Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Edith Tompkins died 1950

She was born Edith Horton in Watford on 28 August 1877, her parents were Jane Busby and Thomas Horton.  In 1881, Thomas Horton was a successful Master Butcher at 109 St Albans Road, Watford, employing 2 men and 4 butchers assistants.

In 1891 at the age of 14, Edith was boarding at a girls school in Bishops Stortford.

Edith was one of five children born to Thomas and Jane Horton:

• Henry T born 1868
• Arthur B born 1870
• Albert born 1874
• Edith born 1877
• Ethel C born 1883

On 14 November 1898, Edith married Thomas Tompkins, a butcher who was born in Berkhamsted in July 1869.

In 1901, Edith was running and living in the butcher shop on 140 High Street with her husband and the first of their three children Ethel Majorie, known as Marjorie/ Madge:

• Ethel Majorie (Madge) born 4 November 1899. Madge ran a horse riding school and kept her horses on ‘Tompkins Meadow’ behind Berkhamsted Girls School.
• Sarah Thomasina born 4 July 1904
• Thomas (Tommy) born 10 October 1908, died 1995

Edith’s husband, Thomas Tompkins, died on 27 March 1930 at the age of 60.

Edith died in Berkhamsted on 22 April 1950 at the age of 73.

Her youngest son Tommy Tompkins carried on the family business in Berkhamsted, running his butchers shop from 15 Gravel Path (now Eastwoods butchers) until he and his wife Flossie retired to Norfolk.

He married his wife Lois (Flossie) Preston in July 1937.  She was a clerk at the Waterworks. He died on 12 March 1995.