Little Rose Ethel Keeley and Her Mother Charlotte Emma Keeley of Powney Road, Maidenhead.

Monument to Rose Ethel Keeley and Charlotte Emma Keeley, All Saints Churchyard, Boyn Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire

"In loving remembrance of Rose Ethel Keeley who died 16th May 1892 aged 7 years & 10 months - There's a home for little children. Above the bright blue sky, Where Jesus reigns in glory, A home of peace and joy -

In loving memory of Charlotte Emma Keeley aged 75 years."

Rose Ethel Keeley was born in 1885 in Maidenhead Berkshire to Richard E Keely, A chimney sweep master, and his wife Charlotte Emma Holdway.

Rose first appears on the 1891 Census aged 6, living with her parents and siblings, Edward, Florence, Reginald, and Lillian in Albert Street, Maidenhead.  Sadly, Rose was to pass away on 16th May from inflammation of the brain. On 18th May 1892 the Maidenhead Advertiser carried the following announcement:

"Deaths

Keeley- May 16th, after four days' illness, from inflammation of the brain, Rose Ethel, the second daughter of Edward and Charlotte Keeley, 11, Albert Street. Age 7 years and 10 months."

Charlotte Emma Keeley was born Charlotte Emma Holdway in 1851 in Slough, Berkshire to William Holdway, a beer housekeeper and greengrocer, and his wife Elizabeth Morris.

Charlotte first appears on the 1851 Census, aged 1 month, living with her parents and elder sister Elizabeth in Upton cum Chalvey, Slough, Berkshire.  In 1861 the family had moved to Albert Street in Maidenhead.  The family had since expanded to include William, Sarah, Harry and Mary.

In 1871 Charlotte, listed as Emma and her elder sister Elizabeth are working as servants for the Royal British Orphan Asylum in Slough.  Another family I researched had connections with the Royal British Orphan Asylum, the Osborne family.

In 1879 Charlotte married Richard Edward Keeley (sometimes known as Edward), a chimney sweep, in Maidenhead Berkshire.

1881 finds the newlyweds living with Charlotte's father William Holdway, and her stepmother Ann in Albert Street Maidenhead along with their 8-month-old son Edward James.  Florence Emily was born in 1882, Rose Ethel was to join the family in 1885, Violet Ada was born and sadly died in 1886, Reginald was born in 1887, Lilian was born in 1889, and Laura was born and sadly died in 1890.

In 1901 after the death of their children Charlotte and Richard can be found living at 12 Albert Street in Maidenhead with their younger children Reginald and Lilian.  In 1900 Edward James, an omnibus conductor, had married Elizabeth Ellen Morris in London, in 1901 they're living in Westminster with their 5-month-old daughter Lily Rose.

Florence Emily is working as a housemaid and living with her paternal aunt Charlotte Alice Keely in London.

1911 and the family has moved to 18a Powney Road, Maidenhead, Richard is still a working chimney sweep at the age of 67.  Living with Richard and Charlotte are their two younger children Reginald, now a manager in a cycle factor, and Lilian, now a schoolteacher.  Also living with them is Florence Emily, a shop assistant, and Edward Arthur Keeley, aged 8 years, Edward James and Elizabeth Ellen's son.  Visiting the family on the night the Census was taken is Richard's sister Charlotte Alice and Edward Barwick Rivers, a groom from Sandwich in Kent.

Edward James as moved back to Maidenhead in 1911 and is now the park keeper for Grenfell Park in Maidenhead.  Edward and Elizabeth are living at 46 Grenfell Road with their daughters Lily Rose now 10 years old, Winifred May aged 6 and their son Ernest Walter aged 4.  1912 saw the birth of their daughter Elizabeth Ellen and in 1916 their youngest daughter Rose was born.

In the September of 1914 Charlote was assaulted by her lodger Joseph Gillett over money he said was owed to him. On 23rd September 1914 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"Landlady Seeks Protection.

The violent conduct of a man towards his former landlady was the subject of a summons heard against Joseph Octavius Gillett, now residing in Grenfell-road.

