Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 9: The Woodland Household

Record 9: The Woodland Household 

Following on from several large houses, record nine features a more common sized house with much fewer occupants. 16 Dunstable Street

Head: Alfred Woodland

Born in the town of Flitwick, just south of Ampthill, in 1856, Alfred Woodland was the third child and second son of labourer Thomas Woodland (1828-1911) and Mary Benham (1826-1901). His siblings were John (1850-1917), Fanny (1853-1873), Anne (1858-1939), and James (1863-1925).

By his teenage years, Alfred had joined his father and elder brother John as agricultural labourers, and by his 20's he had become a licensed hawker, i.e. a street dealer travelling around the area selling his wares. By this point he had moved north to Ampthill with his wife Emma King, who he married in 1875. Alfred would change his career several more times during his life. By 1891 he worked as an oil dealer and by 1901 he worked as a grocer and draper.

16 Dunstable Street, Ampthill
Image copyright © Google 2017

In between his various jobs, Alfred and Emma had two daughters, Alice Mary (1880-1968), and Lilian Emma (1888-) By 1911, aged 55, he had changed his occupation once more, and was now employed as an insurance agent by Royal London, he presumably continued in this role after moving to London around 1915, where he died in 1919, aged 63, only months after the death of his wife earlier that year.
Wife : Emma Woodland (nee King)

Emma King was born in Ampthill in 1853, the daughter of William Hugh King (1830-1882) and Lucy Stapleton (1833-1905). Emma was the eldest daughter of the couple, and had four siblings, Lucy (1856-1934), Sarah (1858-), Mary (1859-), and William Hugh (1862-1930).

Although it was uncommon, Emma received a full education from around 1858 to 1864, and after leaving school she became a bonnet sewer. She possibly first met Alfred while he worked as a hawker and visited Ampthill, but either way they married in 1875. Emma continued working after the birth of her first child, but had given up work by the time Lilian was born in 1888.

She and Alfred continued to live in Ampthill until both their daughters had moved out, and around 1915 they left for London. Here, Emma died in 1919, aged 65, her husband followed her a few months later.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 4

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 4

The final part of Record 8 brings us the last three servants working for the Rushbrooke's in 1911.

Servant: Clara Hanfe

As with Francesca Mohrstadt, not much is known about Clara Hanfe. What is known is that she was born in Dresden in Saxony, Germany around 1883. She most likely came to the UK to find work, either with or without family, around 1905. By 1911 she worked for the Rushbrooke's as their parlour maid. After this nothing else is known of her later life, although she seemingly returned to Germany, possibly during WW1.

Servant: Beatrice Emily Giles

Beatrice Emily Giles was born on the 4th of February 1884, in the village of Wicken in Northamptonshire. The seventh and last child of labourer Thomas Giles (1844-) and Ann Hurst (1842-1918). Her siblings were Louisa (1867-1960), George John (1869-1949), Henry Thomas (1872-1925), Eden Giles (1875-1962), Sarah Ann (1878-1962), and Arthur Evelyn (1880-1961). After attending Wicken School from around 1887 to 1895, Beatrice had went into work as a domestic servant by 1901. She later left Wicken, and by 1911 she worked for the Rushbrooke's as their cook.

Her life for the next 20 years is unknown, however, by 1939 Beatrice had returned to Northampton, and the town of Towcester. Here she lived with her widowed brother Arthur, his son Arthur Cyril and her sister Sarah. Both Arthur's worked as agricultural workers at Home Farm and as such the family were able to live in the farm cottage on the property. Interestingly, by 1939 Beatrice was listed in the register as disabled. Whether this was a physical or mental disability is unknown, but seemingly became unwell sometime after 1911. Beatrice continued to live in Towcester until her death in 1962, aged 78.

Servant: Ruth Churchill

Ruth Churchill was born in the village of Lidlington, on the 8th of February 1895. The daughter of labourer John Churchill (1853-1925) and his wife Ann Hughes (1856-1913). Ruth was one of several children, the others being Sarah Elizabeth (1872-1908), Mary Ann (1878-1949), Albert (1880-1882), George (1883-), Annie (1885-), Nellie (1887-1909), Albert Edwin (1889-1971), and Thomas Ernest (1900-1954).

Ruth presumably attended Lidlington School in the village from around 1900 to 1907, oddly enough, this may have meant that she knew Nellie Cook, who also went on to work for the Rushbrooke's. After leaving school, Ruth began working as a servant, and by 1911 she worked as the Rushbrooke's scullery maid. She most likely worked here for some time, but had left by the 1920's. In 1923 she married 26 year-old Herman Wood in Bromley, Kent. After this the couple settled in Penge, where Herbet worked as a stoker for a power house.

