Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Joseph Billingsley Bullock

18/11/1799 –01/06/1866

Solicitor and father of the large Bullock family of Berkhamstead

Relatives

Elizabeth Bullock — wife

Herbert Bullock — son

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843 — daughter

Frederick Bullock — son

James (or John?) Lawrence Bullock — son

Louisa Jane Matthewman — daughter

Joseph Ernest Bullock — son

• James Moir

Joseph Billingsley Bullock was born in Marylebone, and was a solicitor at the firm George Lythall Crockett and Joseph Billingsley Bullock in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London.

He married Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Lawrence of Demerara in 1833 at St Pancras New Church. They had six sons and three daughters. All the sons, except the last, Joseph, were born in London. In 1851, the family were living in Clapham.

In 1855 Joseph and his family moved to Berkhamsted and lived at The Elms on the High Street. In 1859, his solicitors’ partnership was dissolved.

Joseph died in 1866, leaving effects under £1500. Elizabeth Bullock lived to be 77, and died at 87 Ladbroke Grove, London.

Elizabeth Bullock

01/03/1814 –02/10/1891

Wife of Joseph Billingsley Bullock and mother of the large Bullock family of Berkhamsted

Relatives

Joseph Billingsley Bullock — husband

Herbert Bullock — son

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843 — daughter

Frederick Bullock — son

James (or John?) Lawrence Bullock — son

Louisa Jane Matthewman — daughter

Joseph Ernest Bullock — son

• James Moir

Elizabeth Bullock was the youngest daughter of Thomas Lawrence of Demerara. In 1833 she married solicitor Joseph Billingsley Bullock at St Pancras New Church. They had six sons and three daughters. All the sons, except the last, Joseph, were born in London. In 1851, the family were living in Clapham, but in 1855 they had moved to Berkhamsted and lived at The Elms on the High Street.

Elizabeth Bullock lived to be 77, and died at 87 Ladbroke Grove, London. Joseph died in 1866, leaving effects under £1500.

Herbert Bullock

29/04/1835 –01/04/1925

A son of the large Bullock family of Berkhamsted

Relatives

Joseph Billingsley Bullock — father

Elizabeth Bullock — mother

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843 — sister

• James Moir

Herbert Bullock was born in London, the son of Joseph Billingsley and Elizabeth Bullock.

Herbert married Elizabeth (Bessie) Anderson Esq of Liverpool in 1882.

Frederick Bullock

28/11/1835 –07/07/1872

Clergyman and one of the two Bullock brothers who drowned in a boating accident in Switzerland

Relatives

Joseph Billingsley Bullock — father

Elizabeth Bullock — mother

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843 — sister

• James Moir

Frederick Bullock was born in London in 1835, the son of Joseph Billingsley and Elizabeth Bullock.

By 1872, Frederick was ordained and serving as curate of Christ Church, St-Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex.

In the summer of 1872, tragedy struck when Frederick and his younger brother James were in a boating accident on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, along with a friend, Edward Golding.

Below are newspaper reports of the boating accident:

THREE ENGLISHMEN DROWNED AT NEUCHATEL

A very distressing occurrence happened on Sunday week on the Lake of Neuchatel. Three young Englishmen, from 26 to 28 years of age, who were staying at the Hotel de Bellevue, where they had arrived only the day before by the train from Pontarlier, went out in a row boat about five o’clock in the evening. The lake was calm, and a light breeze was blowing, but about 6.30 p.m. a sudden squall arose. The boat was then out of sight. About 8.10 the squally recommenced more violently. It is supposed that the boat must have been capsized in this last squall, but no particulars are known. The accident happened a long distance from the shore, but they were all good swimmers, and might have gained land at a less distance. The boat was found on Sunday morning at 7 a.m, opposite Prefargier, about 15 minutes distant from the shore, two hours later a fisherman named Bouiguignon, found an overcoat about the same spot, which was recognised as belonging to one of the party. That part of the lake, which is very deep, has been ordered to be dredged, but up to the present time without success. One of the young men was named Edward Golding; the two others were brothers of the name of Bullock  – Swiss Times 