The complainant was Mrs. Charlotte Keeley, of 18, Powney-road, whose case was conducted by Mr. T. W. Stuchbery.

Since Mrs. Keeley had taken out the summons, the defendant had adopted a similar course, alleging that he had been a victim of an assault by Mrs. Keeley. The latter denied this, and the defendant upon the advice of his solicitor, Mr. W. Weed, withdrew his summons against Mrs. Keeley.

Mr. Stuchbery, in explaining Mrs. Keeley's case, said that the defendant took lodgings at her house and first came for 'a week on trial.' At the end of that time his conduct was such that she gave him a week's notice on September 14th. The next day the complainant again had occasion to reprimand him. On Wednesday morning the defendant 'took himself off' and Mrs. Keeley did not see him again until the Saturday, when the assault took place. In the meanwhile the defendant's son or daughter had paid Mrs. Keeley a week's money, but as the father (the defendant) had gone off with without giving notice, she considered that she was quite entitled to keep it. On Saturday night the defendant came to the house and demanded to be admitted. The complainant refused, but the defendant forced his way into the kitchen-

The defendant: (interrupting) That's wrong.

Mr. Stuchbery: (continuing) Forced his way into the kitchen.

Defendant: That I did not.

With this second interruption, the defendant was told that if he did not refrain, he would be put out of court.

Mr. Stuchbery proceeded: The defendant then demanded the balance of his money which had been paid for his lodgings, but Mrs. Keeley pointed out that he had left on his own accord without giving notice, and she was entitled to the money. The defendant then shouted, 'You turned me out, you bad, wicked woman. You are a thief.' He hammered on the table and shook his fist in her face. The complainant's two daughters became frightened, and one of them went for the police. The defendant then struck Mrs. Keeley three times with an umbrella, and caused large bruises on her arm. He eventually got out of the house, but continued to assault Mrs. Keeley and her daughter. The other daughter eventually returned, and when she announced that the policeman was coming the defendant picked up his hat and ran away.

Mr. Stuchbery submitted that such conduct was only to be expected from a man fit for a lunatic asylum, but presuming the defendant to be sane, it was necessary that such conduct should be stopped. If the defendant had apologised and given a written undertaking to leave Mrs. Keeley alone, the case would never have been brought to court and taken out a cross-summons seeking to justify himself. All that the complainant asked was that the defendant should be bound over and made to pay the expense to which she had been put. She merely sought protection of the Brench from a man of such a violent temperament.

Mr. Weed, replying, said that while the defendant had instructed him that he did not force his way into the complainant's house, there was no doubt that the defendant did lose his temper when Mrs. Keeley would not give him the balance of the money which had been paid in advance for a week's lodgings. The defendant had told him that he left the house at Mrs. Keeley's desire, in order to make room for her son who was coming home, and he went to the house to ask for the six days' lodgings which had been aid for and were due to him. The defendant was now sorry for what he had done, although it was not quite so violent as the prosecution would have the magistrates believe.

The magistrates in binding the defendant over in the sum of £10 to be of good behaviour for 12 months, warned him of the serious consequences which would attend another appearance before them for repetition of the offence." 

On 31st August 1915 Florence Emily married Edward Barwick Rivers at All Saints Church in Boyn Hill, Maidenhead.  Her brother Edward James Keeley was one of the witnesses.

Charlotte Emma passed away on 21st February 1926.  I am unsure was to whether Charlotte is actually buried with her daughter Rose Ethel.  It looks as if her name has simply been stencilled in on the top of her daughter's monument. Her husband Richard passed away on 20th May 1933. One the 31st May 1933 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported: 

"Funeral of Mr. Richard Keeley.

The funeral of Mr. Richard Keeley, a former well-known sweep who had lived in Maidenhead all his life, and whose death on 20th inst. at the age of 79, was recorded in our last week's issue, took place on Wednesday afternoon last in the old part of All Saints' churchyard in accordance with the wish of the deceased. The ceremony at the church and at the graveside was conducted by the Vicar (the Rev W. S. Mahony)."