Biography:
Clara Lay (950)
1861 –13/07/1932
Clara Lay (950)
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Plot 950 Clara Lay (née Gudgin) (1861-1932)
Clara was born in 1861 on Berkhamsted Common, the tenth child of Robert and Ann Gudgin. They were to have twelve children in all. Her father was an agricultural labourer.
In 1871 the family were living in Castle Street. When her father died, her mother took three of her children, including Clara, went to live with her daughter Emma and her husband in the High Street. Clara was employed straw plaiting – a low-paid, home-based occupation producing plait for the Luton and Dunstable hat industry.
Clara’s daughter Ada Gudgin was born 1882 in Berkhamsted. The father’s name is unknown.
Clara married James Lay, a bricklayer’s labourer in 1885.
Annie was born in 1887, followed by Arthur (1888), Alfred (1890), Amy (1893), Lizzie (1894) and Alice (1897).
In 1901 the family was living in Thoms Yard, Northchurch. James was a general labourer.
Horace, their final child, was born in 1907.
By 1911 they had moved to 25, Gossoms End where Clara was to live for the rest of her life.
James died in 1919 and is buried in Plot 913. In 1921 Clara was living with her son Horace and Phyllis Lay, described as “boarder”, born 1916. (Given that little Phyllis’s mother’s maiden name in the births records is Lay, she was probably the child of one of Clara’s unmarried daughters.)
Horace died in 1922, aged just 15, and is buried with his father.
Clara died 13 July 1932 aged 71.
Her father Robert Gudgin is buried in this cemetery, as are her brothers Theophilus (Plot 927) and William.
View this burial in the cemetery
Plot 950 Clara Lay (née Gudgin) (1861-1932)
Clara was born in 1861 on Berkhamsted Common, the tenth child of Robert and Ann Gudgin. They were to have twelve children in all. Her father was an agricultural labourer.
In 1871 the family were living in Castle Street. When her father died, her mother took three of her children, including Clara, went to live with her daughter Emma and her husband in the High Street. Clara was employed straw plaiting – a low-paid, home-based occupation producing plait for the Luton and Dunstable hat industry.
Clara’s daughter Ada Gudgin was born 1882 in Berkhamsted. The father’s name is unknown.
Clara married James Lay, a bricklayer’s labourer in 1885.
Annie was born in 1887, followed by Arthur (1888), Alfred (1890), Amy (1893), Lizzie (1894) and Alice (1897).
In 1901 the family was living in Thoms Yard, Northchurch. James was a general labourer.
Horace, their final child, was born in 1907.
By 1911 they had moved to 25, Gossoms End where Clara was to live for the rest of her life.
James died in 1919 and is buried in Plot 913. In 1921 Clara was living with her son Horace and Phyllis Lay, described as “boarder”, born 1916. (Given that little Phyllis’s mother’s maiden name in the births records is Lay, she was probably the child of one of Clara’s unmarried daughters.)
Horace died in 1922, aged just 15, and is buried with his father.
Clara died 13 July 1932 aged 71.
Her father Robert Gudgin is buried in this cemetery, as are her brothers Theophilus (Plot 927) and William.
Relatives
- James Lay (913) — husband
- Robert Gudgin — parent
- Theophilus Gudgin (927) — brother
- William Gudgin — brother
Military graves