Cemetery Sunday - Weep Not My Husband Dear I Pray

St Michael's Churchyard
Bray, Berkshire, England

 

 

"Sacred

To The Memory Of

Harriet wife of

Mr. Wm Chapman

Who Died Dec 19th 1841

Aged 30 Years.

Also their infant child

Aged 5 months

 

Weep Not my Husband dear I Pray,

It was Jesus called us both away.

With my sweet babe upon my breast

I now enjoy perpetual rest."

 

 

 

 

Tombstone Tuesday - Henry Higgs, Elizabeth Higgs and their son William Higgs - Veterinary Surgeon

Memorial to William Higgs, Henry Higgs and Elizabeth Higgs, St Michael's Churchyard, Bray, Berkshire, England.

"Sacred To The Memory Of

William Higgs

Who Died Decr 18th 1841 Aged 17 years

Also

Henry Higgs

Father Of The Above

Who Died March 31st 1854 Aged 62 Years

Also

Elizabeth

Wife Of Henry Higgs

Who Died Novr 13th 1854 Aged 63 Years."

 

 

Henry Higgs was born in Bray, Berkshire on 7th July 1792 to John Higgs and his with Mary Anderson

 

On 25th March 1821 Henry married Elizabeth McCurley.  Elizabeth was born in St Pancras, London in 1800.

 

Together they had eight children, Mary born in 1822, Elizabeth born in 1824, William born in 1825, Henry born in 1827, John in 1830, James born in 1833, Edward born in 1835 and Ellen born in 1837.

 

The family appears on the 1841 Census living in Maidenhead High Street, Berkshire where Henry Sr is working as a Veterinary Surgeon.  Sadly on 18th December that year seventeen year old William passed away, possibly from tuberculosis.

 

 On the 1851 Census, Henry and Elizabeth have moved to Braywick Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire along with Mary, John, James and Edward.  Elizabeth and Ellen are visiting the home of Charles Patfield in Sy Martin in the Fields, Middlesex.  Elizabeth is working as a milliner (hat maker).  I am unable to locate Henry Jr on the 1851 Census.

 

Sadly on 31st March 1854 Henry Snr passed away from Phthisis Pulmonalis more commonly known as tuberculosis.  Henry Snr had suffered with the condition for 12 months before his death.

 

Eight months later on 13th November 1854 Elizabeth followed her husband to the grave. 

 

After the death of their parents, Henry and Elizabeth's children emigrated to Australia where they lived out their lives.

 

 

Linked with:

 

Tombstone Tuesday

 

 

 

Sources:

 

Ancestry

Family Search

 

 

 



 



Tombstone Tuesday - Richard and Sarah Blackwell and their daughter Kate

 

 

Memorial to Sarah and Richard Blackwell, St Michael's Churchyard, Bray, Berkshire, England.

 

"In Loving Memory Of

Sarah

Wife of Richard Blackwell

Died May 4th 1888 aged 69 years

They Rest From Their Labours

Also

Richard Blackwell

Died Feb ? years



 

"Sacred To The Memory Of

Kate

Youngest daughter of

Richard and Sarah Blackwell

Died July 4th 1884

Aged 26 Years."

 

 

Richard Blackwell was born in 1825 in Beaconsfield, Berkshire to Sarah Blackwell, a publican from Beaconsfield.  On the 1841 Census, fifteen year old Richard can be found living with his mother in Beaconsfield, Berkshire where he is working as a carpenter's apprentice.

 

Sarah Blackwell was born in 1819 in Woolhampton, Berkshire.  I have been unable to find out anything about Sarah's early life or located a marriage for Richard and Sarah.

 

In 1847 they celebrated the birth of their first child, a son Herbert, followed by his brother William Henry in 1850.

 

On the 1851 Census, the young family can be found living at Wycombe End in Beaconsfield.  Sadly six year old Herbert passed away in 1853.  In 1854 another son, Walter Alan joined the family followed by a daughter Alice in 1856 and Kate in 1858.

 

By the 1861 Census, Richard, Sarah and their children had moved to Braywick in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Sarah has started working as a dress maker to boost the family's income.

 

By the 1871 Census the family has moved to King Street in Maidenhead where Richard is working as a carpenter along with his eldest surviving son, twenty one year old William.  Seventeen year old Walter is working as a general printer and fifteen year old Alice is helping her mother as a dress maker.

 

In 1878 William Henry Blackwell married Hannah Mariah Brown in Kensington London.

