Biography:
John Popple (875)
23/09/1847 –26/01/1900
John Popple (875)
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Plot no 875 Elizabeth POPPLE, died 03/11/1936, aged 83 John POPPLE, died 26/01/1900, aged 52
John POPPLE
John POPPLE[i] (described as “Great Grandpa Popple”
John POPPLE was born on 23rd September 1847 in of Deeping St James in the south of Lincolnshire. The village lies on the River Welland, a busy trading route in the 19th century, although transport was changing fast at this time with the opening of a railway station the year after John was born.
John was the 4th child of John and Mary POPPLE and his father was a shoemaker. John senior had been born in Northamptonshire, the centre of English shoemaking, so that was presumably where he learnt his trade, which he passed on in due course to his son. John’s mother Mary (nee WRIGHT[2]) was a native of Deeping St James. The couple went on to have five more children after John, so he grew up at the centre of a large family.
At some point after he finished his education, John left Lincolnshire for Berkhamsted
In January 1877, at the age of 29, John married Elizabeth LOVETT, a young woman from a Berkhamsted family. By this time his job was described as a “boot closer”. So he had followed his father into the shoe making trade and was employed in stitching together all the parts of a shoe upper. The couple soon set up home in Berkhamsted and started a family. They went on to have seven children, of whom six survived to adulthood and lived long lives.
By 1881 the family were living at Provident Place (now Waterside) at the bottom of Holliday Street. By 1891 they had moved to 71 Victoria Road where they lived for the rest of his life.
John was an active participant in the life of the Berkhamsted community. He was a leading member of the Berkhamsted Working Men’s Club, founded in 1869, serving on the committee for many years. The club was part of the temperance movement of the 19th century and promoted total abstinence from alcohol. They had premises in Holiday Street, where there was a club room “provided with many daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, bagatelle and other games”.[3] The club was described as “a genuine club for working men and managed by them with very little interference from other classes”.[4] The club did not have a licence to serve alcohol so the point was clearly made that it was for social improvement and education of the members.
John was also instrumental in establishing a hospital fund in 1890 to support West Herts Infirmary. He was on a committee organising collection boxes in local shops.[5] He also served on the annual Berkhamsted Castle Fete organising committee.
John and Elizabeth clearly valued education and ensured that all their six children were as well educated as their means allowed. Three of their children became teachers, the most notable being Edward POPPLE who became the Head of Victoria School. Their youngest son, Edward, became a church minister. That was an impressive achievement from parents of such modest beginnings.
John died in 1900, aged 52. And is buried in Plot 875. When his widow Elizabeth died 36 years later, she was buried alongside him.
View this burial in the cemetery
Plot no 875 Elizabeth POPPLE, died 03/11/1936, aged 83
John POPPLE, died 26/01/1900, aged 52
John POPPLE
John POPPLE[i]
(described as “Great Grandpa Popple”
John POPPLE was born on 23rd September 1847 in of Deeping St James in the south of Lincolnshire. The village lies on the River Welland, a busy trading route in the 19th century, although transport was changing fast at this time with the opening of a railway station the year after John was born.
John was the 4th child of John and Mary POPPLE and his father was a shoemaker. John senior had been born in Northamptonshire, the centre of English shoemaking, so that was presumably where he learnt his trade, which he passed on in due course to his son. John’s mother Mary (nee WRIGHT[2]) was a native of Deeping St James. The couple went on to have five more children after John, so he grew up at the centre of a large family.
At some point after he finished his education, John left Lincolnshire for Berkhamsted
In January 1877, at the age of 29, John married Elizabeth LOVETT, a young woman from a Berkhamsted family. By this time his job was described as a “boot closer”. So he had followed his father into the shoe making trade and was employed in stitching together all the parts of a shoe upper. The couple soon set up home in Berkhamsted and started a family. They went on to have seven children, of whom six survived to adulthood and lived long lives.
By 1881 the family were living at Provident Place (now Waterside) at the bottom of Holliday Street. By 1891 they had moved to 71 Victoria Road where they lived for the rest of his life.
John was an active participant in the life of the Berkhamsted community. He was a leading member of the Berkhamsted Working Men’s Club, founded in 1869, serving on the committee for many years. The club was part of the temperance movement of the 19th century and promoted total abstinence from alcohol. They had premises in Holiday Street, where there was a club room “provided with many daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, bagatelle and other games”.[3] The club was described as “a genuine club for working men and managed by them with very little interference from other classes”.[4] The club did not have a licence to serve alcohol so the point was clearly made that it was for social improvement and education of the members.
John was also instrumental in establishing a hospital fund in 1890 to support West Herts Infirmary. He was on a committee organising collection boxes in local shops.[5] He also served on the annual Berkhamsted Castle Fete organising committee.
John and Elizabeth clearly valued education and ensured that all their six children were as well educated as their means allowed. Three of their children became teachers, the most notable being Edward POPPLE who became the Head of Victoria School. Their youngest son, Edward, became a church minister. That was an impressive achievement from parents of such modest beginnings.
John died in 1900, aged 52. And is buried in Plot 875. When his widow Elizabeth died 36 years later, she was buried alongside him.
Relatives
Historical Connections
The following local places of interest are linked to John Popple (875):
St Peter’s Church
Berkhamsted School
Military graves