Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Jane Burnham (754)

1857 –25/12/1930

Grocers assistant who married her employer late in life.

Relatives

Walter Burnham — husband

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 754 Jane Burnham (née Chapman) (1857-1930)

Jane was born in 1857 in Berkhamsted, the daughter of Charles Chapman, a sawyer, and his wife Matilda. At the time of the 1861 census they were living in the High Street, Berkhamsted and Jane had an older sister Caroline, and a younger, Sarah.

The family were still living in the High Street ten years later. Fourteen year old Jane was working as a straw plaiter and the family had grown to include William, Kate, Emily and Clara, all at school.

By the time Jane was twenty four the Chapmans had moved to Ravens Lane and Ada had been added to the family. Jane and Sarah were working as dressmakers, William had joined his father as a sawyer, Kate was a plaiter and the two youngest were at school.

They had moved to Bridge Street ten years later and only Jane and Clara, both dressmakers, were at home with their parents, along with William North, Charles and Matilda’s grandson.

Charles died in 1900 and Matilda, Jane, Clara and William became lodgers with Walter Burnham, a greengrocer at 171, High Street. William was employed by Walter in the greengrocery business and Jane continued to work as a dressmaker.

By 1911 Mrs Chapman was Walter’s housekeeper and Jane had been joined by her sister Kate. The three Chapman women remained with Walter Burnham and in the 1921 census Jane was employed in the business.

She married Walter Burnham in Berkhamsted in 1926 and moved to a “bungalow off Cross Oak Road” which appears to be the one later named as Burn Lodge, West Road, Berkhamsted.

Sadly Jane passed away on Christmas Day 1930 after only four years of marriage. She was aged 73.

Walter survived her until 1948 and is buried with her here.

Walter Burnham

06/07/1864 –20/05/1948

Grocer and florist who married his shop assistant late in life.

Relatives

Jane Burnham (754) — wife

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 754 Walter Burnham (1864-1948)

Walter was born 6 July 1864 in Berkhamsted, the son of John Burnham, a stone breaker and his wife Caroline. He was baptised at St Peter’s, Berkhamsted on 24 February 1867.

In the 1871 census Walter and his three older brothers were living with their parents in White House, Frithsden. This is probably less grand than it sounds and seems to have been one of a row of cottages close to the Alford Arms.

By 1881 Caroline was widowed, still living at the same address and employed as a straw plaiter. She had taken a lodger to make ends meet and sons Abiathar, a bricklayer’s labourer and Walter, a garden labourer, were still at home. She was still there in 1891with Walter, now a gardener, and one of his older brothers, George, a labourer, living with her.

Walter must have had ambition because by 1901, aged 38, he had his own greengrocer’s shop and was living at 171, High Street, Berkhamsted, an eight-roomed house. He was unmarried, but had three lodgers: Matilda Chapman, a widow, her daughter Jane, a self-employed dressmaker and William North, his young shop assistant who was also Matilda’s grandson.

The 1911 census reveals that he was still at the same address, Mrs Chapman was his housekeeper and Jane and Kate Chapman, her daughters, were lodging there.

By the time of the 1921 census Walter, aged 58, was still at 171, High Street, described as “greengrocer and florist.” Matilda Chapman, now 86, was carrying out “home duties” as was her daughter Kate, aged 56. Jane Chapman, aged 65, was employed by Walter as “Green Grocer Assistant.”

Walter married Jane in 1926 in Berkhamsted. In 1927 the electoral register shows the couple as living in a “bungalow off Cross Oak Road” which appears to be the one later named as Burn Lodge, West Road, Berkhamsted.

Jane passed away in 1930 after only four years of marriage.

The 1939 Register records Walter living at Burn Lodge alone and occupied as “Nurseryman (own account)”, which implies that he had probably been maintaining a market garden to supply his green grocery business.

He died at Burn Lodge 20 May 1948 aged 83, and was buried here with Jane.