Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Harriet Fanny Kingham

1859 –01/11/1935

Daughter of a female blacksmith

Relatives

Frederick Kingham — husband

• Christopher Dolton

Harriet Fanny Kingham, nee Nash, was born in 1859 in Berkhamsted. She was the youngest of 8 children born to William and Mary Nash. She was baptised on 7th April 1859. Her father, William, was a blacksmith and at the time of the 1851 census he employed two other men.  He died, however, in 1860, not long after Harriet’s birth.

The business had been long established In Berkhamsted. “...James Nash first began trading as a farrier in 1793 and by 1915 the family was still in control, when Bert Nash took over the business from his cousin William. The business was eventually run from a property situated behind the High Street overlooking the yard, called Farriers House. The property has since been re-built and is currently home to the British Legion.” (Berkhamsted, An illustrated history. S Hastie)  (The William referred to is Harriet’s eldest brother, not her father.)

The 1861 census reveals that Harriet’s mother, Mary, together with Harriet’s older brother William, who was then aged 14, must have kept the smithy going, as both mother and son are described as blacksmiths. Although certainly not a common occupation for a woman, female blacksmiths are not unknown in history. As early as the 14th century blacksmith guilds began inviting widowed wives of craftsmen to continue running the family business in the place of their husbands.

Harriet was living with her mother and siblings in Berkhamsted at the time of the 1871 census.

On 3rd August 1879 Harriet married Frederick Kingham. The marriage took place in the Parish Church, Hampstead.

In 1880, Harriet gave birth to her first child, Alice, and in 1881 Harriet, Frederick and Alice were living in Northolt Road, Harrow. In 1892 Harriet gave birth to the couple’s second child, Charles. By 1891 the family had moved back to Berkhamsted.

Harriet and Frederick continued living in Berkhamsted, being recorded on the town’s electoral roll up to 1926.

Harriet died on 1st November 1935. Her death certificate records that the cause of her death was hypostatic pneumonia. This form of pneumonia is caused by a build up of fluid in the lungs, especially in those bedridden or elderly who lie on their backs for extended periods of time. The death certificate also records that Harriet was suffering from senile dementia, a secondary cause of her death.

Although the certificate gives her address as 8 Chapel Street Berkhamsted, she died at 60 Vicarage Road, Watford. This had been the Watford workhouse, but in 1930 it was taken over by the Watford Borough Council and renamed The Shrodells Public Assistance Institution. In 1948, with the creation of the NHS, it became Watford General Hospital.

Charles was with his mother at the time of her death.  She was buried in Rectory Lane cemetery and was joined there by Frederick upon his death in 1943.

Frederick Kingham

29/03/1857 –21/09/1943

Born in Chesham, lived in London, moved back to Berkhamsted. A journeyman baker.

Relatives

Harriet Fanny Kingham — wife

• Christopher Dolton

Frederick Kingham was the sixth and last child to be born to William and Martha Kingham. He was born in Chesham on 29th March 1857. At the time of the 1861 census Frederick was 4 years of age and was living with his parents and three of his older siblings, Sophia, Edward (who is buried in plot 230) and George buried in plot X223).

Although some nine years later the Elementary Education Act of 1870 would make it compulsory for children to attend school from the age of five, Frederick, at the age of four, was already at school, being described in the census as a “scholar”. In 1871, Frederick, now 14 years, was still living with his family in High Street, Chesham.

At some point after the 1871 census, Frederick moved to North London.

On 25th August 1879 at the age of 22 he married. His bride was the 20 year old Harriet Fanny Nash. The marriage was celebrated in the Parish Church of Hampstead. Although the couple married in London, Harriet had been born and grew up in Berkhamsted. Whether they met in London, or knew each other before moving there, is not clear. The marriage certificate reveals that Frederick’s occupation, like that of so many other male members of the extended Kingham family, was that of baker.

The 1881 census tells us that two years later Frederick, Harriet and their first child Alice, who had been born in 1881, were still in North London, living in the Northolt Road, Harrow.

The family didn’t stay in London. By 1891 they had moved back to Berkhamsted, setting up home in Manor Street and the following year in 1892 Harriet gave birth to their second child Charles. Frederick continued to work as baker, the 1891 census describing him as “journeyman baker.” Frederick and Harriet stayed in Manor Street until the mid 1920s. In 1901, Alice, aged 21 was still living with her parents, working as a confectioner’s assistant. Charles, age 11 years was at school. By the time of the 1911 census both Alice and Charles had moved on, Frederick and Harriet remaining in Manor Street.  Frederick, age 54 years, was still working as a baker.

The Electoral Rolls disclose that by 1919 Frederick and Harriet were still living in Berkhamsted, but had moved to the High Street, where the Roll for 1929 also places them.

Harriet died in 1935.

In 1939 Frederick was living at 14 George Street, Berkhamsted, the home of George and Emily Freeman and their children.

Frederick died on 21st September 1943 aged 86. He died in Wellhouse Hospital,  Barnet. The probate records give his address as  Brackley, Totteridge Lane, Whetstone, London. That was the home of his son Charles who must have been caring for his father in his old age. Frederick didn’t leave a will, dying intestate. Charles was appointed administrator of the estate.

Notwithstanding his move away from Berkhamsted, Frederick was brought back for burial with Harriet in Rectory Lane Cemetery.