Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Emma (Lucy) Hull (x281)

1845 –25/01/1924

Born in Studham, a straw plaiter who married late in life and moved to Berkhamsted

• Liz Railton

EMMA HULL

Emma Hull was born in Studham, Bedfordshire in 1845 and died aged 78 in Berkhamsted in January 1924. She was the sixth child of Thomas, an agricultural worker, and Hannah Hull.

 By 1851 Emma had two younger brothers and she continued to live within this large family in “Studham Cottages” until she was at least 17 years old. By 1861 three of the family, including Emma and her mother were working as plaiters. Plaiting would have been a significant cottage industry in the Studham area at this time due to the proximity of the hat making industry in nearby Luton. Emma’s father and several of her brothers were agricultural labourers.

However, by 1871 Emma appears to be living in a separate household albeit still in Studham at The Row. Possibly this is the same address as her parents, but she is described as the “Head of Family” in the Census of that year and there is no mention of her parents, sisters and brothers. She continues to work as a plaiter and has two sons, both with her surname, William born in 1864 and Frederick born in 1871. There is no mention of anyone else in the household at this time, so the identity of the father is not known in either case. All mention of Emma’s parents and brothers disappear from the Census data in the Studham area after 1861.

A newspaper report of a court case in 1879 against a man accused of poaching, mentions Emma giving evidence against him. He seems to have been one of her neighbours who temporarily lodged with her. There seem to have been some difficult relationships between some of these neighbours within what was probably a small agricultural community.

In 1881 Emma is still at The Row in Studham, working as a “straw hat sewer”. Her eldest son William is still in her household, now aged 17, and working as an agricultural labour. There is no mention of Frederick, who would have been 10 by this time so it seems likely that he died in infancy. However there is another son, George Hull, born in 1880.

There is no trace of Emma in the records until 1899 when, at the age of 54 she marries William Mead of Great Berkhamsptead on 30 April in Great Berkhampstead. Emma’s life thereafter remains a mystery until she is recorded as being buried in Rectory Lane Cemetery in 1924.

Liz Railton

March 2026