Cemeteries and graveyards, full of love, betrayal, tragic deaths, murder, and suicide. What will you find?

Wednesday 27 February 2013

Wednesday's Child - Rose Ethel Keeley



Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries.


Monument to Rose Ethel Keeley and Charlotte Emma Keeley, All Saints Churchyard, Boyn Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire


"In loving rememberance of Rose Ethel Keeley who died 16th May 1892 aged 7 years & 10 months - There's a home for little children. Above the bright blue sky, Where Jesus reigns in glory, A home of peace and joy -

In loving memory of Charlotte Emma Keeley aged 75 years."


Rose Ethel Keeley was born in 1885 in Maidenhead Berkshire to Richard E Keely, A chimney sweep master, and his wife Charlotte Emma Holdway.


Rose first appears on the 1891 Census aged 6, living with her parents and siblings, Edward, Florence, Reginald and Lillian in Albert Street, Maidenhead.  Sadly Rose was to pass away a year later in the May of 1892.



Charlotte Emma Keeley was born Charlotte Emma Holdway in 1851 in Slough, Berkshire to William Holdway, a beer house keeper and greengrocer, and his wife Elizabeth Morris.

Charlotte first appears on the 1851 Census, aged 1 month, living with her parents and elder sister Elizabeth in Upton cum Chalvey, Slough, Berkshire.  In 1861 the family had moved to Albert Street in Maidenhead.  The family had since expanded to include William, Sarah, Harry and Mary.

In 1871 Charlotte, listed as Emma and her elder sister Elizabeth are working as servants for the Royal British Orphan Asylum in Slough.  Another family I researched had connections with the Royal British Orphan Asylum, the Osborne family.

In 1879 Charlotte married Richard Keeley in Maidenhead.

1881 finds the newly weds living with Charlotte's father William Holdway and her stepmother Ann in Albert Street Maidenhead along with their 8 month old son Edward James.  Florence Emily was born in 1882  Rose Ethel was to join the family in 1885, Violet Ada was born and sadly died in 1886, Reginald was born in 1887,  Lilian was born in 1889, Laura was born and sadly died in 1890.

In 1901 after the death of their children Charlotte and Richard can be found living at 12 Albert Street in Maidenhead with their younger children Reginald and Lilian.  In 1900 Edward James, an omibus conductor, had married Elizabeth Ellen Morris in London, in 1901 they're living westminter with their 5 month old daughter Lily Rose.

Florence Emily is working as a housemaid and living with her paternal aunt Charlotte Alice Keely in London.

1911 and the family has moved to 18a Powny Road in Maidenhead, Richard is still a working chimney sweep at the age of 67.  Lving with Ricahrd and Charlotte are their two younger children Reginald, now a managwer in a cycle factor, and Lilian, now a school teacher.  Also living with them is Florence Emily, a shop assistant, and Edward Arthur Keeley, aged 8 years, Edward James and Elizabeth Ellen's son.  Visiting the family on the night the Census was taken is Richard's sister Charlotte Alice and Edward Barwick Rivers, a groom from Sandwich in Kent.

Edward James as moved back to Maidenhead in 1911 and is now the park keeper for Grenfell Park in Maidenhead.  Edward and Elizabeth are living at 46 Grenfell Road with their daughters Lily Rose now 10 years old, Winifred May aged 6 and their son Ernest Walter aged 4.  1912 saw the birth of their daughter Elizabeth Ellen and in 1916 their youngest daughter Rose was born.

On 31st August 1915 Florence Emily married Edward Barwick Rivers at All Saints Church in Boyn Hill, Maidenhead.  Her brother Edward James Keeley was one of the witnesses.

Charlotte Emma passed away on 21st February 1926.  I am unsure was to whether Charlotte is actually buried with her daughter Rose Ethel.  It looks as if her name is simply been stencled in on the top of her daughter's monument.



6 comments:

  1. Interesting tombstone! I have never seen one like that before.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This IS an interesting marker -- I clicked to enlarge it and spent some time really looking at the photo. Very, very cool. :)

    And thanks for sharing this on Taphophile Tragics, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a cast iron marker. Quite common in the UK for families that couldn't afford the more expensive marbel or granite markers. They do tend to last better than the sandstone markers, but not by much longer.

      Delete
  3. I wonder what it originally looked like. Great photo & post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I often wonder that myself. It looks as if it was originally painted white with black boardering and lettering. The broken bits formed a large decorative cross on the top. I really wish that I could have been able to see it when it was new.

      Delete

Thank you for your comment.

Ratings and Recommendations by outbrain