Biography:
Sarah Susannah Meek
28/09/1838 –19/07/1888
Sarah Susannah Meek
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Plot x244 Sarah Susannah Meek (1839-1888) (Revised. Original in green)
Sarah was to have a life marked by tragic losses, dying when she was only 49.
Sarah Susannah was born in Berkhamsted in 1838, the daughter of Berkhamsted nurseryman John Edward Lane and his wife Sarah (née Foster). She was baptised 27 October that year in St Peter’s.
She married Richard Meek, a goldsmith and jeweller working in London, at St Paul’s, Covent Garden, London, 17 August 1867. He was the son of Berkhamsted wood ware manufacturer Samuel Meek and brother of Edward Meek who is buried in this cemetery in Plot 784.
Their son Arthur Cecil was born in 1868 and daughter Rose Edith followed in 1869.
Richard and Susannah moved out from London and in 1871 Richard was a goldsmith and jeweller living at 1, Lansdown Villas, Woodridings, Pinner.
Madeline Sarah was born 25 May 1873 and Richard Percy in June 1874, both in Pinner. After that the family moved around in the London area: Ethel Mabel was born in 1877 in Kilburn and Gertrude E in 1878 in Holloway.
The first tragedy for the family came when little Madeline Sarah died 28 January 1878 in Islington.
Scarcely six months later Richard died 7 June 1879 in Northumberland House, a mental asylum, where he had been admitted 17 May. “Formerly of 69, Tollington Park but late of Northumberland House, Greenlanes, Stoke Newington, both in the county of Middlesex. Jeweller and goldsmith”.
The nature of his affliction is unknown, although the rapidity of his death after admission might indicate a physical rather than mental issue – a brain tumour or stroke, perhaps.
“Northumberland House opened in 1829 as a private lunatic asylum for the care of ladies and gentlemen of the upper and middle classes. It was licensed to accommodate 40 patients, with Richard Birkett, a stationer, as licensee. The large 3-storey mansion was set in extensive grounds. Built in 1822 to resemble a country house, it had a pillared entrance, balustrades and urns upon the roof… In 1877 the asylum was bought by Dr Alonzo Henry Stocker, the owner of Peckham House in south London. One of the best known specialists in lunacy, he had become Medical Superintendent of Grove Hall Asylum, Bow, in 1852 at the age of 22 years.” The asylum held about 78 patients at a weekly charge of 3 guineas (about £300 in today’s money).
Richard left just under £4,000 (about £417,000 today) and by the time of the 1881 census, Sarah Susannah, now widowed, had returned with her children to be near the household of her widowed father John Edward Lane in Berkhamsted. The girls lived with her but Richard Percy and Arthur Cecil were living with their maternal grandfather.
On July 31 1882 Richard Percy was run over by a timber wagon and died of tetanus a few days later, aged 8.
Then further tragedy struck Sarah with the death of Rose Edith on August 17 1883 at 5, Rochester Square, London. She was 13 years and 8 months old.
Sarah died at The Oaks, Manor Park Road, Harlesden Green, Middlesex, 19 July 1888.
She is buried here with her son Richard Percy and her daughters Rose and Madeline.
View this burial in the cemetery
Plot x244 Sarah Susannah Meek (1839-1888) (Revised. Original in green)
Sarah was to have a life marked by tragic losses, dying when she was only 49.
Sarah Susannah was born in Berkhamsted in 1838, the daughter of Berkhamsted nurseryman John Edward Lane and his wife Sarah (née Foster). She was baptised 27 October that year in St Peter’s.
She married Richard Meek, a goldsmith and jeweller working in London, at St Paul’s, Covent Garden, London, 17 August 1867. He was the son of Berkhamsted wood ware manufacturer Samuel Meek and brother of Edward Meek who is buried in this cemetery in Plot 784.
Their son Arthur Cecil was born in 1868 and daughter Rose Edith followed in 1869.
Richard and Susannah moved out from London and in 1871 Richard was a goldsmith and jeweller living at 1, Lansdown Villas, Woodridings, Pinner.
Madeline Sarah was born 25 May 1873 and Richard Percy in June 1874, both in Pinner. After that the family moved around in the London area: Ethel Mabel was born in 1877 in Kilburn and Gertrude E in 1878 in Holloway.
The first tragedy for the family came when little Madeline Sarah died 28 January 1878 in Islington.
Scarcely six months later Richard died 7 June 1879 in Northumberland House, a mental asylum, where he had been admitted 17 May. “Formerly of 69, Tollington Park but late of Northumberland House, Greenlanes, Stoke Newington, both in the county of Middlesex. Jeweller and goldsmith”.
The nature of his affliction is unknown, although the rapidity of his death after admission might indicate a physical rather than mental issue – a brain tumour or stroke, perhaps.
“Northumberland House opened in 1829 as a private lunatic asylum for the care of ladies and gentlemen of the upper and middle classes. It was licensed to accommodate 40 patients, with Richard Birkett, a stationer, as licensee. The large 3-storey mansion was set in extensive grounds. Built in 1822 to resemble a country house, it had a pillared entrance, balustrades and urns upon the roof… In 1877 the asylum was bought by Dr Alonzo Henry Stocker, the owner of Peckham House in south London. One of the best known specialists in lunacy, he had become Medical Superintendent of Grove Hall Asylum, Bow, in 1852 at the age of 22 years.” The asylum held about 78 patients at a weekly charge of 3 guineas (about £300 in today’s money).
Richard left just under £4,000 (about £417,000 today) and by the time of the 1881 census, Sarah Susannah, now widowed, had returned with her children to be near the household of her widowed father John Edward Lane in Berkhamsted. The girls lived with her but Richard Percy and Arthur Cecil were living with their maternal grandfather.
On July 31 1882 Richard Percy was run over by a timber wagon and died of tetanus a few days later, aged 8.
Then further tragedy struck Sarah with the death of Rose Edith on August 17 1883 at 5, Rochester Square, London. She was 13 years and 8 months old.
Sarah died at The Oaks, Manor Park Road, Harlesden Green, Middlesex, 19 July 1888.
She is buried here with her son Richard Percy and her daughters Rose and Madeline.
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