John Burdett, Nurseryman, and Seedman of Bridge Street, Maidenhead, and his wife Susanna Burdett - Bankruptcy and Alms Houses.

Monument to John and Susanna Burdett, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport Berkshire.


"In loving memory of John Burdett.  Who fell asleep May 2nd 1905.  Aged 78 years - His End Was Peace.

Also of

Susanna Burdett.  Wife of the above died Decr 27th 1917.  Aged 90 years - Thy Will Be Done."


John Burdett was born in Chilton Berkshire in 1827 to William Burdett, and agricultural labourer, and his wife, Elizabeth Rogerson.   In 1851 John is living on his own and working as a gardener in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Living and working not far from John at Beechwood House is kitchen maid Susanna Taylor Lee.  They were to marry that same year on 21 April at St James, Westminster, Middlesex.

Susanna Taylor Lee was born Susanna Taylor Lee in Poplar, Middlesex, to George Lee. I have been unable to trace Susanna's mother. In 1851 Susanna is a kitchen maid at Beechwood House, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, the home of John Nicholas Fazakerley.

1861 finds John and Susanna (listed as Susan), living at Bray Weir in Berkshire.  John is still a gardener, and the family has expanded to include four children, Susanna aged 8, John aged 6, William aged 3, and 1-year-old Emma. Living with the family at the time is Charlotte Griffin, a nurse.

By 1871 John and Susanna have moved to Bridge Street in Maidenhead where John is now a Nursery Man. Living with the family is their domestic servant, Sarah Smith.  Throughout their time in Bridge Street, John's business was badly affected by the numerous floods in Maidenhead, causing him to apply for relief aid on more than one occasion.  A report into one meeting of the Inundation Relief Committe in 1877 stated: "The Mayor mentioned, further, that he had received a letter from Mr. Burdett, nurseryman, who was a serious loser by the floods. In this Mr. Burdett stated that his loss, last year, was above £200 and that, in consequence, he had had to go into the market and purchase stock to the amount of over £300 and this year his loss would be still greater, owing to the longer continuance of the flood. He therefore asked the consideration of his case by the committee in any grants they made for compensation."

Sadly, John and Susanna were to experience the loss of their son William on 23rd December 1876. The following announcement was printed in the Maidenhead Advertiser on 3rd January 1877:

"DEATHS

Burdett—Dec. 23, at the Nursery, Maidenhead, of Inflammation of bowels William the son of John and Susanna Burdett. aged 19 years."

Unfortunately, John and Susanna were to be the victims of crime. On 14th July 1880, the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"THE LATE BURGLARIES IN MAIDENHEAD. 

Escape of the prisoners.

It will be remembered that two men were on Monday week before the Borough magistrates with having on the night of the 2nd inst., broken into the premises of Mr. Burdett, florist, of Bridge-street, and stolen various articles. The two men had been captured at Slough, after an attempt on the part of one of them to get away, and were brought to Maidenhead. 

They gave the names of George Edwards, aged 43, and Harry Hansall, aged 27. The former said he was an engineer, from Ipswich, and the latter admitted a similar occupation, and said he came from Birmingham. The only evidence taken against them was that of Mr. Frank Burnham, son-in-law to Mr. Burdett, who deposed to the state in which he found the house on the morning of the 3rd, and to the loss of various articles; of Superintendent Austin. who examined the premises; and of Constable Hinton of Slough, who arrested the men. Mr. Burdett, being on duty as a juryman at the Assizes at Reading, the case could not be carried further then, and on the application of Superintendent Austin, the men were remanded for a week. They were taken to the lock-up and confined in the upper rooms, and were visited each day and exercised, and supplied with food. Their doors fastened by a lock, and there was likewise an outward fastening and a trap-opening to each door, but is doubtful whether the outer fastening was always used. The rule was to give them their last meal at six o'clock in the evening,. and it seems to have been an understanding that they should be visited two or three times during the night. 

On Saturday morning Constable Venables went to the lock-up at ten minutes past 6 o'clock, and found that the two prisoners had escaped. They had taken off the locks of their doors, and that of the outer-door, and placed them on the floor beside the screws and got clear away. It was at manifest that they had been supplied with a screw spanner or some similar instrument from outside the lockup, and had gone about their work with methodical composure and neatness There are traces on the outer wall of some object betting been thrust up to the window, or of an ascent having been made. Information of the escape was at once sent to neighbouring towns, and inquiry was made in the immediate neighbourhood, but no traces of the prisoners have been obtained. It seems that, by some misapprehension of or from a deficiency of police strength. the lock-up was not visited between Friday and Saturday morning, and thus a confederate on the outside had a good opportunity of rendering his friends assistance, and the latter found no difficulty in aiding each other, and ultimately escaping from their confinement. A strict investigation into all the circumstances has been promised by the Mayor, who referred to the matter at the commencement of the business of the Borough Police Court on Monday, and in strong terms expressed his annoyance and regret. 