In their later years, the couple retired north to Meltham, Yorkshire, where Ruth passed away on the 30th of June 1965, aged 69. Herbet passed four years later in 1969, aged 71.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 3

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 3

Part 3 of our look at record eight brings us away from the Rushbrooke family, as we know look into their two visitors on the day of the 1911 census, and begin looking at the servants of the house.

Visitor: Guy Hamilton Walker
Guy Hamilton Walker was born in Islington, London, in 1878. The son of Walter Crellin Walker (1857-1906) and his wife Frances Mary Allen (1851-1952). Guy was third of seven children, his siblings being Claude Hamilton (1875-1940), Effie Maud (1876-), Ronald Hamilton (1880-1968), Norman Hamilton (1882-), Brian Hamilton (1884-1965), and Avice Mildred (1886-1984). Guy's father, Walter, was a diamond merchant, before taking over in his father's jewellers business,
Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, in 1885. He continued to work for the company until his death.

Johnson, Walker & Tolhurst
Silver presentation cup, 1909

Unsurprisingly, like his father, Guy went into the jeweller business after leaving school around 1892. By 1901, he had left his home in Islington and was boarding in Bournemouth while working as a diamond merchant. Guy was still in this business by 1911, when he was visiting merchant Joseph Rushbrooke, possibly discussing a business deal or possibly just visiting. Possibly by coincidence, around this time Guy moved to Elm Tree Farm, in Earley, Berkshire, where Joseph Rushbrooke had moved around 1913. Guy gave up the diamond trade during WW1, joining the 2/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery and serving till the end of the war in 1918.

Guy never married, and he died suddenly on the 30th of October 1921, aged 42, at his home, Elm Tree Farm.

Companion: Francesca Beatrice Nanete Von Mohrstadt

Francesca Beatrice Nanete Von Mohrstadt was born in Germany around 1881. Most likely born to a British father and German mother, she became a naturalised British citizen sometime around the 1890's. By 1901 she lived in Wales, working as a servant for a family in Trefriw. By 1911, she had moved to Ampthill, and worked as a lady's companion for Lilla Rushbrooke. Exactly what happened to her after this time us unknown, but she may have returned to her family or to Germany around the start of WW1 in 1914.

Servant: Ellen Elizabeth Cook

Ellen Elizabeth "Nellie" Cook, was born in the village of Lidlington, Bedfordshire, on the 12th of August 1895. The daughter of labourer Edwin Cook (1866-1950), and Annie Elizabeth Deacon (1876-1969). Although she was technically the eldest of her parents children, her mother did have one son, William John Deacon (1892-1958) who was born out of wedlock. Her younger siblings were Herbert Charles (1897-1979), Ada Rosa (1899-1984), Roderick (1901-1985), Mona Irene (1903-1981), Bert (1905-1994), and Archie (1908-1981).

Nellie presumably attended Lidlington School in the village from around 1900 to 1907, and after leaving school, would've been sent out to find work to support her family. By 1911, she worked in the nearby village of Ampthill, as a domestic servant for the Rushbrooke family. She presumably continued working as a servant until around the end of the decade, when she met and married Hazer Chambers Whiteman, and the couple married in 1919. Hazer was a butcher , and after they married, Nellie moved from Ampthill to Bedford, where Hazer had his butchers shop at 62-64 Queen Street. Nellie worked both looking after the family and assisting in the shop. Nellie and Hazer had one child had Betty Pauline (1922-2009).

Eventually the family left Bedford, and settled in the small town of Stotfold, here Hazer passed away on the 26th of July 1962, aged 70. Nellie remained in Stotfold for the rest of her life, and passed away 19 years later on the 22nd of June 1981, aged 85.

Servant: Rose Webb

Rose Webb was born on the 24th of July 1887, in the village of Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire, to labourer George Webb (1859-1946) and his wife Ruth Norman (1863-1953). Although her father was born in the village, Rose's mother was originally from Potton in Bedfordshire and only moved to Gamlingay after her marriage. George was well known in the village for his donkey, which he rode around the area on business. So well known was the donkey that it received newspaper coverage when it was retired in 1934 due to old age.

George Webb, father of Rose, 1934.
This photo was seemingly taken for the article
about his donkey.

Rose would've most likely attended Gamlingay Board School from around 1892 to 1898, after this she eventually found work in her teens as a domestic servant. By 1911 she was working in Ampthill, Bedford, as a servant for the Rushbrooke's. This most likely at the latest until 1916, by which time she had moved London, where she married 26 year-old gardener Frederick Archibald Cyril Levett. The couple lived in London for around two years before moving to Biggleswade in Bedford, around 1918, they stayed here until the 1920's before moving back again. During this time the couple had three children, Alice Ruth, Ellen Rose, and Frederick A William.

