Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Maria Cook (801)

19/01/1821 –23/04/1906

Mother of Alfred and Kate Cook

Relatives

Kate Cook — daughter

Alfred Cook — son

• Christopher Dolton
• Jackie Jones

MARIA COOK; 1821- 1906

Ann Maria, known as Maria, was born on 19^th January 1821 to Edith Bird (née Batchelor) and Thomas Bird.  She has six siblings, some of whom died as infants. She married George Cook on13th December 1842 in St Pancras London. George’s father, also George, was the miller who rented Upper Mill in Mill Street from the Countess of Bridgewater. George junior was a journeyman miller, who no doubt worked with his father. He and Maria and set up home in nearby Water Lane.[1]

Maria’s first child, a son, Joseph, was born in 1843 later but did not survive.  she had a daughter Elizabeth in 1848  years later but she only lived 3 years and Kate was born in 1848  and another son, Alfred,  arrived in 1851. Her fifth and last child, a daughter, Fanny Marie was born 1860 but died immediately after her birth.

By 1861 Maria and George, together with the two children Kate and Alfred, were living in the High Street, next door to the Swan Inn, where George had taken up business as a corn dealer.[2] However By the time of the 1881 census the family had moved into the Upper Mill and George had taken over the running of the mill.

Maria’s husband George died in 1886 and Alfred took over the running of the Mill. Maria and Kate, unmarried, lived with him at the Mill.[3] Alfred himself never married.

Maria died at the age of 85 on 23^rd April 1906. She was found dead in bed and an inquest was held into the circumstances of her death. The Bucks Herald carried the following report:

“DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT. – The death took place on Monday morning of Mrs Cook of the Upper Mill House, Berkhampstead, a lady upwards of 85 years of age. Owing to her being found dead in bed, an inquest into the circumstances attending her death was held… Mr Alfred Cook and Miss Kate Cook showed that the deceased had enjoyed good health, and until four years ago had not had a doctor for 40 years. She had an attack of influenza and lost her memory a good deal. She was able to be about, however, until Friday, April 20, after which her daughter kept her in bed as she had a cold and appeared restless. She had two meals on Saturday, and on that evening, appeared to be sleeping comfortably. She did not wake on Sunday and was not roused as she appeared to be all right and about four o’clock on Monday morning was found to be dead. Dr J.B. McBride who had attended deceased four years ago, said that  deceased had died from syncope, coupled with senile decay. He agreed with the Coroner, that it was not wise to allow such old people to go so long without food, though no one was to blame from the evidence given. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical opinion.”[4]

Maria was laid to rest in Rectory Lane Cemetery.

Kate Cook

1848 –13/06/1917

Sister of Miller Alfred Cook; active member of Baptist Churcch

Relatives

Maria Cook (801) — mother

Alfred Cook — brother

• Christopher Dolton
• Jackie Jones

KATE COOK; 1848 -1917

Kate Cook was born in March 1848 to George Cook and Ann Maria Cook (née Bird) in Berkhamsted.  She had four siblings but three had died in infancy. Joseph was born in 1845 but did not survive. He was followed by Elizabeth who was born in 1845 and died three years later in 1848. Kate herself was born in 1848 and Alfred followed in 1851. The fifth child, Fanny Maria, was born in 1860 but she too did not survive. When the census of 1861 was taken, only Kate and Alfred were still living.

By 1861 Maria and George, together with the two children Kate and Alfred, were living in the High Street, next door to the Swan Inn, where George had taken up business as a corn dealer.[1] However By the time of the 1881 census the family had moved into the Upper Mill and George had taken over the running of the mill

Maria’s husband George died in 1886 and Alfred took over the running of the Mill. Maria and Kate, unmarried, lived with him at the Mill.[2] Kate kept the house. Alfred himself never married.

We know from a number newspaper reports that Kate was actively involved for many years with the Baptist Church, where she was both organist and a Sunday school teacher.

Maria died at the age of 85 on 23^rd April 1906.

Kate died in 13 June 1917 and was buried with her mother in Rectory Lane Cemetery.

Alfred Cook

1851 –13/07/1927

A Miller and last of the Cook family to mill at Upper Mill before it was demolished.

