Sketcher of Mesopotamian Antiquities - William and Eliza Boutcher

All Saint's Cemetery,
Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK.

"William Boutcher

Born at Broadclyst, Devon

Aug 29th 1828

Died at Elbury, Maidenhead, Dec 14th 1900

Also of

Eliza Boutcher

Dearly Beloved Wife of the Above

Died May 24th 1922 Aged 86 Years,"

William Boutcher was born on 29th August 1828 in the village of Broadcylst in Devon to parents William Boutcher and Jane Newton.

William can first be found on the 1851 Census as an Architect's Clerk living in Upper Sandgate Road, Folkestone, Kent.

In the 1850's William was employed by the British Museum as an artist on W K Loftus's archaeological excavations in the city of Niveah, Mesopotamia. The collection of William's drawings can be found here, British Museum Catalogue.

Sandgate Road, Folkestone, Kent.

Eliza Boutcher was born Eliza Milliship on 30th November 1835 in Marylebone, London to parents George William Milliship a builder, and Margaret Sweetman. 

Eliza first appears on the 1841 Census living at Portman Place, Marylebone, London, with her parents and siblings. Living with the family are Mary Ann Burton and Mary Ann Hitchins, both domestic Servants. By 1851 the family had moved to 13 Paddington Green, Paddington, London.

Eliza's father George Milliship passed away in the October of 1855.

~ ~ ~

On the 29th November 1860 at Saint Saviour Church, Warwick Avenue, Westminster, London, William Boutcher married Eliza Milliship.

Saint Saviour Church, Warwick Avenue,
Westminster, London.

In 1861 the now married William and Eliza Boutcher can be found living at 7 Kensington Park North Terrace, Kensington, London with their Domestic Servant, Matilda Rodgers. in 1862 William and Eliza welcome their first child, a son Alan George Boutcher, he was followed by his sister Edith Mary Boutcher in 1864. Liliam Mabel Boutcher arrived in 1865, followed by Harold William Boutcher in 1868, and Douglas Leolin Boutcher in 1870.

The 1871 Census finds the family along with Eliza's widowed mother Margaret Milliship, living at 125 Lancaster Road, Chelsea, London, along with their two servants Emma Bartlett and Ellen King.

William and Eliza were to have two more children, Ernest Noel Boutcher born in 1872, and Hilda Margaret Boutcher in 1874.

1881 and the family has moved to 128A Lancaster Road, Chelsea, London. Living with them are their servants, Hannah Peck a Cook, and Matilda White a Housemaid.

By the 1891 Census the family has moved to the village of Cores End, Wooburn, Buckinghamshire. The family are listed as 'living by own means', with the exception of Harold William Boutcher who is an Artist in Painting and Sculpture, and Ernest Noel Boutcher who is a Student in Chemical Laboratory. Living with the family are their two servants, Maria Clements, and Fanny Woodley.

On 14th December 1900 William Boutcher was to pass away at suddenly at his home, Elbury, Ray Park Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire.  The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on Wednesday 19th December 1900 as follows:

"Death of Mr William Boutcher

We regret to record the death of an esteemed townsman, Mr. William Boutcher, of "Elbury," Ray Park-avenue, who passed away somewhat unexpectantly at about noon on Friday last. Some three or four years ago Mr. Boutcher had a stroke of paralysis, but up to within a day of his death he was able to get about fairly well, and was frequently to be seen in the town and at Marlow at cricket, football, and tennis matches, in which he took considerable interest. On the day before his death he was about the house as usual, but on the following morning he developed alarming symptoms and his medica adviser deemed it necessary to suggest the summoning of members of the family, and this was done. Mr. Boutcher passed away, however at noon. The deceased gentleman had resided in Maidenhead for some years, and he had a great deal to do with the development of the Ray Lodge estate, now one of the most picturesque residential parts of the town.

Before coming to Maidenhead, Mr. Boutcher resided for ten years at Bourne End, prior to which he lived in London, where he took great interest in parochial and more public affairs. He was for some time Chairman of the Works Committee of the Kensington Vestry and was a member of the Metropolitain Board of Works. The British Museum contains testimony of Mr. Boutcher's research in respect of antiquities on Nivevah, as he went out with an expedition which brought back stones and other things relating to the buried city of considerable antiquarian interest, plans and sketches of which Mr. Boutcher made before the stones were separated for dispatch to England, in order that they might be re-erected here as originally discovered. Mr Boutcher subscribed liberally to local institutions, and took a keen interest in the affairs of the town. His death will be heard with great regret. The funeral took place on Monday at the Cemetery." - Maidenhead Advertiser, Wednesday 19th December 1900.

1901 finds the recently widowed Eliza and her daughter Hilda Margaret Boutcher still living at Elbury, Ray Park Avenue with their servant Rose Merlands.

By 1911 the now elderly Eliza has moved in with her artist son Harold William Boutcher and his wife Nellie Constance "Daisy" Boutcher, at The Vine, West Byfleet, Surrey

West Byfleet, Surrey c1914

Eliza was to pass away on 24th May 1922, aged 86 in Surrey, England.