Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Elizabeth Alice Claridge

23/10/1856 –18/02/1941

Daughter of photographer William Claridge; a spinster of independent means.

Relatives

William Claridge (14) — father

Charlotte Augusta Claridge — mother

Sybil Maud Claridge — other

Sarah Isabel Hubert (689) — daughter

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 475 Elizabeth Alice Claridge (1856-1941)

Elizabeth was born in Berkhamsted 23 October 1856 and baptised 2 December that year at St Peter’s. She was the second daughter of William Claridge and his wife Charlotte Augusta (née Christian). (Her parents are buried together in Plot 14)

In 1861 she was living with her parents and sister Sarah Isabelle in the High Street. Her father was described as a proprietor of houses. They employed one live-in servant.

In 1871 they were at the same address and her father, who was considerably older than her mother, was 73 and described as having “no profession”. He died in September 1876.

Elizabeth never married and in 1881 she was living with, or visiting, her sister Sarah and her husband William Hubert, a GP, in East Street, Billingshurst, Sussex.

Her mother died in Berkhamsted in 1888.

By 1891 Elizabeth had moved back to Berkhamsted and was living with a maid in the High Street. In 1901 she was living alone “on her own means” at 32, High Street where she was, still the sole occupant, in 1911, 1921 and 1939.

At some point before 1921 her niece, Sybil, came to live in Berkhamsted. Sybil died in 1944 and is buried here with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth died at home on 18 February 1941 aged 84.

Sybil Maud Claridge

28/10/1872 –10/02/1944

Niece of Elizabeth Claridge - divorced her husband who had deserted her and married bigamously.

Relatives

William Claridge (14) — other

Charlotte Augusta Claridge — other

Sarah Isabel Hubert (689) — mother

Elizabeth Alice Claridge — other

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 475 Sybil Maude Claridge (Churchill née Hubert) (1872-1944) 

Sybil was born 28 October 1872 in East Street, Billingshurst, Sussex, the eldest child of William Henry Hubert, a GP (born on the Isle of Man), and his wife Sarah Isabelle (née Claridge). She was baptised in the church there 18 December 1872.

In the 1881 Census she was 8, at school, and living with her parents and two younger brothers. Visiting was her aunt, Elizabeth A Claridge. The family employed two live-in servants.

On 31 October 1900 Sybil married John Aylward Churchill, a surgeon, in Billingshurst parish church and the couple appear, initially at least, to have lived with her parents. Their son John Hubert Churchill was born 9 August 1901.

However, on 14 December 1906 Sybil petitioned for divorce on the grounds of her husband’s adultery and bigamy. The petition states that on or about April 1902 John Churchill deserted her and went to China and since then she had not heard from him. On 8 November 1905 John, declaring himself a bachelor, “married” Edith Flora Cooper at the Anglican parish church of Tientsin, China and, at the time of the petition, was still living with her as man and wife. Sybil had been told in December of this bigamous marriage by her father-in-law.

On 4 May 1908 Sybil’s petition was granted and her marriage dissolved.

(John and Edith had two children in China, the second born posthumously in 1910 after John’s death. Edith returned to England, married again, and had two further children.)

In 1911 Sybil was living with her parents in Billingshurst and her son John was at boarding school.

It is not known when Sybil moved to Berkhamsted where her maternal aunt, Elizabeth Alice Claridge lived, but in the 1921 census she was recorded at Kingslea, King’s Road, Berkhamsted with her son John who was an engineering student at Trinity College, Cambridge. She had a boarder (a widow born in Nova Scotia) and one live-in domestic servant.

In the 1939 Register she was living at 28, North Road, Berkhamsted.

She died 10 February1944 at Goldthorne, Hall Park, Berkhamsted and was buried here with her aunt Elizabeth, who had died in 1941.

Her maternal grandparents lie in Plot 14.