Newcastle Journal 16 July 1872

The two brothers referred to in this narrative were the Rev. F. Bullock of Christ Church, St Leonard’s on Sea, aged 36, and Mr J.L Bullock, house surgeon of the East London Children’s Hospital, aged 22, sons of the late Mr. J.B. Bullock, of Great Berkhamstead[5]

THE LATE BOAT ACCIDENT AT NEUFCHATEL

Intelligence has just been received to the effect that the body of Mr. Edward Golding (who, with the Rev. F. Bullock and Mr. J.L. Bullock was drowned while boating on the lake at Neufchatel some days since) has been recovered and buried. The body was coatless, and the garment found floating upon the water shortly after the accident occurred no doubt belonged to him. The three unfortunate gentlemen could swim well, but near the spot where the coat was found is a vast bed of thick weeds, about a mile in length, which might have prevented them saving themselves. The rev. F. Bullock was curate of Christ Church, St Leonards and Mr Golding son of the late Rev. E. Golding, vicar of Brimpton, Berks. The jewellery found upon the body and sent to his relatives in Berkshire, leaves no doubt as to his identity.[6]

Morning Advertiser 23rd July 1872

The English Chaplain at Neuchatel referred to the fact that all three men ‘have, without doubt, found an untimely grave’ and that the boat was found bottom up (York Herald 20th July 1872).   Were the bodies of Frederick and James ever found?.

In 1874,  a stained-glass window was installed in St Peter’s Church in memory of the Rev. F. Bullock, designed by the renowned Victorian glassmaker Alexander Gibbs.

‘A window has lately been put up in Great Berkhamspstead Church, to the memory of the Rev. F. Bullock, who was drowned in the lake of Neufchatel in the summer of 1872. It consists of two lights, the one representing Simon with the infant Christ in his arms, the other Christ blessing little children. These subjects were chosen to commemorate Mr Bullock’s remarkable affection for, and success with, little children. The window was put up by friends who bear the memory of the departed in affectionate regard. It is the work of Mr Gibbs, of 132 Gloucester-road, Regents-park, and is unusually successful both in colour and in taste and grouping. Mr Gibbs has only to be better known to achieve a repute second to none as an artist in stained glass.

Bucks Herald 28 March 1874

Sadly, the Bullock window can no longer be seen as it was removed in 2000 in a decayed state. It was replaced with a new glass window designed by David Peace and Sally Scott, marking the Christian Millennium and the bicentenary of the death of the Berkhamsted poet William Cowper. The clear glass is etched with quotes from Cowper’s poetry, images of modern Berkhamsted and scenes of nature.

James (or John?) Lawrence Bullock

1850 –07/07/1872

Surgeon and one of the two Bullock brothers who drowned in a boating accident in Switzerland

Relatives

Joseph Billingsley Bullock — father

Elizabeth Bullock — mother

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843 — sister

• James Moir

James Lawrence Bullock was born in London in 1850, the son of Joseph Billingsley and Elizabeth Bullock.

By 1872, James was house surgeon of the East London Children’s Hospital, aged 22.

In the summer of 1872, tragedy struck when James and his elder brother Frederick were in a boating accident on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, along with a friend, Edward Golding.

Below are newspaper reports of the boating accident:

THREE ENGLISHMEN DROWNED AT NEUCHATEL

A very distressing occurrence happened on Sunday week on the Lake of Neuchatel. Three young Englishmen, from 26 to 28 years of age, who were staying at the Hotel de Bellevue, where they had arrived only the day before by the train from Pontarlier, went out in a row boat about five o’clock in the evening. The lake was calm, and a light breeze was blowing, but about 6.30 p.m. a sudden squall arose. The boat was then out of sight. About 8.10 the squally recommenced more violently. It is supposed that the boat must have been capsized in this last squall, but no particulars are known. The accident happened a long distance from the shore, but they were all good swimmers, and might have gained land at a less distance. The boat was found on Sunday morning at 7 a.m, opposite Prefargier, about 15 minutes distant from the shore, two hours later a fisherman named Bouiguignon, found an overcoat about the same spot, which was recognised as belonging to one of the party. That part of the lake, which is very deep, has been ordered to be dredged, but up to the present time without success. One of the young men was named Edward Golding; the two others were brothers of the name of Bullock  – Swiss Times 

