Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Joseph Miller

1854 –1903

Born in Lincolnshire, son of a carpenter, became carpenter, married widow from Tring, no children.

• Clive Reedman

Joseph James Miller was born in the first quarter of 1854 in the Lincolnshire village of Anwick, which lies close to the town of Sleaford, some 20 miles to the South of Lincoln. In 1851 his father, William Miller was a Carpenter and his mother, Elizabeth was a School Mistress. He was the youngest of six children born to William and Elizabeth; there being 4 sisters, Mary Ann, Jane, Rosehanna and Betsey and one brother, Samuel who was 11 years senior to Joseph. The predominant employment sector in the locale of Anwick at that time was agriculture, with just under 50% of the male population being associated with it in 1860. This, along with an expansion of the population between 1800 and 1880 must have provided sufficient employment for tradesmen such as carpenters.

By 1861 Samuel Miller had joined his father in the local carpentry trade and was followed by the 17-year-old Joseph (recorded on the census as James) by 1871. Joseph’s father died in 1873 and by April 1881 Joseph had moved to the village of Great Barford in Bedfordshire, where he is described on the census of that year as being a Joiner boarding in the house of Charles and Mary Ann Duncombe and their son John.

On the 28th December 1886 Joseph married Emma Marcham, the 31 year old widow of John William Holdham (1855 to 1885) who had served as a gunner in the Royal Artillery and who, on the swearing of the banns in 1878 had been based at the Curragh Camp in Ireland. Joseph and Emma married in Woolwich, London and had given their address on signing the register as 1 Ordnance Place, Woolwich. Emma had though been born to James and Mary Ann (Coker) in Tring District in 1856 and we can only speculate as to where and how she had met Joseph. It is interesting to note how he was recorded as ‘James’ and had even adjusted his signature on the register to confirm this.

By April 1891 Joseph and Emma were residing in Montague Road, Berkhamsted and had with them two nieces, Ellen Marcham (5) and Anne Marcham (10) and a 59-year-old boarder by the name of Ellen Titchener. Joseph was again recorded on the census of that year as being employed as a carpenter and joiner.

At the end of March 1901, we can confirm from the 1901 census that Joseph and Emma lived at number 5 Montague Road. Living with them was a Nellie Marcham, who appears to be the same person as Ellie Marcham recorded on the census of 10 years previous.

Joseph died on the 8th September 1903, leaving Emma (who lived on until 1940), a widow. The Probate Index for 1903 confirms Joseph’s address at the time of his death as 5 Montague Road and that he left Emma the sum of £515 in non-fixed assets. It is not known though as to why the will was apparently not proved until 1907, some 4 years after his death. He was buried on the 12th September 1903 in Rectory Lane Cemetery, but his grave is not now marked.