Biography:
Fanny Purton
1853 –1939
Fanny Purton
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Unmarked grave Fanny Purton (1853-1939)
Fanny was born in 1853 in Berkhamsted, the second child of William and Barbara Purton. Her father was a groom and she had an older brother, Walter. Her sister Mary Elizabeth was born in 1856.
William became a letter carrier – a postman – and in 1871 the family lived in Mill Street.
Both she and Mary were straw plaiters, making plait for the Luton and Dunstable hat industry.
By 1881 they had moved to the cottage in the castle grounds and it seems that her father, or perhaps both parents, acted as caretakers for the site. She and Mary were still plaiters.
In 1891 the census records them still living in the castle grounds with their parents and doing plain needlework.
In 1885 her brother Walter died and is buried in this cemetery. Their father died in 1900 and the census for the following year records both sisters at Castle Cottage with their mother, the “caretaker of castle grounds”. Both were engaged in plain needle-work.
Their mother died in 1904 and is possibly buried in this cemetery. The 1911 census records the sisters living at Bede House, Frithsden, on a “private pension”. They were at the same address in 1921. As their parents were employees of Lord Brownlow, he may have provided the pension.
They moved to 8, Oak Drove, where Mary died in 1934.
Fanny survived her until March 1939 when she died aged 86. They are buried here together.
View this burial in the cemetery
Unmarked grave Fanny Purton (1853-1939)
Fanny was born in 1853 in Berkhamsted, the second child of William and Barbara Purton. Her father was a groom and she had an older brother, Walter. Her sister Mary Elizabeth was born in 1856.
William became a letter carrier – a postman – and in 1871 the family lived in Mill Street.
Both she and Mary were straw plaiters, making plait for the Luton and Dunstable hat industry.
By 1881 they had moved to the cottage in the castle grounds and it seems that her father, or perhaps both parents, acted as caretakers for the site. She and Mary were still plaiters.
In 1891 the census records them still living in the castle grounds with their parents and doing plain needlework.
In 1885 her brother Walter died and is buried in this cemetery. Their father died in 1900 and the census for the following year records both sisters at Castle Cottage with their mother, the “caretaker of castle grounds”. Both were engaged in plain needle-work.
Their mother died in 1904 and is possibly buried in this cemetery. The 1911 census records the sisters living at Bede House, Frithsden, on a “private pension”. They were at the same address in 1921. As their parents were employees of Lord Brownlow, he may have provided the pension.
They moved to 8, Oak Drove, where Mary died in 1934.
Fanny survived her until March 1939 when she died aged 86. They are buried here together.
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