 

By the 1881 Census Richard, Sarah and their son Walter have moved to 14 Grove Road in Maidenhead.  William Henry and his wife Hannah are living at 27 Risborough Road with their young children Herbert William aged one and Gertrude aged just eight months.  Alice and Kate are boarding in the home of Mary J Rankin at 20 Conduit in Chelsea, London, where they are working as dress makers

 

in 1883 Walter Alan married Amy Goodman in Somerset.

 

Sadly just a year later in 1884 at the age of twenty six, Kate Blackwell passed away.  Her mother Sarah followed her to the grave in 1888 aged sixty nine.

 

In 1891 the widowed Richard is living with his son Walter and daughter in law Amy and their children Kate Ethel and Mary Alice at 16 Grenfell Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire, where he remained until his death in 1908.

 

 

 

Linked with

 

Tombstone Tuesday

 

 

Sources

 

Ancestry 

 

 

  

 



Cemetery Sunday Blog Hop - Mortal Dust

James and Jane Stevens
St Michel's Churchyard
Bray, Berkshire
England.

 

"All alike are Mortal Dust:

Vain is every Earthly Trust

None can see how soon they may

Be as Nothing, Watch and Pray."

 

 

 

get the InLinkz code

William and Sarah Compton and their sons James and William - The George on The Green Holyport

 

 

 

Memorial to Sarah and William Compton, St Michael's Churchyard, Bray, Berkshire, England.

 

"Sacred

To The Memory Of

Sarah Compton

The beloved wife of

William Compton

Who died November 9th 1861

In the 57th year of her age

Also

William Compton

Who Died December 2? 1885

In the 84th year of his age."

 

 

 

 

 

"Sacred

To The Memory Of

James Compton

Who died September 5th 1885

Aged 45 years

Be therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh

at an hour when ye think not

Also

William Compton

Who died December 23rd 1909

Aged 71 years

Fret not thyself else shalt thou be moved to do evil."

 

 

Sarah Compton was born Sarah Field in Cookham Berkshire in 1804.  On 25th July 1836 in New Windsor, Berkshire, Sarah married William Compton, a publican.

 

William Compton was born in 1802 in Cheetham, Hampshire.

 

In the February of 1838 they celebrated the birth of their first child, a son William.  A second son James followed in 1849 and a daughter Sarah Anne was born in 1841

 

Sarah and William first appear on the 1841 Census, living in Holyport where they are running the George Inn on Holyport Green.  Living with their parents are three year old William, two year old James and six month old Sarah.

 

The George Inn, Holyport, Berkshire
as it is today.
It has changed very little since
William Compton's time.

 

 

In 1845 a second daughter Mary Anne was born.

 

On the 1851 Census Sarah and William are still working and living at The George Inn.  Living with them are their children William, James, Sarah Anne and Mary Anne as well as Charles Dadd, the ostler (stableman) for the Inn.

 

By 1861 James had left the family home to work as an errand boy for butcher John Bedborough in Castle Street, Windsor, Berkshire.  Sarah and William can still be found living and working at the George Inn in Holyport.  William Jr now also working as a butcher is still living at home.

 

Five years after the census was taken, Sarah passed away aged 57.

 

In the December of 1868 Sarah Anne married Henry William Halfacre, a farmer from Bray.

 

In 1871 the windowed William is still running the George Inn in Holyport with the help of his eldest son William and youngest daughter Mary Anne.

 

Sarah Anne, her husband Henry and their one year old son Henry are living at Braywood Side.

 

I have been unable to locate James on the 1871 Census, however by 1881 James has returned home to help his aging father run the George Inn along with his elder brother William and younger sister Mary Ann.  Just 4 years later in the September on 1885 James Compton passed away aged only 45 years.  In the December of that year his father William Compton followed him to the grave.

 

In 1891 William Jr and Mary Ann are still living and working at the George Inn in Holyport.

 

In 1901 the sixty two year old William Jr is lodging in the home of Mary Aylin in Holyport, Berkshire.  Eight years later William passed away aged 71.

 

Unfortunately I have been unable to locate Mary Ann after the 1891 Census.

 

 

 

Linked with

 

Tombstone Tuesday

 

 

Sources

 

Ancestry

Family Search

 

 

 

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas and Martha Robinson, Market Gardeners

Memorial to Thomas and Martha Robinson, St Michael's churchyard, Bray, Berkshire, England.

