Taphophile Tragics - Alfred Moore Cooper

 

 

 

Monument to Alfred Moore Cooper, St Luke's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

 

 

"In Loving Remembrance Of Alfred Moore Cooper - Late of ware, Hertfordshire - Died July 15th 1873 aged 28 years ~I know that my redeemer liveth~"

 

 

Alfred Moore Cooper was born in Ware, Hertfordshire in 1844, to George Cooper, a corn merchant, and his wife Martha Moore.

 

On the 1851 Census, six year old Alfred is living with his parents and siblings George and Rosa, in the home of his maternal grandfather George Moore at Cannons, Baldock Street, Ware, Hertfordshire.

 

In 1861 the sixteen year old Alfred, now a Brewer's Clerk is living with his family in High Field, in Great Amwell, Hertfordshire.

 

1871, just two years before Alfred's passing, the twenty six year old is now a corn merchant, living in Amwell End, Ware, Hertfordshire with his younger sister Rosa.  At the same time Alfred's parents have moved to live in Pinkney's Green, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

 

On 15th July 1873, Alfred passes away aged just twenty eight years old in Marylebone, London.

 

After Alfred's death, Rosa moved to Maidenhead to live with her parents.  However her father George Cooper was to die in 1876 aged fifty three.  In 1881 Rosa and her widowed mother, Martha are living in North Town, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

 

Was Alfred away from home on business when he passed away?  Was his death due to natural causes or something else?  These are the things that keep me up at night.

 

 

Taphophile Tragics

Tombstone Tuesday

 

 

 

Cemetery Sunday - St Luke's Churchyard

 

St Luke's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

 

 

 



Flashback Friday - Vivian Charlotte Lewis - Died In Her Racing Car

**Originally posted 2nd October 2012**

 

 

Monument to Vivian Charlotte Lewis, All Saints Churchyard, Bisham Berkshire.

"In Loving Memory of Vivian Charlotte wife of David Lewis Born 22 April 1923 - Died in her racing car at Brighton Speed Trials 14th September 1963"

Vivian Charlotte Lewis was born Vivian Charlotte Hordern on 22nd April 1923.  Search on her life has proved difficult as the spelling of her first name constantly changed throughout official records.  All that is known of Vivian's life is that she married David Lewis in 1952 in Westmister.


Sadly due to the manner of her passing, a lot is known about her death.

"London, Saturday holiday markers saw a woman racing driver killed when her car somersaulted and burst into flames at Brighton today.

The car hit a kerb, exploded and crashed into a children's playground on the promenade.

The driver Mrs Vivenne [sic] Lewis, 35 [sic] of Cookham Dean, Berkshire, was competing in the Brighton speed trials when her Jaguar hit the kerb and went out of control.

Damaged

Flames shot 20ft into the air as it exploded

Two timing marshals narrowly escaped as parts of the wreckage landed a few yards from their desk. Some of the timing equipment was damaged.

Racing was stopped for 40 minutes after the crash - the first fatality in the 58 year history of the trials.

Mrs Lewis was married but had no children" - The Sydney Morning Herald 15th September 1963.

SPEED ON THE FRONT

Seems Vivian was lying about her age, as she died aged 40, not 35.

On that day Vivian was racing a 1958 Tojeiro Jaguar that she shared with her husband.  The actual car that was involved in the accident was sold, restored and recently came up for sale at auction.

Vivian's car restored

Taphophile Tragics - Ellen and Ellen Mary Gould Box - Mother and Baby

 

 

Monument to Ellen and Ellen Mary Gould Box, St Luke's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

 

 

"In fondest memory of Ellen Box dearly loved and loving wife who died September ? 1882 aged 25 years.  Also of Ellen Mary Gould Box who died September 1? 1882 aged 13 days."

 

There are verses engraved under each dedication, however they were too worn to read.

 

Ellen Box was born Ellen Turton in Hillingdon, Middlesex, the eldest child of George Turton, a grocer and his wife Elizabeth Randell.

 

Ellen first appears on the 1861 Census, aged four, living with her parents and two younger brothers James and Ebenezer at the family run grocery shop in Hillingdon, Middlesex.

