Eliza Edwicker, Wife of Charles Edwicker - Gamekeeper of Maidenhead Thicket.

 

Monument to Eliza Edwicker, St James the Less Churchyard, Stubbings, Berkshire.

 

 

"In loving memory of our mother Eliza the dearly beloved wife of Charles Edwicker who fell alseep May 14th 1890 aged 55 years - The Lord is my Shepherd."

 

 

Eliza Edwicker was born Eliza Hilton in 1835 in Woolavington, Sussex, to Thomas Hilton, a farm labourer, and his wife Ruth Hilton.

 

Eliza first appears on the 1841 Census, aged 6, living with her parents and siblings in Norwood, Woolavinton, Sussex. That same year Eliza's mother Ruth passes away

On the 1851 census Eliza, 16-years-old, is living with her widowed father Thomas and her younger siblings, Thomas, and Charlotte.  Unfortunately, I am unable to locate Eliza on the 1861 Census.

 

On 26th October 1865 in South Bersted, Sussex, Eliza married Charles Edwicker, a gamekeeper, and son of William Edwicker, an agricultural labourer and his wife Ann Randall.  Eliza and Charles's first child, a daughter Eliza was born in 1867, followed by Ann in 1868, and lastly Fanny in 1870.  

On the 1871 Census the family is living on the Bath Road, Wargrave, Berkshire.  By 1881, Eliza, Charles, Ann, and Fanny had moved to Stubbings Cottages, Nr Stubbings House, Stubbings Berkshire.  Eliza Jr had gained employment as a domestic nurse for Ann Firth, an 84-year-old widow, and her family, living at 37 Curzon Street, St Werburgh, Derbyshire.

 

Life in the Edwicker household had to be a stressful one due to Charles's occupation as a Gamekeeper.  There were always poachers to be dealt with. 

 

 In 1883 Charles Edwicker found himself in front of the Summer Assizes on the charge of Unlawful shooting with a wilful intent to cause bodily harm.  On 3rd February 1883 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A GAMEKEEPER. 

At the County Police Court, Maidenhead, on Saturday, (before T. J. Hercy and I. J. I. Pocock, Esqrs.)—

Charles Edwicker, gamekeeper on Maidenhead Thicket, was charged by Walter Edwards, with having, on the 24th of January, unlawfully, maliciously, and feloniously shot him with a gun loaded with gunpowder and shot. Prosecutor stated that on the day in question he was crossing Maidenhead Thicket when he saw a rabbit lying. He picked it up, and while putting it into his basket, he looked round and saw the gamekeeper Edwicker. He ran away, and Edwicker called out "Stop, or I'll shoot you." This was repeated six times, but he kept on running. He looked round and saw Edwicker raise his gun to shoot. He then went a little further, when he heard the report of the gun, and felt the shots strike him. Dr. Plumbe extracted shot from his finger. He was also struck on his ear and leg. He had no ferret. Henry Mayne corroborated this evidence. Dr. Plumbe was called, and he proved extracting the shot from Edwards. P.c. Goddard spoke to arresting Edwicker. Witness asked him for some shot, and he replied that he had none. 

Edwicker stated that he saw Edwards ferreting on the day in question, and observed him put the ferret and a rabbit in his basket, and run away. He followed him, and in going through the bushes the trigger caught and the gun went off. He stopped immediately, and went and told his master, Mr. Wethered. The Bench considered it a very serious charge, and committed prisoner to take his trial at the assizes. Bail was offered and accepted, defendant in 50/., and two sureties of 50/. each. Edwicker left the court amid hisses and groans from a numerous and excited crowd."

Charles was later found not guilty at the assizes in July the same year. 

 

Even one of my husband's ancestors Walter Turner had a run in with Charles Edwicker on 30th March 1885.  He was apparently caught trespassing on Maidenhead Thicket setting wires for rabbits.  His defence was that he was on his way to the brick kilns at Pinkney's Green.  Walter was fined 20s with 9s and 6d costs by the County Bench.  He was allowed time to pay.

 

In another case of poaching, Charles Edwicker was threatened with bodily harm by those he apprehended.  The Slough Eton and Windsor Observer reported -

 

"Edwicker said that he saw the men ferreting and beating a bush with a stick each, and that he went up to them and said, 'You can't say I haven't caught you fair this time!.'  He added that William Cartland threatened to beat his brains out if he didn't forgive them."

 

On 14th May 1890, Eliza sadly passed away.

