Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

George Marcham

George Marcham was born in Tring in early 1850, the son of James Marcham and Mary Ann (née Coker). In March 1851 they family was living at Akeman Street, Tring, which, as James’s occupation is given as canal lock keeper, seems rather far from his place of work! George’s mother and his sisters, twelve year old sister Anne and seven year old Ellen, were straw plaiters. His two eldest brothers Edward and Thomas were labourers and fourteen year old Jonathan was a silk winder.

Things must have become considerably harder after the death of his father in 1859 and the 1861 census finds Mary Anne working as a “washing woman” in New Road Northchurch with four children still at home and no occupation given for any of them.

George married Sarah Duncombe in 1877 at Berkhamsted and the 1881 census shows them living in Mill Street with their six year old daughter Alice. George is working as a farm labourer. They were at 13, Mill Street in 1901. George was then working as a gardener in a nursery and Alice was married.

George died at this address on 11^th January 1904