Low Gill Cottages, Low Gill, Westmorland
railway porter in 1881 living at Speight Bridge, Hutton in the Hay, Westmorland
railway foreman porter in 1891 living at 8 Helmside
wife Annie died in 1892
inmate of Milnthorpe Workhouse in 1901
inmate of Milnthorpe Workhouse in 1911
died 1915
George and Annie had ten children:
John James Armer (1858–1870) – baptised 8 September 1858 at Over Kellet, Lancashire – died aged 12 – buried 8 April 1870 at Ulverston, Lancashire
Clara Armer (1860–1927)– baptised 6 January 1861 at Grayrigg, Westmorland – servant at Middleshaw Farm, Old Hutton in 1881 – married James Graham (1864–1927) in 1888 – died aged 66 at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire in 1927
George Armer (1862–?) –
Nancy Armer (1865–1865) –
Margaret Armer (1866–1880) –
William Armer (1869–1884) –
Anthony Armer (1871–1884) –
Annie Armer (1872–?) –
Robert John Armer (1875–1948) – see further information below
Joseph Armer (1879–1961) – stores clerk for shipbuilder at Barrow-in-Furness in 1911 – married Florence Price – had eight children (6 boys and 2 girls)
Robert John Armer (c.1875–1948)
born at New Hutton, Westmorland
scholar in 1881 living at Speight Bridge, Hutton-in-the-Hay, Westmorland
married Jane Graham (1877–1965)daughter of railway engine driver Richard Graham in 1899
lived at 17 Helmside, Oxenholme
died 1 August 1948
buried at St. Mark’s Church, Natland
headstone inscribed “In loving memory of Robert John Armer who died 1st August 1948 aged 73 years. Also of Jane his beloved wife who died 3rd March 1965 aged 87 years.”
administration Carlisle 1 September 1948 to Jane Armer widow
effects £890 14s 3d
widow Jane continued to live at 17 Helmside with son Richard and his family
Jane died 3 March 1965
probate Carlisle 9 June 1965 to son Richard Graham Armer railway employee
effects £2,584
Robert and Jane had at least four children:
Richard Graham Armer (1902–1995)
Phoebe Armer (1903–1979)– died 29 August 1979 – buried at St. Mark’s Church, Natland – headstone inscribed “In loving memory of Phoebe Armer who died 29th August 1979.”
Robert Eric Armer (1905–1980)
George William Armer (1912-1943) – George was a schoolmaster and served in WW2 as a Sergeant Navigator/Bomber in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 15 Squadron and was killed in action on 2 March 1943. He is buried at Baarderadeel General Cemetery, Schillaard, Friesland, Netherlands and is commemorated on the Natland War Memorial and by a wall plaque inside St. Mark’s Church
James Armer (1850-1871)
born at Old Hutton, Westmorland in 1850
son of railway labourer Matthew Armer (1825-1901) and Mary Armer neé Bell (1826–1900)
cousin of Robert John Armer (c.1875–1948) above
scholar aged 10 in 1861 living at Bridge End, Old Hutton
railway labourer aged 20 in 1871 living at Bridge End, Old Hutton
gatekeeper killed at Oxenholme Station 9 December 1871
Can you add any information to this page? Do you have any photographs or memories you could share? If so, please contact us
Oxenholme Farm. Photo copyright of Rose and Trev Clough under CCL.
The original Oxenholme Farmhouse was divided into two properties, Oxenholme Farm and Raysholme. A third property, Mill Cottage, also stands on the site.
The following information was contributed by local schoolchildren from St. Marks, Natland to the BBC Domesday Project in 1986:
“Mr. Bell took over the Elizabethan farmhouse in 1932. There 40 hectares owned by the farm and a further 23 are rented. Silage, which is cut every year in June and August, occupies 38 acres while the remaining 63 are used for hay and pasture. Mr. Bell owns four tractors, two of which are Fords. He keeps Friesian cows, forty-two being milked every day at 07.00 and 16.00. So far this year 145 lambs have been born, although 8 or 9 die each year shortly after birth. Mr. Bell also keeps hens and breeds pheasants which he buys when they are only a day old. When St. Mark’s children visited the farm they were given some silage and cow cake. They watched the sheepdog at work and went in the milking shed. When they entered a field of cows, they were very quickly surrounded!”