Newcastle Journal 16 July 1872

The two brothers referred to in this narrative were the Rev. F. Bullock of Christ Church, St Leonard’s on Sea, aged 36, and Mr J.L Bullock, house surgeon of the East London Children’s Hospital, aged 22, sons of the late Mr. J.B. Bullock, of Great Berkhamstead[5]

THE LATE BOAT ACCIDENT AT NEUFCHATEL

Intelligence has just been received to the effect that the body of Mr. Edward Golding (who, with the Rev. F. Bullock and Mr. J.L. Bullock was drowned while boating on the lake at Neufchatel some days since) has been recovered and buried. The body was coatless, and the garment found floating upon the water shortly after the accident occurred no doubt belonged to him. The three unfortunate gentlemen could swim well, but near the spot where the coat was found is a vast bed of thick weeds, about a mile in length, which might have prevented them saving themselves. The rev. F. Bullock was curate of Christ Church, St Leonards and Mr Golding son of the late Rev. E. Golding, vicar of Brimpton, Berks. The jewellery found upon the body and sent to his relatives in Berkshire, leaves no doubt as to his identity.[6]

Morning Advertiser 23rd July 1872

The English Chaplain at Neuchatel referred to the fact that all three men ‘have, without doubt, found an untimely grave’ and that the boat was found bottom up (York Herald 20th July 1872).   Were the bodies of Frederick and James ever found?.

In 1874,  a stained-glass window was installed in St Peter’s Church in memory of the Rev. F. Bullock, designed by the renowned Victorian glassmaker Alexander Gibbs.

‘A window has lately been put up in Great Berkhamspstead Church, to the memory of the Rev. F. Bullock, who was drowned in the lake of Neufchatel in the summer of 1872. It consists of two lights, the one representing Simon with the infant Christ in his arms, the other Christ blessing little children. These subjects were chosen to commemorate Mr Bullock’s remarkable affection for, and success with, little children. The window was put up by friends who bear the memory of the departed in affectionate regard. It is the work of Mr Gibbs, of 132 Gloucester-road, Regents-park, and is unusually successful both in colour and in taste and grouping. Mr Gibbs has only to be better known to achieve a repute second to none as an artist in stained glass.

Bucks Herald 28 March 1874

Julia Bullock (x157 & x158) 1882/1843

17/03/1843 –22/07/1872

Died of grief after her two brothers were drowned in a boating accident in Switzerland.

Relatives

Joseph Billingsley Bullock — father

Elizabeth Bullock — mother

Frederick Bullock — brother

James (or John?) Lawrence Bullock — brother

Herbert Bullock — brother

• James Moir

Julia Bullock was born in 1843, the daughter of Joseph Billingsley and Elizabeth Bullock.

In the summer of 1872, two of her brothers, James Lawrence and Frederick Bullock,  drowned in a boating accident on Lake Neufchatel in Switzerland.

Only 15 days after the tragedy, Julia herself died, reportedly as a result of shock, adding to the family’s devastating loss.

‘On the 22nd inst. from the shock caused to the system on hearing the sad news’ of her two brothers’ accident, at the Elms Great Berkhampstead, Julia, sister of the above, aged 28 years.’

Hampshire Telegraph 27 July 1872

Hubert Evelyn Bullock

14/11/1882 –29/12/1882

Child of Berkhamsted solicitor Charles Bullock, died in infancy

• James Moir

Hubert Evelyn was the son of Berkhamsted solicitor Charles Bullock.

Hubert was born on the 14th November 1882, baptised on Christmas Day but survived only to the 29th December. He was buried here in the family plot.

His father Charles later took the Berkhamsted firm of Bullock and Penny into bankruptcy and was imprisoned, and so he is not buried here.