Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Edith Blake

01/02/1868 –13/06/1945

Wife of Frederick Blake

Relatives

Frederick Murray Blake — husband

• Melanie Hilton

 Edith Blake (née Cheal) (1868-1945)

Edith was born 1 February 1868, in Shoreham, Sussex, the daughter and second child of Henry Cheal and Susannah (née Eager). Both her parents had been born in Brighton.

In 1881 when Edith was thirteen the family were living at 187, Ditchling Rise, Preston, Steyning, Sussex. Henry was a plumber employing five men and Edith had four sisters and three brothers. In 1891 they were all at Shaftesbury Road, Preston, Steyning. Her father and brother James were “builder’s travellers”, Edith and her sister Anne were working as telephonists and brothers John and Henry were, respectively, a furniture dealer’s assistant and an iron merchant’s clerk. Eldest daughter Amy was a butcher’s book keeper and the two youngest, Grace and Alice, were at school. In addition there were two female lodgers, both ladies’ outfitter’s assistants. It must have been a lively household!

In 1895 Edith married Frederick Murray Blake, a stationer from Oxford.

For most of their married life Edith and Frederick lived at 92, Haverstock Hill, Hampstead over his stationer and bookseller’s business. They raised two daughters, Violet (b.1896) and Gladys W (b.1898), and a son, Murray (b.1906).

At some point before the 1939 Register they moved to 178, High Street., Berkhamsted where Frederick had a newsagent and stationer’s shop.

Both Edith and Frederick died in 1945 and lie here together.

Frederick Murray Blake

16/08/1869 –10/04/1945

A Stationer who set up business in Berkhamsted.

Relatives

Edith Blake — wife

 Frederick Murray Blake

Frederick was born 16^th August 1869, the son of Joseph and Charlotte (née Hanks) Blake of 1, High Street, Oxford. Joseph was a draper born in Beaconsfield, Bucks. Charlotte was from Oxford. Frederick was baptised 18^th September 1869, St Martin’s, Carfax, Oxford.

In 1871 the family were still at 1, High Street, Oxford and Frederick had been joined by a baby brother, Frank James. Also living there were his father’s assistant and a young apprentice, a general domestic servant and a nursemaid. The shop, with two floors above, was in an excellent position in the centre of the city and trade must have been good.

However, Joseph died 19^th November 1872 at Walton Street, Oxford, aged only twenty nine, leaving everything to Charlotte whilst she remained unmarried. Charlotte took on the business and in 1881 was recorded as a draper living at 5, Queen Street, Oxford, another good central address. Frederick was a scholar. Charlotte employed a live-in domestic servant.

Frank is not mentioned and he has not been traced in any records since the 1871 census: it appears he died in infancy. Ten years later Frederick was living in Portsea, Portsmouth, a boarder at 58, Prince George Street, the home of a widow and her niece. He was a stationer’s assistant.

He married Edith Cheal in 1895 at Steyning, Sussex.

The couple moved to Hampstead by at least 1896 when their eldest child was born there. 1901 census shows Fredrick and Edith living at 92, Haverstock Hill in Hampstead next to the Load of Hay public house (now the Haverstock Tavern). The shop (now a barber’s) probably looks much as it did then. Frederick was a “stationer shopkeeper” and an employer. The couple had two daughters, Violet (b.1896) and Gladys W (b.1898) and Frederick’s mother Charlotte, a “retired draper” was living with them. A son, Murray, was born in 1906.

They were still at the same address in 1911 with all three children and Charlotte. Frederick is described as “Stationer & bookseller (dealer)” and as an employer. Their dwelling above the shop comprised seven rooms.

Charlotte died in March 1920 at the Haverstock Hill address and Frederick and Edith remained there until at least the 1921 census. It is not known when they moved to Berkhamsted but the 1939 Register Frederick is shown as a newsagent and stationer at 178, High Street.

Frederick died 10^th April 1945 at “The Base Hospital” Hemel Hempstead aged seventy six.