In regard to the burglaries which the prisoners were suspected of having committed, we were last week unable to give full particulars. It appears that the thieves first visited the residence of Mrs. Blake at Oldfield View. Mrs. Blake. hearing a noise, came down and took her plate basket upstairs, and having fastened the door at the bottom of the stairs, retired. She heard no more of the thieves, but they subsequently returned and got into the house by the kitchen window, and took away several articles, which were chiefly found in the road and garden near. After being disturbed at Mr Blake's, it is believed they got into the residence adjoining, that of Mr. R. S. Poulton. where they took a silver tea pot, a sewing machine, and Mr. Poulton's volunteer uniform. The latter was found next morning in an adjoining garden. They next visited the residence of Mr. Burdett. at the nursery, where they committed a great deal of mischief. They smoked their pipes end drank some wine, after which they in sheer recklessness and mischief emptied two sacks, and mixed the seeds which they contained, and so made them useless. they pulled out all the drawers in the shop, and then went into the larder, destroyed a pie. and broke some eggs over it, and spread the contents of a jam pot over the kitchen door. They then went into a greenhouse, containing splendid vine laden with grapes just ready to cut. They ate all they could, and then pulled down the vine, and trampled the remainder of the grapes under foot. They filled their sacks with all the valuables they could get hold of, including a sewing machine, two clocks, silver cups and forks, cutlery, a new pair of boots, a coat, a bottle of mints, and stamps, after which they again visited Mrs. Blake, and then made off. Some men were met by Mr. Wilder going toward Slough between 3 and 4 o'clock. As soon as those depredations were known, between d and 7 o'clock, the police were sent for, and an examination was made. Traces were found along the road of various articles apparently thrown away. At Slough it was discovered that the thieves had not passed by train, and the telegraph in the meantime having been set to work, the pursuers drove to Windsor, and found that the thieves had not gone there by train. The two men above-named were subsequently brought to the lockup. In the meantime, various missing articles were brought in. Some boys who were bird-nesting in a field near the foot-path leading from Taplow railway-station towards Maidenhead were greatly astonished on finding at the bottom of a hedge several articles of plate. Other things were found lying by the side of a sack amongst the standing corn. These included silver cups, spoons, and prizes won at various athletic sports, rowing etc., by Mr. Burdett's son-in-law." 

1881 sees John's business expand and he is now employing 2 men.  The family has also expanded to include Ellen Alice aged 12, and Frances aged 8.  Living with the family is their married daughter Emma, her husband Frank Burnham, a printer, and their son Frank aged 1. 

John was again a victim of crime in 1885. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on 15th July 1885:

"Maidenhead Borough Bench. WEDNESDAY, 9 JULY Before the Mayor (W. Lovering, Esq.), R. Walker, and J. F. Simpson, Esqrs.

A TATSE FOR STRAWBERRIES. - George Smith who was at the court & few weeks since, was accused of having, on the previous day, stolen a quantity of strawberries from Mr Burdett. " I don't know anything about it." was the plea. 

John Burdett, nurseryman. Bridge-street. stated that at about seven o'clock on the previous evening he saw the prisoner lying down between two rows of strawberries, and picking and eating the fruit. Smith had a strawberry in his fingers, and Mr. Burdett asked him what he did there, and on receiving no answer, be gave the man in charge of the police. Before the police came Smith got over the hedge and made off. About two pounds weight of fruit were taken. 

By the Bench: The man crawled along on his hands and knees, and ate the strawberries as be proceded, damaging several besides. 

Supt. Taylor said the man was convicted of drunkenness on the 18th ult. 

Asked if he was not a " Jolly Smith," the man replied that he was a shoeing and general smith.

Smith was further charged with having done damage to a bell-pull in No. I Police Cell, to the extent of 1s. He again pleaded. "I know nothing about it!" Supt. Taylor stated that after having been charged with the theft of strawberries, Smith was placed in No. 1 cell, the bell-pull in which was intact. but that at 10.10 the brass handle had been pulled off. There had been no one else in the cell during the whole time. Mr. Tuck had estimated the damage at 1s. The magistrate sentenced Smith to two calendar months' hard labour for stealing the strawberries. The damage to the bell-pull, the Mayor said, "they would say nothing about"."

