1818 –1905
Life-long resident of Berkhamsted and childhood home. Ironmonger, married twice.
Relatives
Research:
David William Prudames
David was born on the 3rd March 1818 at Berkhamsted, the son of Charles (1786-1824) and Amelia (1786-1864). He was baptised on the 8th June.
Not only did he remain in Berkhamsted all his life, he also appears to have stayed in the same property that his parents had occupied.
The Tithe Map shows David’s mother and brother occupying two different properties on the north side of the High Street:
Amelia Prudames, David’s mother and a widow, occupier of
• 539 Yard (10 perches) Owner Countess of Bridgewater
• 541 House Shop (26 Perches) Owner Countess of Bridgewater
This is to the west side of what would become Lower Kings Road and now forms part of M & Co.
Charles Prudames, David’s brother, a veterinary surgeon, was recorded as occupier of 556 House and Garden (32 perches). Owner Stephen Holloway. (This is now Martell’s).
Throughout all the censuses, David is described as an ironmonger, and he took over the shop occupied by his father and later his mother.
David William married twice, both wives were called Jane. His first marriage was to Jane Elizabeth Chaplin in 1846, born in Paddington, Middlesex.
In 1851, David is living with his wife, and children, Jane Eliza, age 2 (born 1848) and William, 5 months. They also have a nurse-maid (aged only 13), and an elderly female lodger and her niece.
They go on to have another daughter Harriet Augusta (1853-1910) and son Francis Bainbridge who died at the age of 8 (1856-1864), in the same year as David’s mother.
In 1861, all four children are scholars. Note also that Daniel Halsey and his wife are living in ‘Prudames Yard’
In 1866, the Hertford Mercury (July 7th 1866) reported on the ‘Violent storm – On Saturday last the neighbourhood of Great Berkhamstead was visited by a violent storm of thunder, lightning and rain, during which eighteen sheep and one cow, belonging to Mr. Haddon, of Rossway, were killed. Mr Crawley, of Wigginton, had one sheep killed. The electric fluid passed through the house of Mr Prudames, ironmonger, Berkhamsted, and struck the garden gate, which was torn from the hinges. It also struck other parts of the premises’.
In 1871, Jane Eliza is still unmarried and at home at the age of 32, as is Harriet Augusta aged 18. His wife, Jane Elizabeth, died at the age of 54 in 1874.
David married for the second time in 1877. Jane (nee Hollingshead, born Hemel Hempstead) herself was a widow, her husband Alfred Kebble having died at the age of 40 in 1865. She had been born at Wood Lane End Farm, Northchurch.
In 1881 David, aged 63, Jane aged 42 and Harriet Augusta are living together on the High Street, and exactly the same arrangements are recorded In 1891 and 1901, by which time David is 83!
DEATH OF MR. D.W. PRUDAMES – One of the oldest residents and tradesmen of Berkhampstead died on Sunday in the person of Mr. David William Prudames, at the age of 87. He was quite one of the old school, and will be much missed in the town, though he had of late taken no part in its affairs. He was a brother of the late Mr. Chas Prudames, veterinary surgeon. The Bucks Herald 6th May 1905
David died on April 30th 1905. His address was listed as 192 High Street. He was buried on 3rd May, the funeral taking place at 3.00pm. Unusually, the ‘In Memoriam’ invitation to his funeral still survives.
David is presumably buried with his second wife Jane (died 1909) and daughter Harriet Augusta (died 1910).
The grave is described as ‘full brick’ – a sign of continuity given that another (236) is also described as ‘brick grave’.
His inscription was noted by W.B. Gerish in 1908. An inscription to his first wife, Jane Elizabeth, who died in 1874, is also listed. She must be buried in the Lower Cemetery.
Charles, David’s brother, and his wife Sophia are buried at Plot 236.
Amelia, their mother died 16th November 1864 aged 79 was recorded by Gerish in c. 1908 in the Cemetery
Francis Bainbridge, David’s son, is also recorded by Gerish in the Cemetery.
James, a third son of Charles and Amelia died 6th December 1859 age 38 and is also buried in the Cemetery, recorded by Gerish.
There are similar in memoriam cards for Jane Prudames (d. 1909) and Harriet Augusta (d.1910)
View burial 
Personalities of the Past
Memorial Symbolism
Military graves