Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Harry Sterne

1852 –1904

A journeyman brushmaker, then employer. 9 children, one served in Royal Army Service Corps WWI

Relatives

Emma Sterne — wife

Vera Mabel Sterne — other

• Sharon Beddall

HARRY STERNE (1852-1904)

Harry was born in Water Lane, Berkhamsted on 27 November 1852, the second son of carpenter father, Francis Stern and mother, Eliza George.  On 04 March 1857 at St Peter’s Church, Harry was baptised with his half-sister Ellen and brothers, William and Thomas.

The family were still residing in Water Lane in 1861 where, at this time, Harry was attending school and living at home with his parents, two maternal half-sisters, Jane and Ellen, his elder brother William and his younger siblings who complete the family – Thomas, Martha and Frank.

Upon leaving school, it is very likely that Harry served a seven year apprenticeship to learn his trade as a Brush Maker.  He would’ve learnt not only from the Masters but also from older, wiser journeymen who would’ve given him an informal but valuable education.  The Brush Maker’s Society was formed around the mid-1700’s and membership would be something Harry would’ve been saving and working towards during his apprenticeship years.  Once Harry completed his apprenticeship and was to the required standard, he would’ve paid his entry fee to the Society and handed his certificate to show he was a fully qualified Brush Maker.  He would’ve also been taught ‘The Tune’.  This was a five note, whistled signal known only to Brush Makers and was used as a signal of recognition by the Society –the apprentice was now a Member!

For Harry, like many Brush Makers of the time, he would’ve been a journeyman, travelling from place to place seeking employment and going wherever the work took him.  Being a member of the Society, he would’ve paid an annual fee and in return be taken care of should he fall ill, be unemployed or required looking after in his advanced years.  The Society was very well organised and every branch was in contact.  An agreement was made whereby if an able bodied man was out of work, he would be sent on ‘The Tramp’.  This means that he would be sent on a designated route to look for employment.  As well as his certificate, the journeyman Brush Maker would be given his ‘Blank’ – this was an official book that he would have to produce at each branch of the Society on his travels.  The book would be signed and the Brush Maker would be given a sum of money for provisions and his journey.

Harry became a successful Brush Maker, an occupation he held for most of his life.  He went on to become an employer and his name is listed in the 1890 Kelly’s Directory of Great Berkhamsted as a Brush Manufacturer from Charles Street.  However, his road to success would’ve been a hard one and indicators show that Harry’s family joined him on his travels as would have been common practice for married journeyman Brush Makers.

Harry married Emma Wheeler, daughter of James Wheeler and Mary Reading, at Linslade, Buckinghamshire on Christmas Day 1872.  The marriage was witnessed by Frank Whitman and Annie Wheeler (possibly Emma’s sister, Mary Ann Wheeler).  Emma was born in Aylesbury but she and her family moved to Berkhamsted during her early childhood so it’s likely the couple met in the town; possibly mixing in the same social circles.

Harry and Emma began married life in Berkhamsted and welcomed their first child, daughter Alice Janet who was born in Eddy Street on 26 March 1873.  In 1875 the family were joined by another daughter,  Sarah Jane, who was also born in the town.

The family then spent some time in Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, the birthplace of Harry and Emma’s third child, Francis James in 1878.  While the true reason for the family being in Lancashire isn’t known, it is reasonable to assume it would have something to do with Harry’s occupation.

The first Census as a married man shows Harry residing at 5 Holdom Terrace, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire with wife Emma and children Alice Janet, Sarah Jane, Francis James and Henry Thomas – the first four of nine children the couple would have.  Joining them in the household is Harry’s brother Thomas, also a Brush Maker.
Fenny Stratford was home to Harry and his family for at least three years with the arrivals of son and daughter, Henry Thomas in 1879 and Mary Eliza in 1882, both being born in the area.

Returning to his roots, Harry moved his family back to Berkhamsted on or before 1884 when son, George William, was born.  The family grew further with the births of three more children – Faudell Philip in 1885, Arthur John in 1887 (who went on to serve in the Royal Army Service Corps in WW1 as Private M2/149972) and Charles Sidney in 1888.

