Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Philip Kingswood (629)

27/10/1844 –09/01/1932

A gardener and father of Eleanor Cook

Relatives

Eleanor Cook — daughter

William Cook — other

• Jackie Jones

PHILIP KINGSWOOD; 1844 – 1932

Philip Kingswood was born in Beckenham Kent to William and Elizabeth on 27^th October 1844. In 1861 he was an under gardener in Coates in Sussex. He married Sarah Holden on 28^th August 1867 and they had 4 children. By 1891 the family moved to Little Gaddesden where he was a gardener, his older brother William living in the cottage next door was also a gardener. It is likely that both Philip and William worked for a Mrs Denison who lived in the adjacent Marian Lodge and where she kept a large staff of domestic servants.[1]

 In 1897, after 29 years of marriage, Philip’s wife Elizabeth died and was buried in Little Gaddesden. By 1901 the widower Philip was living with his daughter Eleanor and son in law William in Victoria Road, Berkhamsted. the family had moved to 61 High Street ten years later.

 Philip remained a gardener and nurseryman until his death on 9^th January 1932 aged 87.  His daughter Eleanor died 4 months later and they are buried together in Rectory Lane Cemetery.

Eleanor Cook

1870 –19/05/1932

Domestic servant who married William Cook

Relatives

Philip Kingswood (629) — father

William Cook — husband

• Jackie Jones

ELEANOR COOK; 1870 – 1932

 Eleanor was born in Foxearth, Essex, one of four children born to Philip Kingswood and Sarah Kingswood (née Holinden) in October 1870. Her father was a domestic servant and gardener and Eleanor also went into domestic service. In 1891 she was one of nine servants working in the home of Louisa Duncan in Princes Gate, Westminster, London.

 Eleanor’s parents and two of her younger siblings had moved to Little Gaddesdon by 1891 where her father continued to work as a gardener. Her mother died 1897.

 Eleanor married William Cook on 5^th April 1899 in Berkhamsted and her first child, George, was born in 1900. She gave birth to two more children, both sons, Alfred, born c.1904 and Reginald, c.1907.  Eleanor and William first lived in Victoria Road, but by 1911 had moved to 61 High Street. Eleanor’s widowed father was living with the family by 1901 and continued to do so until his death in 1901.  

 During World War I, her husband William was called up in July 1918.

Eleanor’s father Philip died in January 1932 and she herself died 5 months later on 19^th May 1932.  They were both buried in Rectory Lane Cemetery.

William Cook

d.13/12/1945

Painter and decorator

Relatives

Eleanor Cook — wife

Philip Kingswood (629) — other

• Jackie Jones

WILLIAM COOK; 1875 – 1945

William, also known as “Willie” Cook was born in 1875 and baptised in St Peter’s church on 12^th December that year. His father, Thomas Cook was a gardener and his mother Mary Jane Cook (née Waller) was a launderess. William was on of nine children born to Thomas and Mary and the family lived in Park Street.[1]

At the age of 14 William had left school and whilst still living in the family home, was working as a house boy,[2] a young servant who waited on the other servants, cleaned their shoes, emptied chamber pots run errands and assist servants with their tasks. William, however did not remain in service; he had taken up the trade of a painter and decorator by 1901,[3] the trade which he was to follow for the rest of his working life.

William married on 5^th April 1899 at the age of 23 years.  His bride, five years older than him, was Eleanor Kingswood. The couple initially set up home in Victoria Road but by 1911 had moved to 61 High Street. Eleanor had three children, George, born c.1900; Alfred, born c.1904 and Reginald, c.1907. Eleanor’s widowed father, Phillip Kingswood also lived with the family in 1901 until his death in 1932.[4]

When World War I broke out in 1914, many men joined the services voluntarily. By Spring 1915 this averaged 100,000 per month, but it could not be sustained. The upper age limit was from 38 to 40 in May 1915, but it was apparent that voluntary recruitment would not provide the numbers needed. The Government was initially reluctant to introduce compulsory conscription, so first tried a half-way house, known as the “Derby Scheme” after its creator, the Director-General of Recruiting, Lord Derby. Under the Scheme, men were told they could enlist voluntarily or attest with an obligation to come if called up later.[5] The men who attested under the Scheme were classified into married and single status and grouped according to their age, with younger unmarried men to be called first. The Scheme was not considered a success and was only in place between October 1915 and February 1916.[6]

We know from William’s attestation papers that he attested in January 1916 under the Derby Scheme. Having attested, and in accordance with the scheme, he was sent home to await call up. The scheme had originally envisaged that married men of his age would be called in June 1916, but many were called up later and indeed William’s papers show that he was not called until July 1918 when he was posted to the 11^th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. The battalion was comprised mostly of men over “active service age” or unfit for overseas duties and provided drafts for the front line once they had regained “A1” fitness. (William’s record notes he was not to be classed higher than “B1” fitness.) Many men were assigned to the battalion purely on paper serving as POW camp guards and providing home defence on the Suffolk Coast.[7]

William was demobilised in January 1919 and returned home to resume his occupation as a painter and decorator.

William’s father-in-law died in January 1932; Eleanor died five months later on 19^th May 1932.

William remarried in 1934. His second wife was Mary Jane Charman. William continued to live at 61 High Street with Mary until his death on 13^th December 1939. He was buried in Rectory Lane Cemetery with Eleanor and his father-in-law.