d.09/02/1949
Brought up by grandparents, baker's assistant at Queen's Arms then own bakery and confectionery shop
Relatives
Research:
Henry James Verney
1863-1949
James (or James Henry/Henry James) Verney/Varney was born on 23rd July 1863 in Berkhamsted. His parents are unknown but in 1871 at the age of 8 he was living with his grandparents John and Elizabeth Varney in Highfield Road. It would seem likely that he was the illegitimate child of one of the two eldest Varney daughters – Emma, who would have been 19 in 1863, or her sister Elizabeth who would have been 17. John Verney/Varney (the spellings seem interchangeable) was a boat builder from Aylesbury.
At the age of 17 James was a baker’s assistant in the shop of George Heading, a “victualler and baker”, originally from the City of London. He was based in the High Street “at the Queens Arms”.
In March 1885 James married Annie Carter in St Pancras, London. Annie was from Bovingdon, but was also in domestic service “at the Queens Arms” in 1881, so we may presume that is where they met.
They took premises at 106 High Street, where James set up his business as a baker and confectioner. In 1891 he had taken on an apprentice, 14 year old Arthur Beeson. Annie worked with her husband in the shop, whilst bringing up the children. They would have eight children in all between 1887 and 1904.
Eldest son Leonard followed his father into the baking business, but moved, with two sisters, Ethel, and Edith May, to Paignton in Devon, where he set up his own business.
Annie died in 1943 and was buried in Rectory Lane Cemetery. James survived her until 1949, and although he was living in William Street, Bushey, at the time, was buried with her. He left his estate to two of his children, Edith May, and Harry.