Major George Chennels (923) | Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Biography:
Major George Chennels (923)
24/01/1873 –08/05/1950

Major George Chennels (923)

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Plot 923 Major George Chennells (1873-1950) 

Major George was the third son of Cornelius and Mary (nee Harrison) Chennells and was baptised and registered with that unusual first name.

Cornelius was a gardener/gardener’s labourer but by April 1891 the census records that he was paralysed and unable to work. Fortunately his three sons were in employment: Walter as a blacksmith, Herbert as a plumber and Major George as a baker. Eight year old Lily was at school.

Major married Rachel Rance in 1895 and Jill Gardener wrote about her grandfather in 2020:

“Major George Chennells, born at Frithsden on January 24th 1873 and Rachel (nee Rance), born at Potten End on November 10th 1871, were married at Holy Trinity, Potten End, on October 22nd 1895.  They had five children: Gladys Lillian, born on October 1st, 1896:  George Edward Victor, born on February 7th, 1901;  Reginald Walter, born on June 5th, 1906; Irene Gertrude, born on September 30th, 1908:  Hilda Joyce, born on March 3rd 1913 (my mother).  She was known by her second name of Joyce.  All the children were born in Potten End, with the exception of my mother, who was born at 15 Kings Road, Berkhamsted.

I can only remember them living at 22 Kings Road, Berkhamsted, from where they ran the family business – a Credit Draper (selling cloth on credit, usually door to door).  My grandfather, Gladys and George (and later his wife, Doris (known as Pete for some reason!) also worked for it and they lived on the other side of Clarence Road at  No. 20 Kings Road.  They only had one son, Bryan Rae, who sadly was born with Downs Syndrome.  My other Auntie Irene, worked as a secretary for the Chief Accountant at Cooper, McDougall & Robertson, all her life and my mother (and father, who was Chief Commercial Artist at Clunbury Press – as was his father before him) where they met and got married, after which he went to serve his country in the RAF.  I was born in 1939 so he was away for the first 5 years of my life.  We lived at The Nook, North Road, Berkhamsted, from where I got married in 1961.

 Both my mother, who died far too young at 56 – having just lived long enough to see her four grandchildren born – and my father, Cliff, who lived until 93, are buried in Kings Road Cemetery, which was very near to where they lived after I got married, at the top of Kings Road.  (My Auntie Irene, being a single lady, opted to be cremated and scattered at Amersham when she died).”

Jill Gardener, May 2020.

Major died 8 May 1950 and is buried here with his wife Rachel, daughter Gladys and son Reginald.

 
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in the cemetery

Plot 923 Major George Chennells (1873-1950) 

Major George was the third son of Cornelius and Mary (nee Harrison) Chennells and was baptised and registered with that unusual first name.

Cornelius was a gardener/gardener’s labourer but by April 1891 the census records that he was paralysed and unable to work. Fortunately his three sons were in employment: Walter as a blacksmith, Herbert as a plumber and Major George as a baker. Eight year old Lily was at school.

Major married Rachel Rance in 1895 and Jill Gardener wrote about her grandfather in 2020:

“Major George Chennells, born at Frithsden on January 24th 1873 and Rachel (nee Rance), born at Potten End on November 10th 1871, were married at Holy Trinity, Potten End, on October 22nd 1895.  They had five children: Gladys Lillian, born on October 1st, 1896:  George Edward Victor, born on February 7th, 1901;  Reginald Walter, born on June 5th, 1906; Irene Gertrude, born on September 30th, 1908:  Hilda Joyce, born on March 3rd 1913 (my mother).  She was known by her second name of Joyce.  All the children were born in Potten End, with the exception of my mother, who was born at 15 Kings Road, Berkhamsted.

I can only remember them living at 22 Kings Road, Berkhamsted, from where they ran the family business – a Credit Draper (selling cloth on credit, usually door to door).  My grandfather, Gladys and George (and later his wife, Doris (known as Pete for some reason!) also worked for it and they lived on the other side of Clarence Road at  No. 20 Kings Road.  They only had one son, Bryan Rae, who sadly was born with Downs Syndrome.  My other Auntie Irene, worked as a secretary for the Chief Accountant at Cooper, McDougall & Robertson, all her life and my mother (and father, who was Chief Commercial Artist at Clunbury Press – as was his father before him) where they met and got married, after which he went to serve his country in the RAF.  I was born in 1939 so he was away for the first 5 years of my life.  We lived at The Nook, North Road, Berkhamsted, from where I got married in 1961.

 Both my mother, who died far too young at 56 – having just lived long enough to see her four grandchildren born – and my father, Cliff, who lived until 93, are buried in Kings Road Cemetery, which was very near to where they lived after I got married, at the top of Kings Road.  (My Auntie Irene, being a single lady, opted to be cremated and scattered at Amersham when she died).”

Jill Gardener, May 2020.

Major died 8 May 1950 and is buried here with his wife Rachel, daughter Gladys and son Reginald.

 

Relatives


Historical Connections

The following local places of interest are linked to Major George Chennels (923):