In later years, Rose and Frederick moved out of London to Maidstone, Kent. Here, Frederick passed away in 1973, aged 83, with Rose passing 10 years later, on the 26th of January 1983, aged 95.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 2

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 2

Record eight continues with the Rushbrooke family's story. Picking up with the youngest three children of Joseph and Lilla.

Daughter: Irene Constance Rushbrooke

Although at first it may have appeared that Joseph and Lilla Rushbrooke would have no more children after Dorothy in 1891, these suggestions were put to rest by the birth of Irene 10 years later, on the 12th of November 1901. By this time, both her parents were already in their forties, and her siblings were much older than her. Irene would've attended school in Ampthill from around 1906 to 1913. As the family had moved to Earley by 1915, it would appear that they left Ampthill just as Irene was finishing her last year of school.

St. George's House, c.1950

Around the early 1920's, Irene met Dudley MacNeil Evans. Dudley was notably much older than Irene, having been born in South Africa in 1886. At the time, Dudley was a Major with the Indian Army. He had served during WW1 with the 55th Coke's Rifles regiment reaching the rank of Captain, before being a Major around 1921. Before his army time he had played cricket for Hampshire in 1904/05 (more on that can be seen here)

Irene's husband Dudley MacNeil Evans
Seen with the Hampshire County Cricket Team, 1904

Irene and Dudley married in 1923. They had no children, and by 1939 the couple lived in Wokingham, joined by Irene's elderly mother. By this time Dudley had retired from the army, and he did not appear to serve in WW2. He eventually passed away on the 18th of December 1972, aged 86, and Irene followed 23 years later on the 20th of February 1995, aged 93.

Daughter: Violet Marjorie Rushbrooke

Violet Marjorie, the 6th child of Joseph and Lilla, was born in Ampthill on the 20th of October 1903. She started school around 1908, and presumably completed her education in Earley in 1915. The youngest daughter of the family, Violet met Walter Francis Morrogh in Berkshire, and the two were married in 1925. Walter was a military officer, like his brother-in-law Dudley Evans, he had rose through the ranks in WW1, becoming a Major. He had served in the 2nd Battalion of the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment. During WW2 he became Brigadier and worked with the Ministry of Supply, he retired in 1947. They had two children, Maureen Lilla (1928-) and Walter Joseph (1933-2001). Walter died on the 19th of August 1954, aged 59, and Violet passed away on the 22nd of October 1980, two days after her 76th birthday.

Son: William Alec James Rushbrooke

The last child of Joseph and Lilla. William Alec James was born on the 28th of September 1908, the couple's third son. When the family moved to Earley around 1913, William was only a child and was therefore educated in Earley rather than Ampthill, the only one of the couples childrens to have a full education in the town.

By the 1930s, William had found employment as a textile salesman, and in 1935, he married 21 year-old Norah Suzanne Franks. Together they had two daughters, Jennifer and Wendy. During WW2 William served in the Royal Tank Regiment, and later the Royal Armoured Corps. It's unknown what William did after the war, but it is known that the family was still living in Surry when Norah died on the 28th of October 1990, aged 76. By the millennium, William, now in his 90's, returned to Bedford, where he died on the 11th of January 2001, aged 92.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family, Part 1

Record 8: The Rushbrooke Family

Record eight was recorded in the large building known as St George's. It was later sold and became a hospital from 1930-1948, before being converted for use as a school and nursery. This closed in 2007 and the house was demolished in 2015 to be replaced by apartments. This is the first of four parts looking at the house, the second covers the family's three youngest children, part three looks at the visitors to the house and both three and four cover the many servants present at the time.

Head: Joseph Rushbrooke

Joseph Rushbrooke was born in Ampthill in 1854. The third son of draper George Rushbrooke (1813-1899) and Sarah Ann Clark (1815-1857). Joseph's father was originally from Suffolk and his mother was born in St. Neots, Huntingdonshire. Joseph's mother passed away when he was only two. Leaving his father to support him and his older brothers William George (1849-1926), Alfred (1850-1896), and Thomas (1853-1936), until he remarried to Mahalath Clark (1815-1896) in 1864. The family had settled in Ampthill around the end of the 1840's, and Joseph's family became well known through George's work as a draper, furnisher and business owner. The family's impact on the town is best noted in the opening paragraph detailing George's funeral.

Newspaper report on the funeral of George Rushbrooke, 1899

By the time he was 16, Joseph was already helping in his father's business as an assistant, and he continued in this trade until around the time of his father's death, when Joseph was 45. Two years later, in 1901, Joseph worked as a merchant, and had moved his family to Bournemouth. This venture did not seemingly last long, and by 1911 he had returned to Ampthill, still a merchant. Joseph upon his return, moved in to the large St. George's house. This house had been built for his father around the 1880's.

