Joseph’s Letter to his Children

In May 1916, looking towards his 80th birthday, Joseph wrote a letter to his surviving children in which he expressed “his thankfulness for the many blessings with which I have been surrounded during life, for the happiness of my home life and unbroken love of all my children”. He stressed the importance of the family unit and the direction it provides, hoping that his six groups of grandchildren will benefit from their parents’ values and guidance “that far beyond success in study, or wealth, or the good opinion of the world, or distinction in any career, you desire that they may be good and true men and women, honourable and unselfish.” Joseph took much pride in his belief that the homes created by his children had encouraged both they and their children “to shun the danger of self centred lives, and to be ready to labour for the welfare of others.”

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Joseph Stephenson Rowntree

Joseph Stephenson – known as Stephen – was the third of Joseph and Antoinette’s sons. He spent his working life at Rowntree and Co. but was also involved in Quaker committees and Liberal politics. He was the first member of the family to go to Cambridge University. Quakers had been debarred from entering the older universities mainly due to their non-conformism and this restriction had only recently been lifted. He was known as a good committee man and, most notably, he was on the Northern Friends Peace Board and the Yorkshire Friends’ Service Committee, the last of which was set up to pursue the ideas of John Wilhelm after his death. Both of these committees still exist although the latter is now the Outreach Projects Committee of Quakers in Yorkshire. Stephen was active in local politics and was mayor of Harrogate from 1911 to 1913.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Joseph’s Love of Travel

Joseph’s first real holiday was spent in France and Switzerland shortly after his first wife, Julia’s, death and he visited Switzerland regularly after that. Most years Joseph went on holiday abroad and took one of his children with him. He also enjoyed visiting different places in his own country. Travelling was one of his only luxuries in life. “Money spent on travel is never wasted”, he said. Joseph had a European outlook, probably influenced by German family roots, and Quaker attitudes to travel. Quakers were encouraged to make and maintain links with Friends in other countries. Discovering new and different places also appealed to Joseph’s questioning personality and his desire to continually educate himself.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Jean’s insight on her grandfather

“When I was a child I used to write him an annual nature diary, which he would later discuss with me. Looking back on those discussions, I see that he had an almost Wordsworthian feeling for the countryside, the sea, and all open places, and of course for his own garden and all the things that grew and lived there. He had an endless curiousity about plants. When he was in the South of France, he trespassed confidently into any garden that took his fancy, and once, when he was accosted by the owner, handed him a card and said ‘come and trespass in mine’.” Jean Rowntree (Joseph’s granddaughter) 1973.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Scarborough

Joseph was very fond of Scarborough. His Saturday walk there was part of his routine for many years once he allowed himself a little more leisure time and took the whole day off. His routine never varied. He caught the 10 o’clock train to Scarborough; had a cup of coffee at the cafe owned by his cousin; bought apples and ginger biscuits for his lunch and walked until four; returning home via the cafe and the train. He often had a companion, his brother John or an Adult School pupil in the early days. Over time his policy was to ask a younger staff member to accompany him. This must have been a daunting prospect and some workers declined the invitation but, by all accounts, Joseph had an engaging personality and never lacked subjects for conversation.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Clifton Lodge

Clifton Lodge House was built in 1852 and is where Joseph lived for the last years of his life from 1905 to 1925 and where he died. He built the adjoining house – Rawcliffe Holt – in 1907 for his daughter, Winifred, and her husband, Arthur Duncan Naish. After Joseph’s death both properties were left to the Rowntree trusts. Clifton Lodge was sold into private hands in 2011.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Winifred Rowntree

Winifred was Joseph’s youngest daughter – born in 1884. She shared her father’s passion for education and supporting those who were less fortunate. In 1902 she established the Honest Girls Club to provide entertainment and education for girls of a similar age to herself. Initially the club met in the local adult school and consisted of 24 girls. This number rose to 116 members by 1913. The Honesty Girls Club emphasised education; maintaining a library and organising evening classes that covered various topics from singing and copperwork to English literature and gardening. Driven by kindness and honesty the club actively engaged in community events. Winifred continued to oversee the club until her early death in 1915.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Strong Family Ties

“One of the things for which we have to be thankful is the strength of the family bond. As men and women grow older, living perhaps quite apart, with different interests and it may be with intellectual differences, there is a danger that the family ties may become weak. I have rejoiced that it has not been so in your case. The family tie is one which it is worth some pains to keep strong. It is a great strength to men or women to know that however misunderstood they may be, or however they may be experiencing some of the rough buffetings of this world, they can always count upon the support, the fair judgement and the love of the family circle.”

Extract from Joseph’s letter – TO MY CHILDREN – May 23, 1916

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Agnes Macdonald (nee Rowntree)

Agnes Macdonald (nee Rowntree), Joseph’s daughter spoke about her father’s love of nature and strong Quaker faith at his death. “His deep love of nature was with him to the end. Every morning he asked us if the birds were singing, and if we could see them on the lawn. Several times too, he recalled his Saturdays at Scarborough, saying how much he had enjoyed the companionship of friends at the Cocoa Works. My father very seldom talked about his religious faith; he only lived it; but we shall never forget how clearly it shone, lighting up the valley of the shadow of death.”

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Fred Rowntree

Fred Rowntree was a member of the Scarborough branch of the Rowntree family. He was an architect and closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement. He played a key role in creating the enduring built environment in York pioneered by the family and was involved in design and building projects at the Cocoa Works; the Homestead; Rowntree Park; Yearsley Swimming Baths and Bootham and the Mount Schools. His company were also appointed architects to the West China Union University in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.