Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Kathleen Ellen Everett (1090)

13/01/1870 –1948

Wife of coachman and publican Arthur Everitt

Relatives

Arthur Everitt — husband

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 1090 Kathleen Ellen Everitt  (1870-1948)

Kathleen was born 13 January 1870 in the Aldgate area of the City of London to Jemima Elizabeth Everitt, who had born in Worcester. Her father Thomas, born in Lingfield, Surrey, was a City of London policeman.

(She was registered as Kate Hellen and baptised as Kate Ellen. Her death was registered as Kathleen H and she is buried as Kathleen Ellen. Her name is used here as it is in the document referred to at that point.)

In 1871 the family were living at 148, Houndsditch. Kate Ellen was one year old and her Uncle Edwin Nash, a billiards marker, was living with them. (A billiards marker is a long-dead occupation, but once virtually every pub or club had a billiards table and employed one to keep score.)

Thomas and Jemima were still at the same address ten years later and the family had grown with the arrival of Herbert, Florence and Bessy. In the same dwelling lived another police constable and his wife.

By 1891 they had moved to Little George Street in Aldgate, long since vanished. Thomas was still a PC and Kate, Florence and two year-old Margaret were at home.

On 8 July 1896 Kate Ellen married coachman Arthur James Everitt by licence at St Paul’s, Knightsbridge, 8 July 1896. Very oddly the couple married again, this time 22 May 1898, in the parish church of Lingfield. All the details remained the same, except both witnesses at the second wedding were members of Kate’s family and Arthur’s father was described the first time as “stud groom” and the second as “agriculturalist”.

Their only child, Florence Agnes, was born at 12, Brewers Green Mews, May 8 1899. (This was close to Victoria Station.)

By March 1901 Arthur had moved with his family to Hertfordshire to become coachman to the Ryder family at Westbrook Hay House in Bovingdon.

The 1921 census shows the family at The Carpenter’s Arms, 2, Park Street where Arthur was the licenced victualler. Kate was assisting him and Florence was a wages clerk at Waterlow & Sons, printers, in Watford. Also living with them was Kate’s brother-in-law John Herbert, a violinist at the Court Theatre (on the site of Tescos).

Arthur and Kate were still running the pub in 1939, by which time his father, Joshua, had joined them. (He is also buried in this cemetery).

Kate died in 1948 and Arthur survived her until 1951. They are buried here together.

Arthur Everitt

04/02/1876 –23/04/1951

A groom and coachman before becoming publican at The Carpenters Arms

Relatives

Joshua Everitt — father

Kathleen Ellen Everett (1090) — wife

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 1090 Arthur James Everitt  (1876-1951)

Arthur was born to Harriet Everitt on 4 February 1876 in Edwardstone, a small hamlet lying between Hadleigh and Sudbury in Suffolk. His father Joshua was an agricultural labourer, as was virtually every male of working age in the area.

By the age of 15 Arthur had left home and become a groom at imposing Hickleton Hall near Doncaster (www.hickletonhall.co.uk/), home of Charles Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1846-52, who was created Viscount Halifax in 1862.

The mansion must have been overwhelming for a lad raised in a cottage in a tiny village and the number of people living in the house and on the estate must have numbered almost as many as the population of Edwardstone. At the time of the 1891 census there was the Viscount, his wife, two daughters and son, his brother and eight visitors. Also in residence was a clergyman and two governesses. The domestic staff comprised a housekeeper, four footmen, four lady’s maids, a cook, two laundry maids, three housemaids, a stillroom maid, a scullery maid, a dairy maid and kitchen maid, plus a nurse and nursery maid. Besides Arthur there was one other groom. Another groom and a coachman lived in separate dwellings, as did the butler and the four gardening staff.

Arthur moved on from that position and became a coachman in Lingfield, Surrey where he appears to have met Kate Ellen Nash, the daughter of a retired policeman, whom he married by licence at St Paul’s, Knightsbridge, 8 July 1896. It was probable that he had accompanied his employer up to his Town house.

Very oddly the couple married again, this time 22 May 1898, in the parish of Lingfield. All the details remained the same, although the second time both witnesses were members of Kate’s family and Arthur’s father was described the first time  as “stud groom” and the second as “agriculturalist”.

Their only daughter, Florence Agnes, was born at 12, Brewers Green Mews May 8 1899. (This was close to Victoria Station and was destroyed during the Blitz.)

By March 1901 Arthur had moved with his family to Hertfordshire to become coachman to the Ryder family at Westbrook Hay House (now a school) in Bovingdon.

The 1921 census reveals a complete change of career for Arthur. He and the family were recorded at 2, Park Street where he was a licenced victualler at The Carpenter’s Arms, described by The Lost Pubs Project as “ a very traditional little several-roomed side-street boozer.” Kate was assisting him and Florence was a wages clerk at Waterlow & Sons, printers, in Watford. Also living with them was Kate’s brother-in-law John Herbert, a violinist at the Court Theatre (on the site of Tescos).

Arthur and Kate were still running the pub in 1939 by which time his father, Joshua, had joined them. (He is also buried in this cemetery).

Kate died in 1948 and Arthur survived her until 23 April 1951 when he was 75. They are buried here together.