Frances Louisa Comber - Night Watchman's Wife

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.


Monument to Frances Louisa Comber, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport Berkshire.

"In loving memory of Frances Louisa beloved wife of Charles Comber who fell asleep April 28th 1907 aged 52 years.  Her end was peace."


Frances Louisa Comber was born Frances/Louisa Gardner in Clapham London around 1855.  I have been unable to track down her birth records or any early census information as Frances continually swapped her first names throughout her life.

In 1878 Frances married Charles Comber, a police constable, in Wandsworth Surrey.  In 1881 the newlyweds can be found living at 35 Union Street in Clapham London with their two young daughters Louisa J aged 1 year and Lucy aged just 6 days.  At that time Frances was using the name Louisa.

1891 finds the family have moved to Oakley Green in Bray.  Charles in now a Night Watchman and the family has expanded to include Charles William aged 9, Marther [sic] aged 4, Ernest aged 2 and baby Albert, just 11 months old.  Frances is now using the name Frances Lou.

Another 10 years pass (1901) and the family have moved to Braywood Cottages in Bray.  Charles is still a Night Watchman, but Frances has now gone back to using the name Louisa.  Their family has expanded again to include Amelia aged 8 and 3 year old Elizabeth.

Sadly Frances was to pass away on 28th April 1907, the death index has her name listed as Louisa Frances.

After 1907 I cannot find a trace of Charles and I am unable to find a death that fits him either.

He must have loved Frances very much to have such a beautiful monument made in her memory.

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Emma and George Hunt - 30 Years

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.


Monument to Emma and George James Hunt, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport Berkshire.

"In loving memory of Emma daughter of George and Emma Hunt who fell asleep March 21st 1905 aged 30 years - I came to Jesus as I was - and George James Hunt only son, who died May 31st 1910 aged 30 years - we loved them well but Jesus loved them best."
 

Emma Hunt was born in 1875 in Aldershot, Hampshire to George James Thomas Hunt, a confectioner and Emma Misselbrook.  George James Hunt was born in 1880 in Farnham, Surrey.

On the 1881 census six year old Emma and eleven month old George can be found living with their parents and thier sisters, Minnie aged five and Kate aged three, at Weybourne Lane in Farnham Surrey.  In 1889 George James Thomas Hunt passed away in Aldershot in Farnham, by 1891 the recently widowed Emma moved with her daughters to Kensington London, for some reason the eleven year old George is not with them.  It is possible that he is either staying with relatives elsewhere or at school, however I have been unable to find him from 1881 until his death in 1910.

In 1901, four years before Emma's untimely death she's listed as a parlourmaid at Chuffs House, Holyport Berkshire for the Frumantte family.

The grapes and vine that adorn Emma and George's final resting place is said to represent the blood of Christ.



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Seabury - Mother, Son and Father

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.


Monument to Mary Ann an Maurice Seabury, Bray Parish Cemetery, Holyport, Berkshire.

"In loving remeberance of Mary ann Seabury born March 4th 1858 died January 6th 1923

Also Maurice Seabury born March 16th 1900 deid july 23rd 1904

In The Hand of God."

Mary Ann Seabury was born Mary Ann Coombs on 4th March 1858 in Fifield, Bray Berkshire to Thomas Coombs, a labourer and Sarah Lovejoy.

On the 1881 Census Mary ann is listed as a housemaid with the Duncombe family of 8 Ashwood Road, Chelsea.  Mary married Joseph Seabury, a Coachman and groom in 1887.  Their first son Joseph Neville Seabury was born in 1889, followed eleven years later by Maurice Henry Seabury.

On the 1901 census, three years before Maurice was to pass away, the one year old boy can be found living with his parents and elder brother at 88 Ebury Mews in St George Hanover Square, London.  After Murice's death on the 1911 census the family can be found living at 205 Pavillion Road, Chelsea London.

Joseph Seabury was tolive without his wife for a further eighteen years, he passed away in 1941 aged 82

How did Mary Ann and her son Maurice come to be buried in a small village cemetery not far from her place of birth?  A family plot passed down the generations or did Mary simply want to rest in her 'home'?

The ferns carved into the top of Mary and Maurice's gravestone symbolise sorrow and sincerity.

Buried to Mary Ann and Maurice is Mary Ann's father Thomas Coombs, who passed away on 18th March 1903.  Thomas was born in Fifield, Berkshire in 1834 to John Coombs a farmer.  Unfortunately I cannot seem to find any information on Thomas's mother.


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Winged Heads, Skulls, Crossbones

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.


All photographs taken at Holy Trinity Churchyard, Cookham Berkshire.

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