Biography:
John Hedges
1837 –1923
John Hedges
View full burial details
Unmarked grave John Hedges (1837-1923)
John was born 1837 in Aldbury, the son of labourer William Hedges and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised in the parish church in October that year. Despite poverty and a career of hard manual work he was to have a long life.
In 1861 the family was living in Aylesbury Road, Tring. William was a carter, Elizabeth a straw plaiter and John, then aged 24, was a shepherd.
In 1867 John married Maria Townsend, from Brailes in Warwickshire, a single mother with a son Charles, and in 1871 they were living in Charles Street, Tring. Both John and twelve year old Charles were agricultural labourers.
In 1881 they had moved to 7, King Street, Tring. Charles was no longer at home and they had a lodger. John was, once again, a shepherd. The 1891 census found them at 2, Miswell Lane, Tring, living alone. John was described in the census as “agricultural labourer shepherd.”
Maria died in December 1884 and John married Sarah Edwards from Tring in 1885.
The couple remained at 2, Miswell Lane but by 1911 things had become hard for them. Both were recorded as being on parish relief, even though John, by then aged over seventy, was still employed as a shepherd. Sarah died that year and it has not been possible to trace what happened to John over the next ten years.
In 1921 he was living at 25, High Street with his sister-in-law Fanny Pearce, the widow of the town’s cemetery keeper George Pearce (buried in Plot x136), and her son William. John was described as an “invalid.”
He died March 1923 at Fanny’s home aged 86.
View this burial in the cemetery
Unmarked grave John Hedges (1837-1923)
John was born 1837 in Aldbury, the son of labourer William Hedges and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised in the parish church in October that year. Despite poverty and a career of hard manual work he was to have a long life.
In 1861 the family was living in Aylesbury Road, Tring. William was a carter, Elizabeth a straw plaiter and John, then aged 24, was a shepherd.
In 1867 John married Maria Townsend, from Brailes in Warwickshire, a single mother with a son Charles, and in 1871 they were living in Charles Street, Tring. Both John and twelve year old Charles were agricultural labourers.
In 1881 they had moved to 7, King Street, Tring. Charles was no longer at home and they had a lodger. John was, once again, a shepherd. The 1891 census found them at 2, Miswell Lane, Tring, living alone. John was described in the census as “agricultural labourer shepherd.”
Maria died in December 1884 and John married Sarah Edwards from Tring in 1885.
The couple remained at 2, Miswell Lane but by 1911 things had become hard for them. Both were recorded as being on parish relief, even though John, by then aged over seventy, was still employed as a shepherd. Sarah died that year and it has not been possible to trace what happened to John over the next ten years.
In 1921 he was living at 25, High Street with his sister-in-law Fanny Pearce, the widow of the town’s cemetery keeper George Pearce (buried in Plot x136), and her son William. John was described as an “invalid.”
He died March 1923 at Fanny’s home aged 86.
Relatives
No relatives have been linked to John Hedges
Military graves