The first reference to a coal merchant in the Barton Turf census records comes in 1911 when Frederick Salmon-Cox’s occupation is shown as Coal Merchant. In 1901 he is shown as a Carter. However, there is evidence from other sources that his father Jacob Salmon-Cox and John Gilding Senior were both operating as Coal Merchants by 1879. Jacob Salmon-Cox is shown as a Boatbuilder or Boatwright in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census returns. In the 1881 census return John Gilding is a Mater Boatman and in the 1891 a Coachman. In 1901 he is listed as a Waterman Barge. The accounts of the John Francis Charity for 1879 show expenditure for coals with payments of £3 4s 2d being made to Salmon-Cox and £3 5s 4d to John Gilding Senior. Kelly's Directory 1883 and White’s History, Gazetteer & Directory of Norfolk 1890 list only John Gilding as a coal dealer. Whereas White’s Directory 1883 shows only G.S. Cox (probably a misprint for J. S. Cox) as a boat builder and coal dealer. These two carried on supplying coal for the charity up to 1890. Thereafter J. S. Cox continues to appear in the accounts, to be joined by Mrs King Cox in 1895. In the 1891 census Sarah Ann Cox, King Cox’s widow, is recorded as a Farmer, but Kelly's Directory 1892, 1896 and 1900 list Mrs Sarah Cox as a farmer and coal dealer. These two are suppliers of coal to the charity until 1901 and Jacob Salmon-Cox carries on until 1903. From 1904, after Jacob’s death in 1903, his wife Pamela continues the business until 1908, when her son Frederick appears in the accounts as coal supplier. In Kelly's Directory 1912, 1916 and 1922 Frederick Salmon Cox is the only coal dealer listed. He remains the sole supplier until 1927 and is then joined by W. J. Yaxley in 1928. Kelly’s Directory 1929 and 1937 list both Frederick Salmon Cox and William John Yaxley as coal merchants or dealers. These two businesses continued to supply and distribute the coal for the charity until 1959, with F.S. Cox carrying until at least 1962, although now trading with the name P. Wilton added. Percy Wilton was Frederick Cox’s son in law and had taken over the running of the business from at least 1959.
Bills from W. J. Yaxley and F. S. Cox for supply of coal to the John Francis Charity.
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Frederick Salmon-Cox also features as a supplier of coal to Barton Turf School. The School Managers' Minute Book records him as providing coal at various times between 1904 and 1939.
Further information about the F. S. Cox business can be found in John Yaxley’s A Jam Round Barton Turf :
Further along, again on the left, we come to where the coal-yard of F. S. Cox was worked from his house, a double dweller replaced by a chalet on the right, and the yard further up to the east. At first the coal came by wherry to Barton Staithe, but later to the nearby station at Stalham on the Midland and Great Northern Railway.
Progressing from horse trolley, Fred’s first motorised vehicle was a Model T 1-ton Ford truck, then to 50 cwt Bedfords and these were well used taking sugar beet the 19 miles to Cantley Sugar Factory during the beeting seasons. After the closing down of many railways in Britain in 1959, Fred had a lorry conveying coal from the Midlands for his own use.
Both F. S. Cox’s and W. J. Yaxley’s businesses include general haulage as well as coal. The following extracts from John Yaxley’s A Jam Round Barton Turf relate to W. J. Yaxley’s business in Staithe Road:
Seventy yards further down is a green corrugated shed from which Billy Yaxley ran his coal and haulage business 1927-1959.
The coal for weekly rounds as with Fred Cox’s and three more coal merchants was delivered to Stalham station. His coke he collected from Norwich gasworks near the Cathedral.
A 1937 30 cwt. Bedford which was his main vehicle for 22 years is still in running order and remains in the village.
In Anne Wilson’s Wherries and Windmills, Mrs Elsie Wilton (daughter of Frederick Salmon-Cox) recalls that she “... liked to stand between the reins when her father drove round with the long coal cart...”
In the same publication, Mr Charles Neave recalls that in part of what is now Wherrymans in Staithe Road “... was Choddy Clark, an old wherryman who owned the “Hope”; he sold coal as well.”
