Alfred Playne, Surgeon and Barrister of Maidenhead, and his first wife Frances Maria Playne

Monument to Alfred and Frances Maria Playne, St Luke's Churchyard, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

"In loving memory 

of 

Alfred Playne 

Died Sept. 9th 1908. 

Aged 79 years.  

Also 

Frances Maria 

His Beloved Wife 

Died Sept. 21st 1871.  

Aged 42 years. 

- The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God."

Frances Maria Playne was born Frances Maria Clifford in 1829 in Camberwell, Surrey to William Clifford, a newspaper agent and his wife Mary Maria Newcomb.

Frances Maria first appears on the 1841 Census, aged 11, living at her uncle Joseph Newcomb's home Morton Cottage, Upton-Cum-Chalvey, along with her eldest sisters Ellen, and Emma.  

The 1851 Census finds Frances aged 22 is living with her parents and her siblings, Joseph, Ellen ,and Emma, at 3 Bedford Terrace in Lambeth, Surrey.

Alfred Playne was born in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire in 1829 to Peter Playne, a woollen cloth manufacturer, and his wife Ann Dancey.

I have been unable to locate Dr Alfred on the 1841 Census.  Alfred appears on the 1851 Census as a medical student lodging in the home of Charles Gauneisen in Westminster, London.

In 1860 in Windsor, Berkshire, Frances married Alfred Playne, now a general practitioner doctor.  1861 finds the newly married couple living at 1 Northwick Terrace in Market Street, Maidenhead Berkshire.  Together, Dr Alfred and Frances had six daughters, Mary born in 1861, Fanny Clifford born in 1863, Ellen Armitage born in 1865, Emma Clifford in 1867, Margaret Newcombe in 1868 and Lucette Golden in 1869. 

During the Census of 1871 Frances is visiting Miss Isabella Fleming and her family at The Grove in Cookham, next to The Ferry Inn. Sadly the original building burnt to the ground during the Cookham floods in 1919.

Dr Alfred is at home with his daughters during the 1871 Census at their property in the High Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Sadly, two years after the birth of her youngest daughter Lucette, and a few months after the 1871 Census, Frances passed away aged just 42.  The Berkshire Chronicle carried the following announcement:

"Deaths-

Sept. 21, at Maidenhead, Frances Maria, the beloved wife of Alfred Playne, Esq., M. B., of Maidenhead, and Box House, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. "

In 1874 Dr Alfred Playne remarried to Sarah Seamark Suter from Kent.

In 1881 Dr Alfred and his second wife are living at his High Street property in Maidenhead, along with five of his daughters from his first marriage.  Working as a domestic servant for the family is Sarah Hammerton.  Mary Playne is living with her maternal aunt Ellen Clifford at 4 Clarence Crescent in Windsor, Berkshire.  Mary remained unmarried until her death in 1958.

In 1886 Dr Alfred and several other doctors from Maidenhead put forward a proposal for a Medical Association to help the poor of Maidenhead with the cost of healthcare.  Unfortunately the proposal was turned down as unsatisfactory.

In 1887 Ellen left the family home and married Walter Stanley Armitage, a surgeon, thus becoming Ellen Armitage Armitage. 

By 1891 Dr Alfred had become a magistrate as well as moving to Lynhames, Castle Hill, Boyne Hill, Maidenhead. Two years later Fanny leaves the family home to marry Frederick Beames

Sadly Dr Alfred's second wife was to pass away on 20th May 1897. On 26th May 1897 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"Death of Mrs Playne- We much regret to have this week to record the death of Mrs. Sarah S. Playne, wife of Dr. A. Playne, J. P., who passed away on Thursday last at her residence, "Lynhames," Castle-hill, after an illness of some months. The deceased lady was very highly esteemed , and her death was heard of throughout the town with much sorrow. 

The funeral took place on Monday, at 1.30, at All saints' Boyn Hill, the service being very impressively rendered by the Vicar, Rev. A. H. Drummond

The outer coffin was of English oak with brass mountings, and bore the following inscription: 

"Sarah Seamark Playne 

Died 20th May 1897

Aged 64 Years" 

The grave had been effectively adorned with moss, evergreens, and  narcissi bu Messrs. Owen of Castle-hill Nurseries. The funeral arrangements were well carried out by Mr. Theo. Hewitt, High-street."

Four years after the death of his second wife Dr Alfred has moved to 3 Boyn Hill Avenue where he is now listed as a retired surgeon. On 9th September 1908 Dr Alfred passed away.

On Saturday 21st November 1908 the Cheltenham Chronicle reported -

"Mr. Alfred Playne, M.B., J.P., youngest son of the late Mr. Peter Playne, of Box House, Minchinhampton, who died on Sept 9th last aged 78 years, appointed his daughter Miss. Mary Playne, of The Wilderness, Maidenhead, and his nephew, Mr. Frances George Playne, of The Grange, Minchinhampton, solicitors, executors, by whom the estate is sworn at £16,223, 2s, 11d. gross, of which £14,149, 12s, 11d, is net personalty."