William Keen | Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Biography:
William Keen
1863 –1918

WILLIAM KEEN; 1863 – 1918

 William Keen was born in the first quarter of 1863 in Northchurch to William Keen, age  37,a waterman, and Eliza, née Sear, age 35. William was christened on 8th  March, 1863 in Berkhamsted.

 In 1871 his father was no longer working as a waterman but instead was a farm labourer and the family had moved to Cox’s Lane (now Kings Road). Local historian, Percy Birtchnell, wrote of an informant who “…lived in Cox's-lane, the narrow lane which was widened in late Victorian days and renamed King's-road. In a row of eight [nine?] cottages there was but one drinking water tap and one rainwater tank. The cottagers also shared a big old-fashioned brick oven, taking turns to cook their dinners." (Beorcham, Berkhamsted Review, Aug 1946).

 William’s widowed mother, Eliza, was still living  in Cox’s Lane at the time of the 1891 census, age 63 and working as a laundress.

 By the time of the 1881 census, William had moved out of Cox’s Lane and was living in High Street working as a grocer’s assistant journeyman. He married Mary Ann Brackley of Berkhamsted when he was 27 and they lived at 8 Chesham Road, and he was then still a grocer’s assistant. William and Mary had no children.

 By 1911 he was working as a packer for a chemical manufacturer, doubtless Coopers.

 William died in 1918, age 55, and was buried in Rectory Lane.

 

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WILLIAM KEEN; 1863 – 1918

 William Keen was born in the first quarter of 1863 in Northchurch to William Keen, age  37,a waterman, and Eliza, née Sear, age 35. William was christened on 8th  March, 1863 in Berkhamsted.

 In 1871 his father was no longer working as a waterman but instead was a farm labourer and the family had moved to Cox’s Lane (now Kings Road). Local historian, Percy Birtchnell, wrote of an informant who “…lived in Cox’s-lane, the narrow lane which was widened in late Victorian days and renamed King’s-road. In a row of eight [nine?] cottages there was but one drinking water tap and one rainwater tank. The cottagers also shared a big old-fashioned brick oven, taking turns to cook their dinners.” (Beorcham, Berkhamsted Review, Aug 1946).

 William’s widowed mother, Eliza, was still living  in Cox’s Lane at the time of the 1891 census, age 63 and working as a laundress.

 By the time of the 1881 census, William had moved out of Cox’s Lane and was living in High Street working as a grocer’s assistant journeyman. He married Mary Ann Brackley of Berkhamsted when he was 27 and they lived at 8 Chesham Road, and he was then still a grocer’s assistant. William and Mary had no children.

 By 1911 he was working as a packer for a chemical manufacturer, doubtless Coopers.

 William died in 1918, age 55, and was buried in Rectory Lane.

 

Relatives


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