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

Friday 13 June 2014

Flashback Friday - Frances Louisa Comber - Nightwatchman's Wife



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 aged one year and Lucy aged just six 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 nine, Marther [sic] aged four, Ernest aged two and baby Albert, just eleven months old.  Frances is now using the name Frances Lou.

Another ten 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 eight and three year old Elizabeth.

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

Charles comber passed away in Eton, Buckinghamshire in 1929.

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






3 comments:

  1. Using the new GRO on line index, it would appear Frances Louisa Gardner's birth was registered in Wandsworth in the July-Sept quarter of 1854, Vol 01D, page 356.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beneath Thy Feet8 May 2017 at 15:49

      Thank you so much for that information.

      Delete

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