 

In 1871, Ellen, now fourteen is still living with her parents at their grocery shop in Hillingdon, Middlesex.  Sadly young Ebenezer passed away in 1863 aged only two years.  But the Turtons had welcomed two sons and three daughters into their family since Ebenezer's passing, William, Alfred, Fanny, Mary and Emily.

 

In 1881 at the age of twenty four, Ellen is still living with and working at her parent's grocery shop.  The family has expanded to welcome a further two sons and two daughters, Ernest, Herbert, Alice and Edith.  Later that same year Ellen married Ebenezer Gould Box, a woollen merchant from Maidenhead, In Newington, London.

 

Soon after their marriage Ellen was expecting their first child together, a daughter Ellen Mary Gould Box.  Sadly tragedy was to strike the young family.  Ellen was to pass away first early in September 1882 followed by her baby daughter by mid September.  I am guessing that Ellen succumbed to complications after the birth of her daughter.  Both died in Chelsea, London.  I am unsure why they came to be buried in a Maidenhead churchyard as Ebenezer continued to live out of the area until his own death.

 

In 1886 Ebenezer married again, to Elizabeth Binns.  Their own family was to be touched by infant mortality.  In the early part of 1888 they celebrated the birth of their first child, a son, Reginald Ebenezer Gould Box.  Sadly baby Reginald was to pass away before his first birthday at the end of 1888.  Ebenezer and Elizabeth had a second son, Lewis S Box in 1894.

 

 

Taphophile Tragics

Tombstone Tuesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Cemetery Sunday - Mary and Jesus

 

Stained glass window depicting Mary and Jesus.  St Luke's Church, Maidenhead. Berkshire, England.

 

 

 



Taphophile Tragics - Ellen and Henry Knight

Monument to Ellen and Henry Knight, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.


"In Loving Memory of Ellen the beloved wife of Henry Knight who passed away Jan 14th 1922 aged 77 years - At Rest - Also of Henry Knight who passed away Feb 1st 1928 aged 84 years."


Ellen Knight was born Ellen Davis in Wokingham, Berkshire in 1845 to Henry Davis, a shoe maker and his wife Ellen. 

Henry Knight was born in 1844, however his place of birth changes on every record I have found of him and Ellen and I have been unable to locate Henry pre 1871.

Ellen first appears on the 1851 Census aged seven years, living in Braywick, Bray, Berkshire with her parents and siblings, George, Mary Ann, Henry, James, and Emma.

I am having difficulty locating Ellen on the 1861 when she would have been around seventeen years of age, so it is possible that she was in service and her details were recorded incorrectly.

In 1867 Ellen marries Henry Knight, a gardener, in Windsor, Berkshire.

1869 sees the birth of their first child, a daughter, Emma.  Closely followed by a son, Henry in 1870.

1871 Census and the small family is living at Ray Park Cottages in Maidenhead Berkshire.

1872 saw the birth of a second daughter, Ellen and 1878 a third daughter Edith.  A month before the 1881 Census was taken, Ellen gave birth to her fourth daughter, Clara.  The Census records the family as living at 8 North Cottages in North Town, Maidenhead, Berkshire.  Ellen's occupation is now listed as a laundress, possibly taking in washing to help support her growing family.

1884 sees the birth of a fifth daughter, Alice, followed by a second son, Edwin in 1888 and a third son, Joseph in 1889.

In 1891 the family has moved to Builders Villa in Bray, Berkshire.  Henry Snr's occupation is now listed as a market gardener.  The elder daughters Emma and Ellen are listed as assisting their mother in her laundress business, where as Henry Jr is working as a gardener with his father. 

Five years later, in 1896, Emma left the family to marry William Swain Norsworthy, a painter and decorator from Maidenhead.

1901 the family has moved to The Briars in Bray, Berkshire.  Living next door at 5 Builders Cottages is Henry Jr, now a green grocer, and his sister  elder Ellen. 

Five years later, in 1906, Clara married Henry Arthur Collins, a dairyman from Fifeld, Berkshire.

In 1908 Henry Jr married his wife Emma, unfortunately I haven't been able to locate a marriage index for Henry and Emma.