Rushbrooke's Draper shop, c.1900

During his time in the employment of his father, Joseph had met and married Lilla Gosling in 1884. They would go on to have many children, starting with Evelyn Mary (1885-1985), George Eric (1887-1895), Charles Joseph (1888-1945), Dorothy Lilla (1891-1977), Irene Constance (1902-1995), Violet Marjorie (1903-1980), and William Alec James (1908-2001).

St. George's House, c.1950

Around 1913, Joseph left Ampthill, and by the 1920's he owned two properties. One in London and the other in Earsley, Berkshire. During his time in Berkshire he became President of the Wokingham Agricultural Society, a governor of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and chairman of the Farley Rifle Club among others. He was also a devout parishioner of St. Peter's Church in Earsley, and was generally popular around the town. He eventually passed away in Earsley, aged 69, on the 7th of March 1924.


Wife : Lilla Rushbrooke (nee Gosling)

Lilla Gosling was born on the 1st of October 1861, in the village of Ridgmont, in Bedford. Her father, Charles (1830-1908), was a man of many trades. He worked (sometimes at the same time) as a grocer, baker, draper, clerk to the school board, assistant overseer & tax collecter, (His work as a draper may have inadvertently led to Lilla meeting her future husband). Lilla's mother, Ann Mardling, died in 1863, when Lilla was two, and she was subsequently brought up by her stepmother, Elizabeth Brookes (1842-1910), who her father married in 1864. In total, Lilla had 21 siblings, of whom 13 were her half siblings.

By the time she met Joseph around 1883, Lilla worked as a housekeeper for her father, at one of his many businesses, however upon marrying, she gave up work to raise a family. By the time of her husband's death in 1924, Lilla had moved with him to Earsley, Berkshire, and after his death she continued to live in the area, however, without Joseph, she decided to move out of their house and until her death on the 16th of August 1942, aged 80, she lived with her daughter Irene. In her will, she left £12,615 (around £56,000 today). Interestingly, she left her personal effects to her four daughters (Evelyn, Dorothy, Irene and Violet), while her two sons were only left the residue of this (which was also split between the four daughters).

Daughter: Evelyn Mary Rushbrooke

Evelyn and her husband Edgar, 1947
Image provided by Tom Willis

Joseph and Lilla's eldest child. Evelyn Mary was born on the 28th of August 1885. She attended school (possibly the National School) from around 1890-1895, although she never went on to work. She seemingly spent her teenage years helping her family (presumably also helping raise her younger siblings). She moved with her family to Earley, around 1913, and here in 1917 she married 39 year-old Edgar William Barney, who worked locally as an advertising agent. The couple had three children, William Guy (1920-2005), Stephen (1922-) and Mary (1926-). Edgar later passed away in 1965, aged 87, and Evelyn passed away 20 years later in Woking, on the 1st of August 1985, 21 days short of her 100th birthday.

Son: Charles Joseph Rushbrooke

Joseph and Lilla's eldest son (after the young death of his brother George), Charles Joseph Rushbrooke was born on the 19th of October 1888. Like his siblings, he attended school from around 1893 to 1899. As a teenager, Charles eventually found work assisting his father, and continued with this after the family moved to Earley. It was here that in 1918, Charles married 27 year-old Elizabeth Winifred Holman. Together they had two sons, John and George.

By the time of his fathers death in 1924, Charles had seemingly inherited his fathers company G. Rushbrooke LTD, which he then renamed to G. Rushbrooke (Smithfield) LTD after Joseph died. During this time, the company made mainly butchers equipment, including chopping blocks, tables, paddles, and ham stands. The company still exists to this today, albeit under its original name of G. Rushbrooke, which it reverted to in 1982.

G. Rushbrooke (Smithfield) chopping block made c.1949

Charles remained chairman of the company during his later years, even after moving to Cornwall around 1940. It was here in Cornwall that Charles passed away on the 29th of March 1945, aged 56. His wife, Elizabeth outlived him by 36 years, passing in 1981, aged 90. Interestingly, she was not buried with Charles, but instead buried in a family grave in Camborne.
Daughter: Dorothy Lilla Rushbrooke

Although poor quality, this newspaper image shows
Dorothy and Kenneth leaving St. Peter's church, Earsley
after their marriage (27 April 1920).

The second oldest daughter of Joseph and Lilla, Dorothy Lilla was born on the 8th of August 1891. After attending school from around 1896 to 1903, she, like her elder sister Evelyn, presumably spent her time helping to look after her younger siblings and carry out household duties. The only time she seems to have actually taken up work was during WW1, when she worked with the Red Cross' Voluntary Aid Detachment as a nurse.

Like her two older siblings, she eventually married after moving to Earley, having met 23 year-old Kenneth James Holman, possibly a couple of years earlier, when Kenneth's sister Elizabeth married Dorothy's brother Charles. Kenneth worked as an engineer, and this notably led him to travel abroad frequently, including visits to Canada, America, South Africa, and Ghana. 

