Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

William Thomas Dell

1876 –14/04/1927

A milkman and later a labourer

Relatives

Sarah Ann Dell — wife

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 633 William Thomas Dell (1876-1927)

William was born 1876, the son of William Thomas Dell. Details of his early life have not been traced.

He married widow Sarah Ann Matthews at St Mary’s, Northchurch, 6 April 1896. Sarah already had a two year-old son, Frederick Henry, from her first marriage. At the time William was a milkman. Their son Leonard was born in 1899. In 1901 they were living at 8, Highfield Road with the two boys.

In 1904 ten year old Frederick was arrested for stealing a purse by lifting his little brother through a window and directing him to take it. He was sent to a reformatory until the age of 19. Sadly this led to a life of crime which must have been a severe stress for the family.

Daughter Winfred Dorothy was born in 1905.

By 1911 the family had moved to 1, Highfield Road and William was a labourer at Cooper’s chemical works.

They were still there in 1921. Son Leonard had married and he and his wife were living with his parents, as was Winifred.

William died in April 1927 aged 51 and was buried 23 April. He was 51.

Sarah survived him until 1945 and was buried here with him.

Sarah Ann Dell

03/02/1870 –12/02/1945

Wife of William Dell

Relatives

William Thomas Dell — husband

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 633 Sarah Ann Dell (née Graham, late Matthews) (1870-1945)

Sarah was born 3 February 1870, possibly in Luton. Her father George Graham was a labourer.

She married Frederick Matthews, a platelayer of Kentish Town, in Northchurch, her parish, in 1892. Their son Frederick Henry was born in 1894. Frederick snr must have died shortly afterwards, although that has not been traced. Sarah Ann married William Thomas Dell, a milkman, on 6 April 1896 in Northchurch. Their son Leonard Arthur was born in 1899.

In 1901 they were living at 8, Highfield Road with the two boys.

On August 24 1904 The West Herts and Watford Observer reported the case of a boy, Frederick Matthews, stealing a purse from the home of his aunt, Mrs Ellen Phillips, by opening a window at her house, lifting his four year old brother inside and ordering him to take the purse containing 7s 2½. Sarah admitted that she had challenged her son about the purse which he had denied, but she found two florins (2s each) on him. Aged 10, he was sent to a reformatory until the age of 19.

Daughter Winfred Dorothy was born in 1905.

By 1911 the Dells had moved to 1, Highfield Road and William was a labourer at Cooper’s chemical works.

They were still there in 1921. Son Leonard had married and he and his wife were living with his parents, as was Winifred.

William died in April 1927 aged 51. Later that year her son Frederick married Beatrice Weeks in Chelsea, describing himself as a widower. Sadly, in 1931, whilst already on remand at Watford for housebreaking, he was summoned to the inquest on Beatrice, in the course of which it was revealed that their marriage was bigamous on his part. As might be predicted, sending a ten year old child to a reformatory was never going to end well.

In 1939 Sarah was living alone at 1, Highfield Road and was employed as a church cleaner.

She died 12 February 1945 aged 75.