Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Elizabeth King (x297)

21/01/1841 –14/03/1929

Daughter of a pheasant breeder and wife of railway clerk John King

Relatives

John King — husband

Edith Sarah King — daughter

Frederick William King — son

• Melanie Hilton

Plot x297 Elizabeth King (née Dwight) (1841-1929)

Elizabeth was born January 21 1841 in Buckland Common, Bucks, to Matthew and Sarah Dwight. Her father was a pheasant breeder and her mother a straw plaiter, making plait for the Luton and Dunstable hat trade. This would suggest that Matthew’s business was on a small scale, as plait-making was usually an occupation for the wives and children of labourers.

By 1861 the business had grown greatly and the family had moved to Canal Side, Berkhamsted. Matthew was a “Pheasant breeder and farmer of 90 acres” employing two labourers and four boys. Elizabeth had two younger brothers and three younger sisters and the family could afford a live-in servant.

Her brothers William and Frederick would eventually develop the pheasant breeding business to be the largest in the country.

Elizabeth married John King, a railway clerk, in Berkhamsted in 1867. Frederick William was born in 1869 and Edith Sarah in 1870.

In 1871 the family was living at  Bank Mill, Northchurch, Elizabeth was aided by a 14 year-old nursemaid. Living with them was her brother-in-law Charles King, a butcher, and William, Frederick and Sarah Dwight, Elizabeth’s siblings.

Charles Edward was born in 1872.

In 1881 the Kings lived at Crown Villas, Ravens Lane. The three children were at school and the family could afford a live-in domestic servant.

By 1891, when Elizabeth and John had moved to the High Street, Edith and Frederick were still at home but Charles had left home and become a pharmaceutical chemist. (He died in Watford in 1935). Also living with them was 10 year-old Evelyn Rolph, niece, and a domestic servant.

In 1901 John and Elizabeth lived at 159, High Street, next to the police station. Frederick, a “farmer’s assistant”, and Edith were both at home and they employed a live-in domestic servant.

By 1911 John had retired. He and Elizabeth were still at 159, High Street with Frederick and Edith and also Sarah King, John’s widowed sister-in-law, and a domestic servant.

The 1921 census records John and Elizabeth with Frederick and Edith, and Sarah King, at 93, High Street. Frederick was working with his Dwight relations, pheasant breeding.

Elizabeth died 14 March 1929. John survived her until 1931 and is buried here with her, as are Edith and Frederick.

John King

04/09/1842 –23/02/1931

A Railway clerk for London &NW Railway and churchwarden of St Peter's Church

Relatives

John King (9) — father

Eliza King — mother

Mary King — sister

Elizabeth King (x297) — wife

Edith Sarah King — daughter

Frederick William King — son

• Melanie Hilton

Plot x297 John King (1842-1931)

John was born 4 September 1842 in Berkhamsted to John and Eliza King and was baptised at St Peter’s, 9 October. His father was the licensee of The Crown in the High Street.

In 1861, aged 18, he was living at The Crown with his parents and was a clerk.

John married Elizabeth Dwight in 1867. Frederick William was born in 1869 and Edith Sarah in 1870.

In 1871 the family were living at Bank Mill, Northchurch. John was a railway clerk employed at Euston Station by the London & NW Railway Company and he was able to afford to employ a 14 year-old nursemaid to help Elizabeth with the two young children. Living with them was his brother Charles, a butcher, and William, Frederick and Sarah Dwight, Elizabeth’s siblings. William and Frederick were pheasant breeders.

Charles E was born in 1873.

By 1881 they had moved to Crown Villas, Ravens Lane. The three children were at school and the family employed a live-in domestic servant.

In 1891 they were living in the  High Street. Edith and Frederick were at home but Charles had left and become a pharmaceutical chemist. (He died in Watford in 1935).  Also with the family was 10 year old Evelyn Rolph, niece, and a domestic servant.

In 1901 John and Elizabeth lived at 159, High Street, next to the police station. Frederick, a “farmer’s assistant” and Edith were both at home and they still had a live-in domestic servant.

It is likely that John is the John King who served as a churchwarden of St Peter’s Church 1906-1919 alongside George Chilton (plot 224).

By 1911 John had retired. He and Elizabeth were still at 159, High Street with Frederick and Edith and also Sarah King, John’s widowed sister-in-law, and a domestic servant.

The 1921 census records John and Elizabeth with Frederick and Edith and Sarah King at 93, High Street. Frederick was working with his Dwight relations, pheasant breeding.

Elizabeth died 14 March 1929. John survived her until 23 February 1931 and was buried here with her. Edith (died 1947) and Frederick (died 1961) also lie here.

John’s parents and sister Mary lie in plot 9.

Edith Sarah King

20/10/1870 –08/01/1947

Daughter of John and Elizabeth King; never married

Relatives

John King — father

Elizabeth King (x297) — mother

Frederick William King — brother

• Melanie Hilton

Plot x297 Edith Sarah King (1870-1947)

Edith was born 20 October 1870 in Berkhamsted to John and Elizabeth King. Her father was a railway clerk and her mother a member of the pheasant-rearing Dwight family.

Edith never married or had an occupation, but lived with her parents until their death, then

with her brother Frederick at 93, High Street.

She died 8 January 1947 and lies here with her parents and brother Frederick.

Frederick William King

1869 –17/02/1961

Son of John and Elizabeth King; worked for cousins' business rearing pheasants

Relatives

John King — father

Elizabeth King (x297) — mother

Edith Sarah King — sister

• Melanie Hilton

Plot x297 Frederick William King (1869-1961)

Frederick was born in Northchurch in 1869 to John and Elizabeth King. His father was a railway clerk and his mother a member of the pheasant-rearing Dwight family.

In 1891 he was living with his parents in the High Street and was described in the census as “Pupil on farm.” This was probably the pheasant-rearing business of his Dwight cousins.

His entire working life was spent with the Dwights.

“Messrs. Dwight’s Pheasant Farm at Berkhamsted is the largest in the kingdom. Here there are no fewer than 400 broody hens and 8,000 pheasant chicks. The birds are hatched and reared by the thousand and sent to all parts of the world. Eggs also are sent out. These range in price from £5 per hundred in the earlier weeks of the season to half that price later on, the anxiety of shooting men to have well-grown birds ready for the autumn explaining the difference to a large extent. The men charged with the care of the birds are on duty day and night : they are armed with shot guns to beat off animal marauders – foxes, cats, stoats, weasels, or others. In each coop there is a foster-mother to every fifteen chicks.” (The Sphere, Sep 1922).

Frederick never married. He lived with his parents until his death and then with his sister Edith Sarah at 93, High Street, until she passed away in 1947.

He died 17 February 1961, aged 92, at The Laurels, 117, High Street. He is buried here with his parents and sister.