Despite these frequent travels, Dorothy and Kenneth were still settled in the UK, having moved to Cornwall around 1922. Together they had three children, Joseph, Richard, and Christopher. Kenneth eventually passed away on the 31st of December 1954, aged 58. 23 years later, Dorothy also passed away, in Teignmouth, Devon, on the 5th of May 1977, aged 85.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 6: The Brown Household

Record 5: The Brown Household 

Record six is recorded in the first of three larger houses on Dunstable Street, Maydencroft.

Head: Maria Brown

Maria Brown was born into a quaker family in Baldock, Hertfordshire, in 1848. Her father, Crowther Brown (1798-1863) was a chemist and grocer, and married Maria Deane (1802-1889) in 1836. Maria had three siblings, Mary (1839-1904), James (1842-1908), and Sylvanus (1843-1899). Although she was born in Baldock, Maria's family moved to Colchester, Essex at an early age, and then around 1860 moved to Dunstable Street, Ampthill, where Crowther ran a chemists shop in the village centre.

Former Quaker Meeting House, Dunstable Street
Copyright © Google 2017

Even after her father died, Maria, along with her siblings James and Mary, continued to live with her elderly mother. During this time James and Mary both worked while Maria was a member of the local quaker group and co-founded the Ampthill YMCA along with possibly looking after her mother. Even after her mother passed away in 1889, the three siblings continued to live together in the house. By 1901, only James continued to work, as Mary had retired.

However, Mary passed away on the 19th of March 1904, aged 65, and James passed away four years later, aged 66. Despite this, Maria continued to live in the old family home. By 1911 she was hiring a domestic servant to look after the house.

Maria was last seen alive on the 12th of May 1912. Just under a month later on the 6th of June, Maria was found dead in the house. She was 64, and was buried in the burial ground behind the Quakers hall. Following her funeral, the Luton Times and Advertiser published this obituary;

Graveyard and garden behind the Meeting House, 1969

" The funeral took place on Wednesday of the late Miss Maria Brown of Maydencroft, Dunstable Street, who passed away at the age of 64. She was highly esteemed by a large circle of friends, having taken an active part in Christian work, more especially in connection with the YMCA, of which she was president and founder. With her late sister, Miss Mary Brown, she was also associated with the Blue Ribbon movement. Miss Brown was the youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Crowther Brown, and the only surviving member of that family, so well known for their connection with the Society Friends, and her death means that the last of the old members of the Friends meeting has passed away, and the society has now no representatives in the town. Mr Edward Brown conducted the funeral service, and Mr Percy Brown read a portion of scripture at the graveside in the quiet little burial ground behind the Friend's meeting house."



Servant : Elizabeth Fanny Flowers Sibley 

Elizabeth Fanny Flowers Sibley was born on the 15th of September 1873 in Ampthill to miner James Sibley (1833-1888) and his wife Fanny (1834-1912), whose maiden name (Flowers) contributed to Elizabeth's middle names. Although she was born in Ampthill, Elizabeth and her family moved to Guisbrough in Yorkshire when she was a child. This wasn't, however, to last as her father passed away in 1888 while in London, leading to Elizabeth and her mother moving back to Ampthill, where Fanny's family lived.

Without a husband to support them, both Elizabeth and Fanny took up work. Elizabeth became a domestic servant, while Fanny took up work as a seamstress. By 1911, Elizabeth was the servant for spinster Maria Brown and may have continued to be until Maria's death a year later. Elizabeth spent the rest of her life working around Ampthill as a servant, mainly for elderly spinsters, until she passed away, an elderly spinster in 1941, aged 68.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 5: The Tomblin Household

Record 5: The Tomblin Household 

Record five, the last from this part of the street (10 Dunstable Street), brings us the Tomblin's.

Head: Sarah Ann Tomblin (nee Smith)

Sarah Ann Smith was born in Ampthill in 1844. The daughter of shoemaker William Thickpenny Smith (1810-1879) and his wife Rachel Battison (1811-1885). Sarah was third of four children to the couple, the others being Elizabeth (1839-1904), William George (1841-1913), and James Battison (1848-1910). As a teenager, Sarah, like most of her age, went into work. She was hired as a dressmaker by the time she was 16 and by 25 she worked as the postmistress at the post office on Bedford Street.

By the mid 1870s, Sarah, now in her 30's, had not yet married. This changed when she met and married 37 year-old Edward Tomblin in 1877. Edward was originally from Edmondthorpe in Leicester and worked as the post offices postmaster. The couple later moved to Bedford Street and rented out their home to various young workers. They never had children, and Edward died on the 4th of April 1891, aged 51.

10 Dunstable Street
Image copyright © Google 2016

Eventually Sarah moved back to Dunstable Street, now moving into number 10. During this time she still rented out the house and continued to do so for many years as by the time of her husband's death she had left the post office. She eventually passed away on the 11th of December 1928, aged 84.