 

"In Loving Memory of

Thomas Robinson

Who Died January 28th 1885

Aged 83 Years

- Them Also Which Sleep In Jesus Will God Bring With Him -

Also of

Martha Robinson

Wife Of The Above

Who Died January 1st 1892

Aged 81 Years

-The Memory Of The Just Is Blessed-"

 

 

Thomas Robinson was born in Hambleden, Buckinghamshire in 1802 to John Robinson and his wife Elizabeth.  Thomas was christened on 21st March 1802.

 

On 8th October 1833 Thomas married Martha Abdy at St Michael's Church in Bray, Berkshire.

 

In 1835 they celebrated the birth of their son, Thomas Jr, soon followed by George in 1837 and a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1839.

 

The young family first appears in the 1841 Census living in Windsor Road, Bray, Berkshire, where Thomas is working as a gardener. 

 

1842 saw the birth of a third son, Ephraim.  A second daughter Mary followed in 1845, a third daughter Louisa in 1847 and a fourth Sarah in 1851

 

At the time of the 1851 Census, Thomas and Martha are still residing in their home in Windsor Road.  Thomas Jr is now working as a bricklayer at the age of sixteen and fourteen year old George has left home to work as a errand boy for Mr Charles Jones, a baker in Bray.  In 1854 Thomas and Martha's youngest child, a son, William, was born.

 

In 1856 George Robinson marries Mary Pearson in Windsor, Berkshire.

 

Thomas and his family are still living at their home in Windsor Road, Bray by the time of the 1861 Census.  Thomas has now become a market gardener. Market gardens were relatively small scale productions of fruits and vegetables grown on a small area of land.  The produce was often sold direct to customers or to restaurants and Inns.  Elizabeth is working as a servant whilst living at home, while Ephraim has left home to work as a baker for Mr Henry Cowdery in Cookham High Street.  Interestingly on the 1861 Census, Ephraim is living next door to Sir Stanley Spencer's paternal grandfather, Julius Spencer.

 

George, now working as a baker, and his new wife Mary are lodging at The Cricketer's Beer House on Holyport Green in Holyport, Berkshire (now a private house).

Photo of Holyport, the Green 1909 - Francis Frith. The linked photograph shows Holyport Green in 1909.  The public house furthest from the camera is the George Inn which is still in business today.

 

In 1867 Thomas Jr marries Eliza House, daughter of Ephraim House of the Wheatsheaf Inn, Grazeley, Berkshire in Salford, Lancashire.

 

By 1871 Thomas and Martha had moved to Money Row Green in Holyport Berkshire.  At the age of seventy, Thomas is still working the land as a market gardener.  Staying with them at the time is their eldest son Thomas who has unfortunately fallen on hard times and is out of employment.  Elizabeth, Mary and William are still living with their parents.  Sarah has left home to work as a general domestic servant in the home of Mrs Elizabeth Stephenson at 1 Carlton Villas, Hencroft Street, Upton-cum-Chalvey in Slough, Berkshire. Louisa has moved to Grazeley in Berkshire to work as a house keeper for Ephraim House at the Wheatsheaf Inn.

The Wheatsheaf Inn as it is today.

© Copyright Andrew Smith
and licensed for reuse
under this Creative Commons Licence

George, his wife Mary and their daughter Eliza are living and running a bakery from 23 Oxford Road, Clewer in Windsor, Berkshire.

 

1881 finds the now elderly Thomas and Martha still living at their home in Money Row Green, Holyport.  At eighty years old Thomas is still listed as working as a gardener.  Elizabeth and William are still living with their parents.

 

Thomas Jr has taken over the running of the Wheatsheaf  Inn in Grazeley, Berkshire, along with his wife Eliza.  Thomas's sister Louisa is living and working at The Inn as an assistant.  Thomas's other sister Mary is visiting at the time.

Sarah has moved to Putney in London to work as a general domestic servant in the home of tea merchant D. Bigwood at 6 Ravenna Road.

 

Four years after the 1881 Census was taken, Thomas Snr passes away aged eighty three.

 

1891 finds the eighty one year old widowed Martha still living in Money Row Green in Holyport.  Martha's youngest son, William has taken over the market garden business but it is clear Martha is still in charge as her occupation is listed as a market gardener proprietress.

A year later Martha joins her husband in enternal rest at St Michael's churchyard in Bray.

St Michael's Church, Bray, Berkshire.

