Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Unmarked grave Harry Holloway (1853-1921) Henry was born in 1853 in Grubbs Lane, Berkhamsted, the fourth of the twelve children of Elizabeth and Thomas Holloway. His father and grandfather were very prominent and greatly respected figures in the town, both involved in the building and plastering trades and fathering large families. His father was also registrar of Births, Marriages & Deaths. In 1866 the family moved into (Dean) Incent’s House opposite the church following the death of his grandfather Stephen Holloway who had lived there for some time. The 1881 census records Harry still living with his parents and working with his father and brother Hervey in the business. He married Alice Frances Savin, born in Bicester and the daughter of a farmer, in London in October 1889. Their daughter Frances Dorothy was born in 1889 and in 1891 they were living in Chapel Street and Harry was described as a house decorator. Harry’s brother Hervey died in 1893 and his mother in 1897. In April 1898 the family had another terrible bereavement when Alice’s brother, aged 29, committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a train. He had cabled Alice to meet him in Banbury and she had gone to his lodgings to find him in a deeply distressed state, talking about “disgrace to the family.” He killed himself the next day. By 1901 Harry, Alice and Frances had moved to 15, Montague Road and by 1911 they were living at “St Philips”, Charles Street, a substantial ten roomed house. They had two boarders and a live-in domestic servant. Harry was still a house decorator and had taken over his father’s old role as Registrar. Harry Died April 1921 at the Temperance Hotel, Castle Street, aged 68, Alice either moved almost immediately to Maida Vale with Frances, where she was recorded in June that year, or had been living there at the time of Harry’s death. Alice survived him until 1935, dying in Lichfield. His grandfather and step-grandmother, Stephen and Lucy Holloway are buried in this cemetery in plot 61 and his parents in plot x100.His uncle Arthur John is in plot x101, his brother Hervey and niece Elsie are buried in plot x227 and his sister-in-law Sarah Ann, Hervey’s wife, in plot 762.