Boarder: Marion Lennox Paton

Marion Lennox Paton was born on the 17th of November 1856 in Selkirk, Scotland, to weaver Thomas Patton (1814-c.1865) and Margaret Scott (1824-c.1865). She had several siblings, Isabelle (1848-), Jane (1850-), Catherine B (1854-) and Alexander (1859-). Although she was born in Scotland, by 1871, Marion was an orphan, living in an orphan house in Gloucestershire.

Exactly what happened to Marion after this is mainly unknown. She seemingly never returned to Scotland, and by 1911 she was bordering in Ampthill, working as a sorting clerk and telegraphist. Interestingly it would appear that during her time living in Ampthill with Sarah she seemingly became acquainted with the Tomblin family. After Sarah's death in 1928, Marion apparently went to stay in Wood Green, London with Ada Martha Tomblin, the daughter of William Tomblin, brother of Edward, Sarah's husband. During this time Marion now worked as a civil servant for the post office and continued to do so until the start of WW2.

Interestingly, at some point during 1940, Marion ended up leaving London for Newton in Montgomeryshire (now Powys). Here she was admitted to the Montgomery County Infirmary where she passed away on the 11th of January 1941, aged 84.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 4: The Shepperson Household

Record 4: The Shepperson Household 

Record four focuses on the last in the row of houses the previous two were records made in. 8 Dunstable Street provides one of the more interesting stories so far.

Head: Elizabeth Ann Shepperson (nee Featherstone)

Grahamstown, South Africa
Image copyright © Tim Giddings 2007

Elizabeth Ann Featherstone was born on the 18th of October 1832, in Grahamstown, in the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, (now the Eastern Cape). The fourth of eight children to Robert David Featherstone (1790-1842) and Lucy Finaughty (1804-1894). Her siblings were Rosetta (1826-1902), Louisa (1829-1900), John Henry (1830-1891), Zipporah (1835-1912), William George (1836-1915), Robert (1838-1917) and Gertrude (1842-1910). Both her parents were English by birth. Her father was born in South Molton in Devon, and her mother was born in London. By chance, both her parents families moved to South Africa around the 1810's and they were married in Grahamstown in 1822, where they settled and started a family.

In around 1857, Elizabeth met 49 year-old Benjamin Matthew Shepperson. Benjamin was a merchant, born in Eriswell, Suffolk in 1808. His wife of some 20 years, Mary Ann, had died in 1856, leaving him and seven children. The couple returned to England, where they married on the 20th of October 1857, two days after Elizabeth's 25th birthday. They then went back to South Africa and settled there. During this time they had five children, which made eleven in total with the children from Benjamin's first marriage. These children were Elizabeth Jane (1858-1948), Amy (1859-1946), May (1861-), Fanny, and Bertram Egerton, who is talked about in more detail below.

3 Shakespeare Villas, built 1886
Image copyright © Google 2016

Benjamin passed away on the 11th of March 1872 while in the Orange Free State (now Free State), aged 64. After this Elizabeth seemingly remained in South Africa until eventually (possibly due to her age) she left the country around the start of the 20th century, moving to Bedfordshire, where she joined her son Bertram who had retired there. By 1911 she and her son were living in Ampthill, however, after he married in 1912 Elizabeth moved again, this time to Bedford, where she settled at 75 Ashburnham Road in the St. Pauls district of the town. She died here on the 12th of December 1915, aged 83. The death certificate listed the cause of death as angina.

Son: Bertram Egerton Shepperson

Bertram Egerton Shepperson was born on the 29th of May 1869 in Grahamstown, South Africa, the last of Elizabeth and Benjamin's children. Bertram seemingly recieved a full education and as an adult he joined the Cape of Good Hope's branch of the Colonial Civil Service. Bertram served for approximately 20 years with the Service and upon retiring in his 40's he moved to Britain, settling on Dunstable Street, Ampthill around 1905.

During this time his mother joined him briefly from South Africa, however in 1912, Bertram, now 43, met and married 30 year-old Florence Amy Rumsey on the 30th of March. They settled in Crickhowell in what is now south Powys in Wales. By the time WW1 started in 1914, the couple had three children, Bertram David (1912-1940), Elizabeth Mary (1914-2001), and one child born before their marriage, Llewellyn (1910-1983).

First inspection of the 23rd Battalion, October 1914

When World War One began in 1914, Bertram joined the Royal Fusiliers, serving in the 23rd Battalion (1st Sportsmans). This battalion was notable for being made up of men up to the age of 45 who were over the formal enlistment age. Bertram, being 45 himself would have just made the age limit. During the war Bertram saw action in France before the 23rd Battalion was broken up, after which he joined the 30th Battalion before being injured in 1916, ending his war time service.