© Copyright - Rob Neild
and licensed for reuse
under this Creative Commons Licence 

 

 

 

 Sources

Ancestry
Family Search
Geograph.org
Francis Frith


Linked with Tombstone Tuesday.


 

 





Cemetery Sunday Blog Hop - Annie

To The Memory Of
Annie
St Michael's Churchyard Bray, Berkshire,
England.

get the InLinkz code

The Unfortunate Children of James Nash, House Painter of King Street, Maidenhead

Monument to James, Florence Catherine, Albert George and Alfred Henry Nash, St Michael's Churchyard, Bray, Berkshire.

"Sacred To The Memory of

James Nash died Feb.y 9th 1878 aged 3 years

Florence Catherine Nash died Feb.y 3rd 1881 aged 11 months

Albert George Nash died Jan.y 18th 1882 aged 5 years

'Of such is the kingdom of heaven'

Alfred Henry Nash died June 1st 1887 aged 3 years"

James, Florence, Albert, and Alfred were all the children of James, a house painter and decorator, and Martha Catherine Lewis.

James Nash Snr was born in Maidenhead Berkshire in 1853, he later became a house painter before he married Martha Catherine Lewis in 1874. The couple soon moved to King Street in Maidenhead and started their family with the arrival of James in 1875 and followed by Albert George in 1876, Frederick William in 1879, Florence Catherine in 1880 and Alfred Henry in 1884, Frank Edward in 1886 and Bessie Louise in 1889. Tragically three were to die in the space of nine years.

In 1891 their mother Martha Catherine Nash passed away, yet she seems to have been buried elsewhere and not with her children.

In 1901 Frederick William Nash was subject to a burglary at his home in Furze Platt, Maidenhead.  The Slough, Windsor and Eton Observer reported on the matter -

"Berkshire Quarter Sessions

The county Quarter Sessions were held at Reading on Monday, when Uriah Weston, 24, tinker, and George Henry Wilton, 26, compositor, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the residence of Frederick William Nash at the Furze Platt, Maidenhead, on Dec 1 and stealing therefrom articles of the value £26.16s.  Wilton, who had already undergone twelve months' imprisonment for housebreaking, was now committed for a similar term, while Weston was sentenced to six months' hard labour."

Poor James had lost three of his children, and his wife within 17 years of their marriage. James didn't remarry and continued to live and work in King Street with his surviving children until his death at the relatively young age of 51 on 2nd July 1904. A year later James's eldest surviving child Frederick William married Susan Amelia Hight. The 1911 Census finds the couple and their two children Reginald Lewis, and Winifred Mary living at 3 Risborough Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire. Frederick William is listed as being a Paper Hanger.

Frank Edward Nash never married. He can be found on the 1911 Census living with his sister Bessie Louise at 15 Risborough Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire where Frank is listed at a House Decorator.  After the outbreak of World War I, Frank enlisted with the 1st Surrey Rifles. He served with the 21st County of London Battalion until his death on 10th December 1917

The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on Frank death on 16th January 1918 as follows:

"Of the 1st Surrey Rifles (London Regt.) son of the late Mr. James Nash, of Maidenhead, whose death in action on December 10th we recorded in our issue of 2nd January. He leaves an only brother (who has joined His Majesty's Forces) and a sister to mourn his loss." - Maidenhead Advertiser, 16th January 1918.

The report in the Maidenhead Advertiser on 2nd January 1918 is as follows:

"The Supreme Sacrifice

Rifleman Frank E Nash, 1st Surrey Rifles, London Regiment (son of the late Mr. James Nash), aged 31, was killed in action in France, Dec. 10th, 1917. The deceased had been home on his leave to visit his friends, and a few days after his return to the trenches, a bomb from the enemy exploded, killing him and several other comrades. A letter of sympathy has been received by his sister from H.M. the King, also from his Commanding Officer and the comrades of his platoon, who held him in high esteem and deeply regret the loss of such a reliable soldier from their ranks. The deceased was a well-conducted young man, a good tradesman, and a employer of labour, and greatly respected by all with whom he had business transactions. He was a native of Maidenhead." - Maidenhead Advertiser, 2nd January 1918.

By the 1939 Register, Bessie Louise was a patient at Fair Mile Mental Hospital, Cholsey, Berkshire, where she remained until her death in 1962. Bessie is buried in an unmarked grave at St Mary's Churchyard, Cholsey, now Oxfordshire.