Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Thomas Dilloway (717)

1858 –23/09/1927

a grocer who moved to Berkahmsted later in life

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 717 Thomas Dilloway (1856-1927)

Thomas was born 20 October 1856 in Fittleworth, Sussex to Emma (née Bridger) and Thomas Dilloway. His father was a gamekeeper.

In 1861 the family lived in Brinksole Heath, Petworth, Sussex. Thomas had an older and a younger brother.

His mother died in 1870, probably giving birth to his brother William. In 1871 his father was gamekeeper at Tillington in Sussex and had an unmarried housekeeper and her new born daughter living with him, along with his four boys and one daughter.

On 25 October 1879 Thomas married Ann Nash in St Peter’s, Brighton.

Ethel Jane was  born in 1880.

In 1881 the little family were living at 21, Station Street, Brighton. Thomas was a bricklayer’s labourer.

Mabel (1884), William Christopher (1895) and Christie (1886) were all born in Brighton.  Daisy (1888), Reginald (1889) and Marjorie (1890), in Guildford.

In 1891 they were living in Stoke, Surrey, and Thomas was a labourer. Elsie was born in 1891 followed by Bertha in 1892.

Ann died 18 April 1894 in the Guildford district.

On 7 October 1895 Thomas married his sister-in-law, widow Elizabeth Jane Funnell (née Nash), in St Andrew’s and St Philip’s church, Kensington. They both gave the same address and Thomas was a  “Provision dealer”. Her husband had died in 1893, leaving her with a son and four daughters.

This marriage – to his deceased wife’s sister – was within the prohibited degrees, which probably explains why it took place well away from Guildford and both gave the same address – they had moved temporarily to London to establish residence where they were unknown. The marriage was not valid and would remain so until The Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Marriage Act was passed in 1907. This not only permitted such marriages, but also legitimised those that had already taken place.

In 1901 the extended family of five young Dilloways and four young Funnels, were living in Guildford. Thomas was a dairyman and greengrocer.

Ivy was born in 1905.

In 1911 Thomas and Elizabeth were living at 29, Denzil Road, Guildford with Mabel, Marjorie, Bertha, Daisy and Ivy. Thomas was a greengrocer and fruiterer.

In August 1918 son William Christopher was killed in Flanders and in 1920 Reginald died in Bangalore, India, of heat stroke. He had married only two years earlier and was a staff sergeant with the Dorsetshire Regiment.

In June 1921 Thomas and Elizabeth were living at 9, Wellington Place, Guildford. He was a greengrocer. At home were Ivy and granddaughter Margery Hart.

Elizabeth died 29 August 1927 in Guildford.

Thomas died 23 September 1927 in Berkhamsted. It is possible that one of his married daughters was living in the area.