Following this Bertram returned to Wales although his injuries in France may have contributed to his death just six years later on the 18th of September 1922, aged 53. Interestingly at the time of his death Bertram was in Richmond, Surrey, although probate records list his address as that of his home in Wales, indicating he died while visiting friends or family.

Bertram David Shepperson
Served in RAF 1927-1940

On a side note, Bertram's son Bertram David fought in WW2 some 15 years after his father's death. He was part of the 51st Squadron of the RAF and was shot down over Germany on the 19th of March 1940, aged 28.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 3: The Smith Household

Record 3: The Smith Household 

The third record, showcasing 2 Shakespeare Villas (now 6 Dunstable Street) is the Smith Household.

Head: Harriet Tailby Smith (nee King)

Harriet Tailby King was born in 1849 in the village of Great Glen (or Glenn) in Leicestershire. Her parents were Charles King (1816-1891), a framework knitter, and Ann Muddimer (1815-1882). Harriet was the fifth of eight children, her siblings being Henry (1839-1889), Martha (1841-1908), William (1843-1912), Ann (1845-1869), Mahlah (1853-1922), Louisa (1855-) and Emma (1858-). 

Harriet was lucky enough to receive an education before it became mandatory for children, although she never actually worked. In 1874 she married 22 year-old railway porter Alfred Smith. The couple had five children, Bertram, Arthur, William, Emma and Mona. The family moved twice during this time. First to Rawmarsh in Yorkshire around 1880, where Alfred worked for the Midland Railway which passed through the nearby colliery. Then again seemingly due to Alfred's work for the Midland Railway in around 1884 when the family moved further south to Bedford. By 1902 the family were in Ampthill (which the Midland Railway passed through) in 2 Shakespeare Villas. 

2 Shakespeare Villas, built 1886
Image copyright Google © 2016

The family settled here happily until Alfred (who by now had been promoted to signalman) passed away on the 10th of June 1909, aged 57. By this time only one of Harriet's children, 7 year-old Mona still lived in the house so Harriet, now widowed at 59, purchased some apartments in the village which she rented out, thus ensuring they still had money. Harriet continued this until her death on the 19th of April 1915, aged 65.

Daughter: Mona Margaretta Smith

The last of Harriet and Alfred's children, there was a notable gap between Mona, who was born on the 13th of July 1901 in Bedford and her youngest sibling Emma, born in 1889. She like the rest of her family moved to Ampthill around the time of her birth and she attended either the Wesleyan or National School in the town from approx. 1906 to 1913.

In 1925, she married 28 year-old Joseph William Greenwell Jennings. Jennings had served as a Private with the Bedfordshire Regiment during WW1 and later served as branch manager for the Ministry of Defence. The couple had at least three children, Sheila (1926-), Michael (1934-), and Alan (1942-).

Joseph eventually passed away on the 26th of November 1960, aged 63. The now widowed Mona moved to Bury St Edmunds in her later years, and she passed away on the 17th of May 1991, just under two months short of her 90th birthday.

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 2: The Randall Household

Record 2: The Randall Household

The second record, living next door to the Woodbridge's at 1 Shakespeare Villas (now 4 Dunstable Street) was;

Head: Mary Ann Randall

Mary Ann Randall was born in 1836 in Barton-le-Clay, a village south-east of Ampthill. She was the first of seven children to miller John Randall (1807-1872) and Elizabeth Ellard (1807-1851). Her six younger siblings were Elizabeth (1837-1861), William (1839-1912), George (1840-1910), Richard (1842-1901), Sarah (1844-1909) and Catherine (1846-1939). These however, were not her only siblings, whether known or unknown to her, in 1830, five years before her parents marriage, her father had had a child with Ann Bird (1809-1896). Mary's half-brother was Frederick Bird (1830-1905).

Mary lived her life a spinster, never marrying. The only other one of her siblings not to do so was Elizabeth who died around 1861, aged 24. Initially she lived her early adult life in her father's house alongside siblings Catherine and George after her mother died. When John died on 4th June 1872, Mary was eventually forced to move out, moving in with her brother George, who had married in November the same year, in Isham, Northamptonshire. She continued living here until she around c.1888 when she moved back to Bedfordshire, settling in the then recently built Shakespeare Villas in Ampthill. She lived the rest of her life here.

1 Shakespeare Villas, built 1886
Image copyright © Google 2016

Mary seemingly never worked, and possibly bought the house through money left by her father or had the house purchased by a sibling. Either way, she was also able to afford a servant for the 20+ years she lived there and eventually passed away in the house on the 21st of November 1916, aged 80.