Harry remained in Berkhamsted for the rest of his life.  The 1891 Census shows the entire family together, residing in Charles Street – Harry, Emma and their nine children – the one and only time the family would be documented together before the children start to marry or enter military life and fly the nest.

Over the next ten years, Harry and his family moved to nearby Montague Road and made number 14 their home.  Harry changed his  career path and became a gardener, a solo venture that was sadly cut short by his death in 1904.

Emma Sterne

1852 –1931

Daughter of a cooper, Brushmaker and mother of nine children, who set up a laundry when widowed.

Relatives

Harry Sterne — husband

• Sharon Beddall

EMMA STERNE (NÉE WHEELER) (1852-1931)

Emma was born in Bierton Road, Aylesbury, on 21 November 1852, the second of six children born to cooper father James Wheeler and mother Mary Reading.  She was baptised at St Mary’s Church, Aylesbury on 30 November 1853.

In her early childhood, Emma, with her parents and siblings, George and Mary Ann, moved to Berkhamsted.  The family were living in the High Street in 1861 and, by this time, Emma and her siblings were attending school and the family had welcomed a baby, James, a little brother to Emma and her siblings.  While it is unclear as to the reason the family moved to Berkhamsted, it is likely due to Emma’s father’s occupation as a cooper.  Living in the High Street, he would’ve been in an ideal location for work.  He may have made casks that would be used to store all manner of goods and perhaps his casks were made for use elsewhere and transported by horse-drawn barges along the Grand Union Canal.

Over the next four years, the family would welcome two more children, Arthur John in 1862 and Elizabeth Ellen in 1865.  Both children were born in Aylesbury and it is not yet known if the family moved back briefly or if Emma’s mother Mary was in the area staying with family at the time of the births.

The 1871 Census sees Emma and her family in Berkhamsted, living in Eddy Street which was then under the parish of Northchurch.  Emma was working as a Brush Maker which wasn’t an uncommon profession for a woman at that time.  By the 1890s world-renowned brush company G B Kent & Son’s would employ hundreds of women in their factories in East London and later at their site in Hemel Hempstead.

The following year, on Christmas Day 1872, Emma married Harry Sterne, son of Francis Stern and Eliza George.  The couple married in Linslade, Buckinghamshire and began married life in Berkhamsted, where they welcomed their first daughter, Alice Janet on 26 March 1873 at Eddy Street.  Two years later the family were joined by another daughter, Sarah Jane, who was also born in the town.

Harry was also a Brush Maker which meant he would’ve very likely been a journeyman, travelling from place to place seeking employment.  It was common practice for the men to take their families with them on their quests for work and this could explain why the family were in Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, the birthplace of Emma and Harry’s third child, Francis James in 1878.

At the time of the 1881 Census, Emma and Harry were residing at 5 Holdom Terrace, Fenny Stratford, with their children Alice Janet, Sarah Jane, Francis James and Henry Thomas.  Joining them in the household is Harry’s brother Thomas, also a Brush Maker.

Fenny Stratford was home to Emma and her family for at least three years with the arrivals of son and daughter, Henry Thomas in 1879 and Mary Eliza in 1882, both being born in the area.

The family returned to Berkhamsted on or before 1884 when son, George William, was born.  The family was complete with the arrivals of three more children – Faudell Philip in 1885, Arthur John in 1887 (who went on to serve in the Royal Army Service Corps in WW1 as Private M2/149972) and Charles Sidney in 1888.

The 1891 Census shows the entire family together, residing in Charles Street –Emma, Harry and their nine children – the one and only time the family would be documented together before the children start to fly the nest to begin married life or enter the military.

Over the next decade, Emma and her family moved to nearby 14 Montague Road.  Emma became a Laundress and, after her husband’s death in 1904, she went on to be an employer of a laundry at Angle Place, Berkhamsted.  Emma remained at Angle Place up to her death on 13 April 1931.