Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Audrey Marguerite Biggerstaff (1925-1944)

15/06/1925 –02/01/1944

Predeceased her parents, dying at 18. Buried with them

Relatives

Fanny Caroline Biggerstaff (1882-1962) — mother

Edward James Biggerstaff d. 02/02/1940 — brother

• Kate Campbell
• Thomas Phillipson

Audrey Marguerite was the daughter of Edward Biggerstaff and Fanny Caroline Gomm.  She was born on 15th June 1925 joining brothers Edward James and Richard.

By 1939 she was living with her father, then an Estate Carpenter, and mother in Berkhamsted.  Her older brothers were no longer living at home. Edward James was in the Royal Navy and he perished at sea on 27th June 1940.

She died on 1st February 1944 aged just 18.

Edward Biggerstaff (1883-1958)

c.1884 –06/03/1958

Estate carpenter, outlived two of his six children, one lost at sea in WWII

Relatives

Fanny Caroline Biggerstaff (1882-1962) — wife

Edward James Biggerstaff d. 02/02/1940 — son

• Kate Campbell
• Thomas Phillipson

Edward was born on 18th November 1883 to Henry and Anne Biggerstaff (nee Grace).
Age 7 in the 1891 census, his family comprised his father, then a Drayman, mother and siblings Fanny 13, George 12, Alice 9, Harry 4, Ernest 2 and Grace 2 months.

By the time of the 1901 census, he was 17 and working as a Brewer’s Labourer. The family were still in Northchurch – Harry 14, Grace now 10 had been joined by a younger brother Fred aged 7.  (Fred was killed at age 55, while working as a porter at Berkhamsted station where he was struck by a train). Ernest, who would have been 12 had died in 1893.

On 19th April 1905 he married Fanny Caroline Gomm, a dressmaker, in Berkhamsted and they went on to have six children together:

• Edward James – 1905 – 1940
• Richard Mark -1909 – 2003
• Minnie V – born 1912
• Gwendoline L – born 1914
• Ronald F D -1916 – 1989
• Audrey Margaritte -1925 – 1944

By the time of the 1911 census, now aged 27, he and Fanny had set up home at No 9 Provident Place, Berkhamsted  and had their first child, a boy Edward James.

By the time of the 1939 Register Edward was working as an Estate Carpenter, living in Berkhamsted with Fanny and Audrey Marguerite. Edward James was away in the Royal Navy.

Edward died on 6th March 1958 aged 74 – he had outlived two of his children: Edward James was lost at sea on 27th June 1940 and Audrey Marguerite had died only four years later.

His wife lived on until 3rd January 1962.

Fanny Caroline Biggerstaff (1882-1962)

c.1883 –03/01/1962

Dressmaker, outlived her husband and two of her six children

Relatives

Edward Biggerstaff (1883-1958) — husband

Edward James Biggerstaff d. 02/02/1940 — son

Audrey Marguerite Biggerstaff (1925-1944) — daughter

• Kate Campbell
• Thomas Phillipson

Fanny Caroline, often recorded as Fanny although on her memorial as Caroline, was born in January 1883 to Caroline A Gomm and James R Gomm.  She was baptised on 29th November 1883.

By the time of the 1901 census, when she was 18, she was employed as a Dressmaker, her father was a House Decorator. On 19th April 1905 she married Edward Biggerstaff in Berkhamsted and they went on to have six children together:

• Edward James – 1905 – 1940
• Richard Mark -1909 – 2003
• Minnie V – born 1912
• Gwendoline L – born 1914
• Ronald F D -1916 – 1989
• Audrey Margaritte -1925 – 1944

By the time of the 1911 census, they had set up home at No 9 Provident Place, Berkhamsted and had their first child, a boy Edward James.

By 1939 her husband was working as an Estate Carpenter, and they were living in Berkhamsted with their daughter Audrey Marguerite. Their son Edward James was away in the Royal Navy – and in fact he was lost at sea on 27th June 1940, sunk with his submarine.

Their daughter Audrey Marguerite died only four years later, at the young age of 18.

Fanny was widowed in 1958 and died herself on 3rd January 1962, aged 79.

Edward James Biggerstaff d. 02/02/1940

CPO in the Royal Navy, son of Edward and Caroline Biggerstaff. Lost at sea with his submarine

Relatives

Fanny Caroline Biggerstaff (1882-1962) — mother

Edward Biggerstaff (1883-1958) — father

Audrey Marguerite Biggerstaff (1925-1944) — sister

• Kate Campbell
• Thomas Phillipson

Edward James’ father was also called Edward. He was born in 1858, the son of Henry (a drayman) and Ann (nee Grace).The family lived at 48 Ellesmere Road.

Edward was a brewery worker in his early days.  He married Fanny Caroline (nee Gomm) and they lived at 16 Provident Place.  They had two children: Edward James and Audrey Marguerite.

The family have had more than their fair share of loss: Edward’s brother Harry was killed at Flanders in WW1 and his younger brother Frederick was a porter at Berkhamsted and killed by a train in 1948.

Edward James joined the navy in 1923 and was killed in June 1940 aboard HM Submarine Odin.  The loss of the Odin and Edward James’ presumed death was reported in the local Gazette:

Local Man In Lost Submarine.  Chief Petty Officer E.J. Biggerstaff. 

Behind the statement issued this week that the British Submarine Odin is considerably overdue and must be presumed lost is a local tragedy which will evoke the sympathy of all. 

A member of the crew of H.M. Submarine Odin was Chief Petty Officer Edward James Biggerstaff, of 112 Belswins Lane, Hemel Hempstead. A native of Berkhamsted, he was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Edward Biggerstaff of 16 Provident Place, Berkhamsted, and with them and his wife and four years-old son the sincere sympathy of their many friends in both towns will be expressed in their great loss. 

CPO Biggerstaff was 35 years of age, was educated at Berkhamsted Church of England Victoria School under the headmastership of Mr Edward Popple, and then entered the Royal Navy, in which he had served for 15 and a half years. For the past three years he had been on the China Station. 

He was remarkably keen on his work and had always been particularly interested in the submarine section of the service. His promotion to the high Warrant Officer rank of Chief Petty Officer was full assurance of the quality of his service to the Royal Navy.  His relatives were informed some little time ago that he was reported “missing”. 

HM Submarine Odin (Lieut.-Com.K.M.Woods, R.N.) was completed in May 1928 and was the prototype of the Odin class, having five sister vessels. She had an overall length of 283 feet and carried guns and torpedo tubes.