1911 and Ellen and Henry have moved to Spencer's Farm in Fifield Berkshire.  Living with them are their youngest daughter and son, Alice and Joseph.  Joseph is now working as a domestic chauffer.

Edith is now a dress maker is lodging at the house of George Lovegrove at 4 Woodlands Villas, Datchet, Windsor, Berkshire.  Edwin is a domestic gardener for a large house in Hawthorn Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

I have been unable to locate Ellen Jr post 1901.

Sadly in 1922 Ellen passed away.  Henry followed Ellen to the grave in 1928.

Cemetery Sunday - St Luke's Spire

 

Spire, St Luke's Church, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

 

 

 



Taphophile Tragics - Annabella Atkinson - Gardener's Wife

Monument to Annabella Atkinson, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

"In Loving Memory of Annabella the beloved wife of Joseph Atkinson who died October 6th 1911 aged 50 years."

Annabella Atkinson was born Annabella Douglass in 1861 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Stephen Douglass, an iron founder, and Mary Jane Carr.

Annabella first appears on the 1861 Census aged just five months, living at 53 Railway Street in Newcastle, Northumberland with her parents and elder siblings, Mary aged five and Anna aged four

Annabella next appears on the 1871 Census, aged ten years, living at 31 Albert Street in Gateshead, County Durham, with her parents, maternal grandmother Elizabeth Douglass and her younger siblings, Thomas aged seven, Catherine aged five and Jane aged two.

By 1881 the twenty year old Annabella is working as a live in servant for the Laig family At Thornhill House in Bishop Wearmouth, Sunderland.

1891 and Annabella has moved to the small household of Albert Palmer at 14 Windsor Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne, where she's working as a cook.

Just a year later, Annabella married Joseph Atkinson, a gardener from County Durham, in Morpeth.  The first child, a daughter Nora arrives in 1894, followed by a son John Ernest in 1896.

1901 finds the little family living at 2 Primrose Place, Gateshead, County Durham.  Living with the family at the time is Joseph's widowed mother Ann Marshall.

In 1904 a second daughter Violet Hilda was born and in 1906 a second son Douglass followed.

1911 and Annabella and her family have moved to The Gardener's Cottage at Oakley Court, Bray, Berkshire.  Nora Atkinson, now aged seventeen is working as a school teacher and fifteen year old John Ernest is a learning electrical worker.

Sadly just six months after the 1911 Census was taken, Annabella passed away.



Taphophile Tragics
Tombstone Tuesday

Cemetery Sunday - Spooky

 

Fallen gravestone at St Luke's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England

 

 

 



Prince George Mountbatten and Countess Nadejda de Torby - Marquess and Marchioness of Milford Haven

Monuments to Captain George Louis Victor Henry Serge Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven and Countess Nadejda Mikhailovna de Torby.

"In grateful and loving memory of my beloved husband George, Marquess of Milford Haven, Captain R. N.  November 6th 1892 - April 8th 1936."

"In loving memory of  our beloved mama Nada Marchioness of Milford Haven.  March 28th 1896 - January 22nd 1963."

Captain George Louis Victor Henry Serge Mountbatten was born 6th December 1892 to Louis Mountbatten, Prince of Battenberg and 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, and Princess Viktoria von Hesse and by Rhine, in Dramstadt, Hesse, Germany.  He was later to become the uncle of Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Interestingly all official records puts Captain Mountbatten's birth date as 6th December 1892, yet his gravestone gives the date of 6th November.

On 15th November 1915 in London, Captain George married Countess Nadejda Mikhailovna de Torby, daughter of the Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich Romanov of Russia and Sophie von Merenberg.  Countess de Torby was born on 28th March 1896 in the Russian Empire.

Captain Mountbatten and Countess de Torby lived together in Lynden Manor in Holyport, Berkshire, where they raised their two children, Lady Tatiana Elizabeth Mountbatten and David Mountbateen, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven.

Captain Mountbatten died on 8th April 1936 of bone marrow cancer in Westminster, London.

Shortly after Captain George's death, Marchioness Lady Mountbatten left to live in the United States.

Marchioness Lady Mountbatten died on 22nd January 22 1963 in Cannes, France.

Taphophile Tragics
Tombstone Tuesday