Relatives

Maria Cook (801) — mother

Kate Cook — sister

• Christopher Dolton
• Jackie Jones

ALFRED COOK; 1851 – 1927

Alfred was to become the last of the Cook family to work as a Miller at the mill in Mill Street. His father and grandfather, both named George, had been millers at the Mill before Alfred. Local historian Percy Birtchnell wrote in 1950:

“Next to the Edward VI, on an island created by two arms of the  Bulbourne, stood the watermill – a black wooden building which leaned against the miller’s quaint old cottage. One of two mills of 20s, rent by the year mentioned in the Domesday Book, it was known as the Castle or the Upper Mill to distinguish it from the Lower or Bank Mill. Here within the memory of residents Mr George Cook and his son kept alive an ancient industry and a grand tradition. Corn arrived by the wagon-load and sometimes in small sacks brought by gleaners, who, paying the miller a few pence, obtained sufficient flour to provide bread for their families throughout the year.”[1]

The Tithe map of 1837 shows the location of the Mill and as described by Birtchnell it did indeed stand between two branches of the Bulbourne. On the other side of Mill Street was a mill pond. The tithe records identify the occupier of the mill as being George Cook (Alfred’s grandfather) and show that the Mill was owned by the Countess of Bridgewater. The records also show that George Cook occupied the adjacent farm which was also owned by the Countess of Bridgewater.

The Upper Mill was demolished in 1926 and now forms part of the grounds of Berkhamsted School.

“A quarter of a century ago the mill was pulled down and fives courts were built on the miler’s garden. The bed of the millstream is now dry and the mighty millstones have today been given an honourable resting place in the forecourt of the Music School. On the opposite side of the street, as a memorial to the mill, a low, half circular wall bears a tablet with an inscription in Latin. It is a pity English was not used to commemorate a typically English Institution. Prizes were once offered for a translation and one of the successful entries was as follows: 

‘Here for a thousand years the old Mill

Stood and gave us bread;

Here now our School in rival

 Motherhood feeds minds instead.”[2] 

75 years ago Birtchnell may have lamented the fact the inscription was not written in English, but today the wall does indeed carry a translation in English. The millstones still remain by the Music School.

Alfred was born in Berkhamsted in September 1851. His parents were George and Maria Cook. George and Maria had five children. Their first child, Joseph was born in 1845 but did not survive. He was followed by Elizabeth who was born in 1845 and died three years later in 1848. Kate was born in 1848 and Alfred himself followed in 1851. The fifth child, Fanny Maria, was born in 1860 but she too did not survive. When the census of 1861 was taken, only Kate and Alfred were still living.

Shortly before the birth of Alfred, his father George was working as a journeyman miller, no doubt working with Alfred’s grandfather at the Mill.[3] However by 1861 Alfred and his family were living in the High Street, next door to the Swan Inn, where his father had taken up business as a corn dealer.[4] However By the time of the 1881 census the family had moved into the Upper Mill and Alfred’s father had taken over the running of the Mill. When Alfred’s father died in 1886 Alfred took over the Mill. His sister Kate, unmarried and his mother lived with him at the Mill.[5] Alfred himself never married.

 The lack of mains sewage had for many years been a problem in the town, particularly in the area of Water Lane and Mill Street between which and the canal, the notoriously noxious “Black Ditch” ran.  Sewage from the town had long drained into the mill pond.  In 1877 Lord Brownlow, the then owner of the Mill, and George Cook threatened the Rural Sanitary Authority with legal proceedings unless they immediately abated the nuisance.[6]

 In 1894, after long prevarication, the Rural Sanitary Board, in one of its last acts before it was superceded by the local council, installed mains drainage in the town at a cost to ratepayers of £13,812.[7] This construction work interfered with the water supply that powered the Mill. Alfred made a claim of £12 “… for loss of water power during sixteen weeks in consequence of the sewage operations…”Although Alfred claimed loss of water for weeks only”…nine days total loss was considered reasonable…” by the Board.[8] Unfortunately that wasn’t the end of his problems; in June 1895 Alfred complained that sewage was once again finding its way into the Mill Pond. “Mr Alfred Cook, Upper Mill, Berkhampstead, wrote protesting against the alteration made in the sewers at the bottom of Water-lane on Friday, whereby the sewage matter was turned into the mill stream. The stench arising therefrom was unbearable and he trusted the Council would have it remedied at once.”[9]

Alfred’s mother Maria died at the age of 85 years in 1906 and Kate died in 1917. By 1921 Alfred, age 70 years, had retired and he died on 13^th July 1927, a year after the Mill had been demolished.