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Situated in the Unconsecrated/East Section of Jesmond Old Cemetery.
William Snowball was born in Ovingham on 27th March 1824, his parents being George and Mary nee Harrison. Young William was baptized in Hexham on 12th May 1824. George grew up to marry Emma Davidson Laverick, daughter of John, a ‘smithy’ and Margaret nee Marshall, in Westminster on 28th March 1849.
They had eleven daughters and three sons in a 21 year period of time – sadly, four of their daughters and a son died in infancy and are buried along with their parents in Jesmond Old Cemetery. Three of the daughters were named ‘Emma’ after their mother and it was to be some thirteen years after the birth of the first Emma, that they had a daughter named Emma who would survive childhood.
The painting of William is by William Crosby (1830 – 1910) and dates from 1875. The photo of Emma was taken in Jesmond, probably in 1865. Both images were supplied by Murray Waldren, a direct descendent of the Snowballs.
William was a Draper by trade and opened his own department store, Snowballs, on Bottle Bank, Gateshead, in 1850, which later moved on to Gateshead High Street, occupying numbers 15 to 21, which became known as Kent House. The store was quite a size for its day, extending over 400 feet into Oakwellgate, and sold a variety of household goods and furnishings. Apparently, it was the first store in the UK to have a ‘cash rocket system’ whereby payments wizzed off to the cashier’s office, which then returned the receipt and change.
As an aside, William’s elder brother, James, was also a successful businessman, running the Snowball Firebrick Company and owning several collieries.
In the 1851 Census, the Snowballs are recorded as living in 58, Collingwood Street, Gateshead, with daughter Mary and William’s mother-in-law, Margaret. The Census records that at this time, he employed 3 men and 2 women in his business. By the time of the 1861 Census, William and Emma were living at 14, Regent Terrace, Gateshead.
By 1871, the Snowballs had moved to Fernville, Coxlodge . Daughters Margaret Elizabeth, Clara Louise and Emma Eliza are recorded as living with them. The Census also records that they now employ 42 male and 23 female assistants. Ten years later, and the Snowballs, including daughters Fanny Maria, Emma Eliza and Eva Maud, are now living in 4, Brandling Park, Jesmond, with the Census recording him as a ‘Draper employing employing 105 assistants’….obviously, the business was doing well. By the time of the 1891 Census, William is recorded as living at 103, Osborne Road, Jesmond with daughters Ethel and Eva. He is recorded as being a ‘Retired Draper’.
William retired in 1882, handing over the running of the business to his son, George Laverick Snowball, and his son-in-law, William Fenwick McAllum, husband of Margaret Elizabeth. By 1889, they were employing over 200 people and locals referred to their successful business as the ‘Harrods of the North’. Unfortunately, like many businesses during the Second World War, ‘Snowballs’ struggled and, sadly, closed its doors. The building was used briefly by Shephard’s between 1946 – 1949, whilst its new premises were being built – the original having been burned to the ground in 1946.
William died on 3rd November 1895 at Craighouse, Morningside, Edinburgh, with cause of death being recorded as ‘cerebral haemorrhage, kidney disease and heart disease’. He was 71 years old. His obituary in the Yorkshire Post, dated 6th November 1895 reads, ‘William Snowball, late of the firm Snowball and Son and Co., Gateshead, died on Sunday in Edinburgh in his 72nd year. He was a shrewd and practical man and a worker. Mr. Snowball was strongly averse to playing any part in public affairs and refused the honour of being Mayor on several occasions’.
A lovely family fact is that William gave all his daughters fully furnished houses as wedding presents!
William’s funeral took place on the 6th November 1895, his body being brought by train to Newcastle in a polished oak coffin. A service was held at St. George’s Church, Jesmond prior to his internment at Jesmond Old Cemetery.
William’s will was reported in the Glasgow Herald on the 10th January 1896, leaving £21,591 10s 9d. He left his wife, Emma, £100, plus the use of his household effects and furniture, plus £300 per year annuity in her lifetime. The bulk of his estate was left to his two sons in trust.
Emma died five years later, in 1900, whilst living at 48, Park Avenue, Whitley Bay, leaving £144 19s 11d to her son, George Laverick Snowball.