Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Jessie Verney 1887-1908   Joseph Verney was born in Berkhamsted in 1861, the fourth child of John Verney, a boat builder from Aylesbury, and his wife Elizabeth. He grew up in Highfield Road. Joseph went into domestic service, and in 1881 was a footman in the house of Henry Lofts, a land and estate agent, at Brent Lodge in Hendon. At some time in the next few years he met Georgina Larking, who in 1881 was a house maid in Kensington. They married in 1883 at St Matthews, Westminster. Joseph was living at 17 Little Harcourt Street, Marylebone, and Georgina at 4a Rochester Buildings, N2. The couple settled first in the Westminster area, where their son Edward was born in 1885. Two years later they were in Lambeth, where daughter Jessie was born, and by 1891 they were at 23 Sifford Street, Putney. Joseph was now working as a fishmonger. Georgina died in 1893, and Joseph returned to his home town of Berkhamsted with his two small children, aged just 8 and 6. He returned to the street where he grew up, and lived at number 50 Highfield Road. Three of his spinster sisters, Emma, Ann, and Lucy live just a few houses away. Tragically, Jessie died in 1908 at the age of 21, and is buried in the cemetery, not far from her father who died just two years later.