Charles Grinstead, Fishmonger of King Street, Maidenhead, His Daughter Daisy and Beloved Wife Agnes

Angel monument to Charles Grinsted, Daisy Grinsted and Agnes Sarah Grinsted.  All Saint's Cemetery, Maidenhead Berkshire.

"In Ever Loving Memory of -

Charles Grinsted who passed away December 12th 1928 aged 65 years

Also Daisy, his daughter who died October 6th 1908 aged 12 years

Also his beloved wife Agnes Sarah, died Oct 7th 1935 aged 71 years."

Charles Grinsted was born in 1863 in Mile End, Old Town, London to Thomas Place Grinsted, a fishmonger, and his wife Emma Shakel. 

Charles first appears on the 1871 Census aged seven, living with his parents and siblings at 40 Bedford Street, Tower Hamlets, London. By 1881 the family had moved to 209 Oxford Street, Tower Hamlets, London, where 17-year-old Charles is working as a porter.

Sometime before 1888 Charles moved to Maidenhead Berkshire where he followed in his father's footsteps by opening a fishmonger's shop at 2 King Street Maidenhead.  Eventually branching out into 4, 6 and 8 King Street. In the November of 1888 Charles was sued for damaging the windows of a coffee shop during a fight with rival fishmonger. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on Wednesday 21 November 1888: 

"Messrs. Millington, Bros., of Maidenhead, sued Charles Grinstead, fishmonger, for the recovery of £1. 7s. 6d. for repairs to a window. One of the plaintiffs stated that the window concerned was that of a coffee-shop, which the defendant and a rival fishmonger had broken whilst fighting. The defendant, she said, gave him the order to repair the broken panes, and he had done so. 

The defendant said it was the other man who broke the window whilst drunk. His Honour ordered the payment of the claim in full, with costs."  

On the 1891 Census Charles can be found living at 22 Market Street, Maidenhead. Living with Charles as his wife is Agnes Sarah Bushell, although they were not actually married. Living with them at the time is this 1-year-old daughter Lily, their infant son Charles, and Agnes's brothers Frederick, Alfred, and Arthur. The 1901 Census finds the family occupying 2 - 4 King Street, Maidenhead.

Their fifth child and fourth daughter Daisy was born at 2 King Street in 1897, sadly she was to die at the age of 12 in 1908.

Charles continued to build his mini empire to become a bookmaker and licensed game dealer. On the 1911 Census the family are still living at 2 King Street, living with them is 16-year-old Leonard Swift, who was assisting in the business. In 1923 Charles finally married Agnes in Holborn London. Charles continued to live and operate his businesses from King Street until his death in the December of 1928.  

Agnes remained at 4 King Street along with her daughter Lily, Lily's husband Freddie Cook and their daughter Norah (who was born on the kitchen table of number 4 King Street on 9th July 1911) until her death in October 1935.  Lily, Freddie and Norah carried on the family business, adding butchery to their skills, until the 1950s when Windsor and Maidenhead Council compulsorily purchased the King Street shops and demolished them to make way for the New Market development.  Norah moved to The Crescent, Maidenhead.

King Street Maidenhead c1950

Sadly, Norah Cook passed away on 14th March 2011, just months shy of her 100th birthday.  The last remaining grandchild of Charles and Agnes Grinsted, bringing an end to the empire. 

Norah's Obituary can be found here - The Maidenhead Advertiser:  Obituary: Fun-loving Maidonian, 99, was last granddaughter in dynasty.