Seabury - Mother, Son and Father

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.


Monument to Mary Ann an Maurice Seabury, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport, Berkshire.

"In loving remeberance of Mary ann Seabury born March 4th 1858 died January 6th 1923

Also Maurice Seabury born March 16th 1900 deid july 23rd 1904

In The Hand of God."

Mary Ann Seabury was born Mary Ann Coombs on 4th March 1858 in Fifield, Bray Berkshire to Thomas Coombs, a labourer and Sarah Lovejoy.

On the 1881 Census Mary ann is listed as a housemaid with the Duncombe family of 8 Ashwood Road, Chelsea.  Mary married Joseph Seabury, a Coachman and groom in 1887.  Their first son Joseph Neville Seabury was born in 1889, followed eleven years later by Maurice Henry Seabury.

On the 1901 census, three years before Maurice was to pass away, the one year old boy can be found living with his parents and elder brother at 88 Ebury Mews in St George Hanover Square, London.  After Murice's death on the 1911 census the family can be found living at 205 Pavillion Road, Chelsea London.

Joseph Seabury was tolive without his wife for a further eighteen years, he passed away in 1941 aged 82

How did Mary Ann and her son Maurice come to be buried in a small village cemetery not far from her place of birth?  A family plot passed down the generations or did Mary simply want to rest in her 'home'?

The ferns carved into the top of Mary and Maurice's gravestone symbolise sorrow and sincerity.

Buried to Mary Ann and Maurice is Mary Ann's father Thomas Coombs, who passed away on 18th March 1903.  Thomas was born in Fifield, Berkshire in 1834 to John Coombs a farmer.  Unfortunately I cannot seem to find any information on Thomas's mother.


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