Biography:
Harriet Estep
1876 –1931
Harriet Estep
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Unmarked grave Harriet Estep (née Webb) (1876-1931)
Harriet was born in 1876 in Wolverhampton and in 1908 married Walter Estep, a canal boatman born in King’s Norton in Brentford.
Harriet appears to have travelled with Walter on his barge for some of the time, at others, she lived on land. They were to have four daughters, but life for the bargees was very hard and the death rate amongst the children correspondingly high.
Their first child, Jane Elizabeth, was born in 1908 in West Bromwich). By 1910 they had moved to Berkhamsted with the barge Sarah. Violet was born that year and Sarah Ann in 1912. Sadly, she died in March 1913 and Ivy, born in June 1913 at 3, Canalside, died in September. Both babies lie in this cemetery.
In February 1914 in Northampton Walter saved an elderly man who had thrown himself into the canal. It was a tragic tale of a vagrant who had been in and out of the workhouse, had no friends and “was tired of life”. Attempted suicide was a crime at the time, but the magistrate sent him back to the workhouse.
In 1921 the family were recorded at 41, Grout Street, West Bromwich. Walter was out of work.
Harriet died in May 1931 at 241a High Street, the old Berkhamsted workhouse aged 55 – probably the only place for medical care for a poor family at the time. The burial service was conducted by Vicar of Long Marston.
In October 1931 the Coventry Evening Telegraph carried the report of the inquest on Harriet and Walter’s daughter Jane Elizabeth (born 1908) who had died at Gulstone Road Hospital from septicaemia following a small injury to her hand caused by knocking against the cooking range on their canal boat. “Your cup of sorrow is indeed full,” the Coroner said to William, noting that his wife had died in May of that year.
View this burial in the cemetery
Unmarked grave Harriet Estep (née Webb) (1876-1931)
Harriet was born in 1876 in Wolverhampton and in 1908 married Walter Estep, a canal boatman born in King’s Norton in Brentford.
Harriet appears to have travelled with Walter on his barge for some of the time, at others, she lived on land. They were to have four daughters, but life for the bargees was very hard and the death rate amongst the children correspondingly high.
Their first child, Jane Elizabeth, was born in 1908 in West Bromwich). By 1910 they had moved to Berkhamsted with the barge Sarah. Violet was born that year and Sarah Ann in 1912. Sadly, she died in March 1913 and Ivy, born in June 1913 at 3, Canalside, died in September. Both babies lie in this cemetery.
In February 1914 in Northampton Walter saved an elderly man who had thrown himself into the canal. It was a tragic tale of a vagrant who had been in and out of the workhouse, had no friends and “was tired of life”. Attempted suicide was a crime at the time, but the magistrate sent him back to the workhouse.
In 1921 the family were recorded at 41, Grout Street, West Bromwich. Walter was out of work.
Harriet died in May 1931 at 241a High Street, the old Berkhamsted workhouse aged 55 – probably the only place for medical care for a poor family at the time. The burial service was conducted by Vicar of Long Marston.
In October 1931 the Coventry Evening Telegraph carried the report of the inquest on Harriet and Walter’s daughter Jane Elizabeth (born 1908) who had died at Gulstone Road Hospital from septicaemia following a small injury to her hand caused by knocking against the cooking range on their canal boat. “Your cup of sorrow is indeed full,” the Coroner said to William, noting that his wife had died in May of that year.
Military graves