Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Alfred Albert Holland (1061)

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Plot 1061 Alfred Albert Holland

Alfred Albert Holland was born in Dagnall on 20^th September 1878, the third child of Francis (Frank) Holland of Little Gaddesden and Fanny née Mead of Hudnall. When he was born, his family lived at Malting Lane Cottage in Dagnall and his father worked as a gardener.

Alfred had two older brothers: William Henry, born in 1872 and Herbert James born in 1874. A younger brother, Walter, was born in 1881 but died aged 10 months and was buried at St Mary’s Edlesborough on 23^rd February 1882.

Alfred also had three younger sisters: Florence Annie, born on 14^th August 1883, Ella, born on 18^th January 1885 and Beatrice, born in the 3^rd Quarter of 1887. Beatrice, however, died shortly after her birth and was buried at St Mary’s Edlesborough.

Alfred’s family lived in Dagnall until June 1889 when they moved to Whipsnade. On 17^th June 1889, his sisters Florence and Ella entered Whipsnade National School. 4 year old Ella was starting school while Florence, who was nearly 6, had previously attended school in Dagnall. Alfred, who was then nearly 11, is not shown on the Whipsnade School Admission Register and it is likely that, in common with many boys of his age, he was already employed in farm work.

The 1891 Census shows Alfred’s family at The Green, Whipsnade. His father Frank continued to work as a gardener. Henry, 19, Herbert, 16 and Albert, 12 were all agricultural labourers while Florence, 7 and Ella, 6 attended Whipsnade School. However, the girls’ School Admission Register entries show that they left the village on 4^th May 1893.

By 1901 Alfred had moved to 63 Gossoms End with his parents and younger sisters Florence and Ella. Aged 22, he was working as a wood turning machinist. The 1921 Census confirms his employer as East and Sons at Gossoms End. The wood-turning and shovel making business had been taken over from a Mr Howard by Mr Job East in about 1840, greatly expanded during the Crimean War and survived a serious fire in 1888, by which time Mr Cornelius East was in charge and the firm employed about a hundred men.¹ Alfred had joined a thriving business.

In May 1901, Alfred married Emily Sedwill of Chesham, the daughter of John Sedwill and Elizabeth née Glenister. In the 1901 Census, 24 year old Emily was a laundry maid living or staying with her uncle and aunt, Thomas and Sarah Davis at 55 Gossoms End, just along the road from Alfred and his family.

Alfred and Emily settled in Berkhamsted and, in 1902 had a daughter Emily, but she died shortly after birth. Three more children followed in the next few years: William Henry, born on 13^th September 1903, Lillie on 31^st October 1905 and Frank on 29^th August 1908. By 1911, Alfred and Emily had moved to 16 Shrublands Avenue, close to Alfred’s parents at No 6. Alfred was a handle machinist and Emily, with three young children to care for, had no outside work. Another daughter, Florence Annie, was born on 14^th July 1913.

Alfred would have been almost 36 when the First World War started in August 1914 and 37 when the Military Service Act of January 1916 introduced conscription. However, there is no evidence that he served in the Armed Forces. As a married man of that age involved in the “home-grown Timber Trade”, it is extremely likely that he was in a reserved occupation, especially as the firm had Government contracts. War work for similar firms included the production of aircraft parts, tent pegs, field kettle stands and war hospital furniture.² In 1917, the East family sold the company for which Alfred worked, though the name was retained with only slight alteration – East and Sons Ltd and the business continued to flourish.¹

The 1921 Census shows Alfred and Emily with all four of their children living in Shrublands Avenue. Alfred continued to work as a wood working machinist at East’s while Emily had home duties. Their son William was a printer/ compositor working for G Loosley and Sons, Printer and Book Binder at 202 Berkhamsted High Street (the premises now occupied by the Oxfam Shop) while Lillie was a machinist and needle-worker at the newly opened Corby, Palmer and Stewart Costume Makers on the site of the Mantle Factory in Lower King’s Road. Frank and Florence were both at school.

By the 1930s the site of East and Sons Ltd had expanded from one and a half acres to six acres and the bulk of their work was Government contracts. They also undertook some large and unusual projects. For example, in the early 1930s they manufactured 202 lock gates for a widening scheme on the Warwick to Birmingham section of the Grand Union Canal, a project which used 26,000 cubic feet of sawn English oak and took eighteen months to complete.¹

By September 1939, 60 year old Alfred was a Wood Machinist Foreman while Emily had unpaid domestic duties. Both Frank and Florence still lived at home, Frank working as an electrician and Florence as Forewoman in the Fur Department of a ladies clothing factory, almost certainly Corby, Palmer and Stewart.

Alfred and Emily lived at 16 Shrublands Avenue until their deaths. Emily died, aged 70, on 11^th December 1946 and is buried in this plot. Alfred lived until 22^nd February 1955 when he died aged 76.

The inscription on their gravestone reads: “In loving memory of/ Emily Holland/ who departed this life/ December 11 1946/ aged 70 years/ Her work is done/ Also of/ Alfred A Holland/ who passed to his reward/ Feb. 22 1955 aged 76 years/ A good man”

Alfred’s parents Francis (Frank) and Fanny Holland are buried in Plot 1000 in this cemetery; his younger sister Ella is buried in Plot 999.

References:

1.       Birtchnell, Percy, writing as “Beorcham”, (December 1967), The Berkhamsted Review: Berkhamsted’s Oldest Business.

2.       http://www.greatwarbuckinghamshire.co.uk Reserved Occupations in World War One