Flashback Friday - The Nash Children

*Originally posted 8th May 2012*

 

Monument to James, Florence Catherine, Albert George and Alfred Henry Nash, St Michael's Churchyard, Bray, Berkshire.

"Sacred To The Memory of
James Nash died Feb.y 9th 1878 aged 3 years

Florence Catherine Nash died Feb.y 3rd 1881 aged 11 months
Albert George Nash died Jan.y 18th 1882 aged 5 years
'Of such is the kingdom of heaven'
Alfred Henry Nash died June 1st 1887 aged 3 years"

James, Florence, Albert and Alfred were all the children of James and Martha Catherine Nash, nee Lewis.

James Nash snr was born in Maidenhead Berkshire in 1853, he later became a house painter before he married Martha Catherine Lewis in 1874. The couple soon moved to King Street in Maidenhead and started their family with the arrival of James in 1875 and followed by Albert George in 1876, Frederick William in 1879, Florence Catherine in 1880 and Alfred Henry in 1884, Frank Edward in 1886 and Bessie Louise in 1889. Tragically three were to die in the space of nine years.

In 1891 their mother Martha Catherine Nash passed away, yet she seems to have been buried elsewhere and not with her beloved children.

Poor James had lost three of his children and his wife within 17 years of their marriage. How must this have affected James and his remaining children, the youngest Bessie being a mere three years old at the time?

James continued to live and work in King Street with his surviving children until his death at the relatively young age of 51 in 1904. Did so much grief in such a short time prove too much for James? We shall never know.


New Research -

In 1901 Frederick William Nash was subject to a burglary at his home in Furze Platt, Maidenhead.  The Slough, Windsor and Eton Observer reported on the matter -

"Berkshire Quarter Sessions

The county Quarter Sessions were held at Reading on Monday, when Uriah Weston, 24, tinker, and George Henry Wilton, 26, compositor, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the residence of Frederick William Nash at the Furze Platt, Maidenhead, on Dec 1 and stealing therefrom articles of the value £26.16s.  Wilton, who had already undergone twelve months' imprisonment for housebreaking, was now committed for a similar term, while Weston was sentenced to six months' hard labour."


Frederick William Nash married Susan Amelia Hight just a year after his father's death in 1905.  On the 1911 Census Frederick and Susan are living at 3 Risborough Road in Maidenhead with their two children Reginald Lewis Nash aged 5 and Winifred Mary Nash aged 4.  Frederick's occupations is given as paper hanger.

In 1911 Frank Edward and Bessie Louise are living at 15 Risborough Road in Maidenhead.  Bessie has no occupation listed but Frank is a house decorator.