 

The 1891 Census shows the recently widowed Charles, and his daughter Fanny still living at Stubbings Cottage.  At the age of 52 Charles is still working as the Maidenhead Thicket gamekeeper. That same year Fanny was brutally beaten at her home by Henry Knight. On the 14th October 1891 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

" BRUTAL ASSAULT ON A YOUNG WOMAN. 

Henry Knight, a tramp, 23, standing 5ft., was charged with having assaulted and beaten Fanny Edwicker, on Saturday evening. The complainant. who appeared weak and ill, was allowed to be seated while she gave her evidence. She said that she lived at Stubbings Lodge, with her father, who was a gamekeeper. On Saturday evening defendant called at the house and asked if the keeper was in, and he said something about a man leaving a brewer's, and then said he supposed witness would see the keeper to-morrow, and she said she would. Defendant then asked if he was at a public-house, and she said she did not think he was. The defendant, she continued, then came at me with the stick produced (a very thick hedge-stake) and knocked me down„ and then hit me while I was down. I tried to protect myself, but could not do so. I do not remember anything more. I afterwards found that defendant was gone. While defendant was beating me I cried "Mercy!" When defendant was gone I went up-stairs and screamed out of the window for the gardener's wife, and she came. 

General Thompson: I see you are very ill now; is that in consequence of the treatment you received? Witness: Yes, sir. 

Defendant declared that the complainant robbed him of £1 10s. Miss Edwicker denied this, and her father explained that about three weeks ago the defendant worked for him, but he got drunk, and he told him on the day following that he should not require him after the next Saturday. He told defendant that there would be 17s. due to him, but as he was going on the road he gave him £1 to assist him. He last saw defendant a week ago that day, and he then told witness that he had been to Cardiff to "Barnum's Show," and that he lost his watch while there. He denied that he owed the defendant anything, declaring that he gave him 3s. more than was really due to him. The accused was remanded in custody till the Petty Sessions."

 

Eliza Jr is working as a domestic servant for the Wilkinson family at Auckland house in Surrey.

 

I cannot locate Ann on the 1891 Census, but in 1901 she is working as a parlour maid for the Wainer family at 10 Brechin Place, Kensington, London.

It seems that Charles had a reputation as a fast walker. On the 6th June 1894 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"A correspondent sends me the following :— A bet having been made by a tradesman at Hurley with Mr. Charles Edwicker, better known as 'Flash,' of Maidenhead Thicket fame, to the effect that the latter could not walk from the Crown Inn, at Birchett's [sic] Green, to the Hurdle-maker's Arms, Crazies Hill, a distance of about three-and-half miles, in 40 minutes, 'Flash,' on Wednesday evening last, tried his luck over the course in question, and succeeded in winning his bet in easy fashion, walking the whole distance in 38½  minutes. The course was a very rough, hilly, and slippery one, and Edwicker, in a very sportsmanlike manner, refused to take advantage of open gates, but crossed the stiles, and, moreover, stopped on the way to drink a glass of beer. The winner of the bet entertained a party of friends to a capital leg-of-mutton supper after his splendid exhibition of walking. Mr. C. Lowe acted as referee, and Mr. W. Lowe as timekeeper." 

In 1895 Charles married Sarah Elizabeth Martine in Wokingham, Berkshire. In 1899 their only child Arthur Charles Edwicker was born.

 

In 1896 Fanny married Leonard Field, a farmer.

The 1901 Census finds Charles and Sarah Elizabeth living with two-year-old Arthur at Brightwell, Oxfordshire where Charles is employed as a game keeper. However, Sarah Elizabeth was soon to be in trouble with the law. On 21st March 1903 the Wiltshire Telegraph reported:

"(County Petty Sessions) At the same Court, before Dr. Maurice and Mr. Giffard, Sarah Elizabeth Edwicker, the wife of Charles Edwicker, a gamekeeper of Rudge Froxfield, was summoned for being drunk on the highway at Ramsbury whilst having charge of a child under seven years of age, on February 4th. The proceedings were taken under the new Licensing Act.—The Bench considered this a very bad case. It was sad to see a person of defendant’s respectable appearance in that position, but what was worst of all was that she should allow a child of that tender age to be in that condition.

Defendant: I merely gave him a little drop.

The Chairman: We cannot do less than fine you £l.

Defendant: I am very, very sorry."

Charles was to pass away in 1909 in Newbury Berkshire. The 1911 Census finds the widowed Sarah and her young son Arthur living with her sister Eliza Emily and her husband William Neat at 12 Landscape Terrence, Horn Lane, Woodford Green, Essex.  Arthur would later go on to serve in the Frist World War, he was to be killed in action on 25th October 1918 and is buried in Hamburg Cemetery.