Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

John Henry Bartlett

03-1861 –09/10/1890

Son of Shoemaker John Bartlett; sergeant in 5th Lancers; died at age 29 of tuberculosis.

Relatives

John Bartlett (43) — father

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 43: Sergeant John Henry Bartlett (1861-1890)

John Henry was born in March 1861 in Frogmore Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead and christened at Boxmoor the 12^th May. He was the son  of John Bartlett snr., a shoemaker, and his wife Elizabeth.

By the time he was six the family had moved to Victoria Road, Berkhamsted and the 1861 census shows his elder sister, Emily, and younger brother Herbert.

John Henry started work as a clerk, but when he was just over eighteen years old, on 31^st May 1879, he enlisted in the Army and joined the 5^th Lancers, stationed in London. He signed up for eight years’ service and four in the reserves.

His enlistment records describe him as 5 foot 8¼ inches tall, of dark complexion with brown hair and eyes.

He was promoted Lance Corporal in 1880 and Corporal the next year. In 1883 he achieved the rank of Sergeant and later extended his service to twelve years.

Between June 1879 and February 1885 John Henry served in England, but between 20^th February and 27^th June 1885 he was posted to Egypt with the expeditionary force sent out after the fall of Khartoum and the death of General Gordon. He was awarded the Egyptian War Medal and the Khedive’s Bronze Star.

He returned to England until November 1888 when he set sail for India, returning in June 1890 when he was discharged as medically unfit for further service.

John Henry’s military records contain nothing but praise: “Character very good. A good clerk.” He achieved a 1^st class certificate of education and a 1^st class musketry certificate.

The reason for his medical discharge was tuberculosis, a scourge at the time and incurable.

John Henry died aged twenty nine on 9^th October, just three months after his discharge. He was buried with his father, John Bartlett, who had died in 1876. It is probable that the unmarked grave of another John Bartlett in this cemetery is that of his grandfather who died the same year as his father.

John Bartlett (43)

1835 –10/07/1876

Shoemaker. died at the age of 41.

Relatives

John Bartlett — father

Sarah Bartlett — mother

John Henry Bartlett — son

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 43: John Bartlett (1835-1876)

John was born in Sydenham, London, in 1835 and baptised the 24^th February. His father John, born in St Neots, was a hairdresser by trade and his mother was Sarah.

The family must have moved to Berkhamsted shortly after John’s birth as the 1839 Pigot’s Directory lists his father as one of the town’s two hairdressers, with a premises in the High Street.

The 1841 census gives a Castle Street address for the family. At the time young John had one elder, and two younger, siblings.

They were still in Castle Street ten years later and John, sixteen, was working as a shoemaker. He was living with his parents and his four younger siblings.

His wife was Elizabeth, born in Northchurch. They seem to have married in about 1858.

John and Elizabeth moved to Frogmore Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead for a while and daughter Emily, and son John Henry were born there. But by 1871 they had returned to Berkhamsted and were living in Victoria Road with the children – Emily, John Henry and the youngest, Herbert.

John died 10th July 1876, aged only forty one, a few weeks after his father John who died 5^th June aged eighty five.

John’s son, John Henry, who died in 1890, is buried with him and it is probably that the unmarked grave of another John Bartlett is the resting place of his father.