The family are still residing in Bridge Street, Maidenhead in 1891, John is listed as a Florist. On 21 June 1893, The Maidenhead Advertiser carried the following statement:

"Mr. Owen's, Mr. Broughton's, and Mr. Burdett's nurseries, are certainly " things of beauty," but the cultivation and arrangement of the cottage and villa front gardens are in such excellent taste as to afford unbounded gratification to all overs of floriculture."

In the April of 1899 John was struggling with debt and was soon to be declared bankrupt. On 26th April 1899, the Maidenhead Advertiser reported: 

"A NURSERYMAN IN DIFFICULTIES.-A SAD CASE

At the same court, John Burdett, of Bridge-road, Maidenhead, nurseryman and seedsman, came up for public examination. The summary of his statement of affairs showed £639 19s. 10d. gross liabilities expected to rank at £469 Se. 4d., and the assets were estimated at £317 8s. 4d., leaving a deficiency of £l52.—Mr. F. J. C. Forss represented the bankrupt. 

In the course of examination by the Official Receiver, bankrupt stated that he had valued his stock, fittings, fixtures and greenhouses as a going concern, and there would be a very serious difference if they were not sold as such. He was aware that negotiations for their purchase had been going on, but had come to nothing. Bankrupt went on to state, in answer to Mr. Mercer, that he commenced business at Maidenhead 31 years ago, when his father-in-law, Mr. George Lee, advenced him £500,of which he had repaid half, and the remainder of the loan was cancelled. He had also at that time £200 of his own money, the whole of which be placed in his business, and he also erected his greenhouses, he should say at a cost of £350. He bad kept a takings-book, daybook and ledger, but not a cash-book, nor had he ever prepared a balance-sheet or statement of affairs. He lost over £300 by the great flood of 1894, during which time he had to live for three weeks in his upstairs rooms, and the furniture in the rooms below, which though old was valuable, all tumbled to pieces. He also lost by a burglary about £l00 worth of silver, including a number of spoons and forks. He became a guarantee for his son-in-law, Mr. Warren, about five or six years ago, and had to pay £l00 by instalments, certain matters arising in Mr. Warren's accounts which the bankrupt was called upon to pay. What had become of him or where he was now, bankrupt did not know, and the wife was out at service. The only expectation he had of paying his debts was by selling his nurseries, which he thought he could have done if he had had more time. He had borrowed money from a money-leader; he thought he had £50 from him and paid him off by instalments. He did not know if he was the "Isaac Gordon" Bankrupt's wife also signed some promissory notes as well as he and did not know what she was signing. 

Mr. Thomas wrote him a letter; he wrote back asking his terms, and instead of doing so, Mr. Thomas came and saw him with the money in his pocket. He stopped the interest before-hand out of £50, bankrupt thought £13, and the £50 was to be repaid £4 per month. He also borrowed money of Mr. P. Saunders, Craven-street, Strand, also a moneylender, about £25 and gave him a promissory note for £30, to be repaid in two months. He borrowed both sums of money for his business. Mr. Saunders pressed him for money and he could not meet it. Mr. Saunders then issued a writ against him; he did not give him twenty-four hours. All these monies went to pay Mr. Moore rent and into the business After a few further formal questions, the Official Receiver closed his examination, which was adjourned for the bankrupt to sign the transcript of the shorthand writer's notes." 

Also, on 26th April 1899 a letter was sent to the Editor of the Maidenhead Advertiser:

"AN APPEAL. 

To the Editor. 

Sir,

Will you allow me, through the medium of your valuable columns, to make an appeal on behalf of an old inhabitant of Maidenhead upon whom great misfortune has fallen? Mr. J. Burdett has for upwards of 30 years carried on the business of a nurseryman in this town, but owing to force of circumstances is now obliged to give up both his business and his home. As he is far advanced in years, and in enfeebled health I venture to plead on his behalf, and should be glad to receive any contributions which the generosity of his fellow-townsmen may prompt them to give. I may add that whatever sum may be raised in answer to this appeal I propose to hand over to a trustee, who would undertake to supply Mr. Burdett with such amounts as he might require from time to time. 

Yours very truly, 

J. L. MATTHEWS. 

Westcoixn, April 24th, 1899."

By 1901, now elderly, infirm, and bankrupt John and Susanna are inmates of The Jesus Hospital in Bray Village, Berkshire.  The Jesus Hospital is a red-brick group of alms-houses, founded in 1627 by William Goddard, whose full-size effigy stands over the entrance, to house thirty-four of the aged poor of Bray, and six of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. 

John was to pass away four years later on 2nd May 1905. Susannah remained at The Jesus Hospital until her death on 27th December 1917.

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