Servant: Margaret Salome Crowsley

Margaret Salome Crowsley was born in the village of Wilstead, north-east of Ampthill, in 1861, eleventh of twelve children to cattle dealer Thomas Crowsley (1807-1887) and his second wife Sarah Taylor (1822-1872). Being born before the 1870 Elementary Education Act, Margaret never went to school and by the time she was 19 she was working as a lacemaker, a common occupation in Wilstead at the time. 

Not much is known of Margaret's life between her father's death in 1887 and the start of the 20th century. By 1901 she had left Wilstead and lacemaking, working as a servant for the Fowler family in Bedford. She had moved south to Ampthill by 1911, working for Mary Randall as a servant. Margaret is at least the third known servant to work for Randall, the others being Ellen Chance (1901) and Rose Wheeler (1891). Presumably Margaret was still working for Randall at the time of her death in 1916, by which time she was 55. She passed away in Bedford in 1938, aged 76. 

Ampthill, Bedfordshire, Record 1: The Woodbridge Family

Record 1: The Woodbridge Family.

When sorted alphabetically based on the county, the very first record in the 1911 census is that of the Woodbridge family, living on Dunstable Street in the village of Ampthill, Bedfordshire. So who were they?

Head: Thomas Woodbridge

Thomas Woodbridge was born in 1846, in the small village of Tetsworth in Oxfordshire, just south of the town of Thame. He was the second of three children to labourer Jacob Woodbridge (1820-1900) and Sarah (nee Gomm) (1821-1897). His two siblings were Mary (1844-) and George (1849-1929). Growing up prior to the introduction of mandatory school education, when he was about 15 Thomas was sent to Luton, Bedfordshire, where he became an apprentice cordwainer (shoemaker) in employment by George Wing, who taught him the trade of shoe making. During this time he also resided with the Wing family at their home in Dumfries Street in Luton. Thomas's brother George also followed in this occupation.

After completing his apprenticeship he eventually returned and found work in Tetsworth and Thame. Here, in 1869, Thomas met and married 22 year-old Sarah Allen. The pair moved back to Luton, to 5 Dudley Street, and here they had seven children between 1870 and 1889. These children were Mary (1870-1913), Eliza (1876-1969), William (1879-1942), Frank (1881-1882), Sarah Ann (1883-), Francis Thomas (1885-1963) and Mabel Helen (1889-1983).

After 22 happy years in Luton. Sarah became ill and died in 1892, aged 45. After this, Thomas left Luton, travelling for at least a year to London, where he met Sarah Stokes (nee Robinson), a widow who's husband had passed in 1891. They were married in St. Martin's Church in Camden on 1st August 1893. Following this they moved back to Bedfordshire, specifically to Ampthill along with the children from Thomas's first marriage.

2 Dunstable Street, home to the Woodbridge's from 1893.
Image copyright © Google 2010

Here, at 2 Dunstable Street, Thomas and Sarah had one child, Major John (an unusual first name). Thomas continued to work as a shoe maker as he had done since his teenage years, however, by 1911 either a lack of work or his age meant that he now worked as a straw hat maker. Such an occupation was common at this time in Bedford, which was essentially the home of straw hat making at the time. Many workers usually worked from home for firms based in Luton.

It's unknown how much longer Thomas worked in this trade for, but he eventually passed away in Ampthill on 16th May 1922, aged 76.

Wife: Sarah Woodbridge (nee Robinson)

Sarah Robinson was born in Luton in 1855. The fourth child of eight to Ebenezer Robinson (1826-1876) and Susan (nee Wilsher) (1822-1892). In 1875, aged 19, Sarah married 27 year-old straw hat maker Charles Stokes. Together the couple had one child, Minnie Maud (1881-1970). When Stokes died in 1891, aged 43, Sarah went to London, where she met Thomas Woodbridge, when the pair married and moved to Ampthill, Sarah continued to look after both Minnie, their only child Major and all of Thomas' children from his first marriage until they gradually moved out. She eventually passed away in 1926, aged 70.


Son: Major John Woodbridge

The uncommonly named Major John was born on the 4th of November 1894, the only child of Sarah Robinson and Thomas Woodbridge. Leaving school around 1906, he found work as a butcher locally until the outbreak of WW1.

On the 22nd of March 1916, he signed up and joined the Labour Corps, serving until the end of the war. Upon leaving the military he returned to live in Ampthill, and in 1924 he married 27 year-old Rose Lilian Fisher. The couple had one child, June, in 1926. The new family had settled back onto Dunstable Street living across from Major's old family home, in 3 Dunstable Street.

Ampthill Union Workhouse c.1900
Image copyright © ampthillimages.com

When WW2 broke out, Major did not sign up as he had done two decades earlier. At the time he worked as a porter at the Ampthill Union Workhouse (later St. George's Hospital), which stood practically right next to the Woodbridge's house. Rose later passed away in 1947, aged 50, and Major passed away twelve years later, on the 7th of May 1959, aged 64.