There was no lengthy obituary published in the local newspapers following the death of Stephen Chequer, just a brief death notice submitted by his family.
Chequer – March 17, at Westcott Place, New Swindon, after a long and painful illness born with great christian fortitude, Mr Stephen Chequer, butcher, aged 67. His end was peace.
Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, March 26, 1887.
So many of the inscriptions on headstones in Radnor Street Cemetery include a religious reference. In the increasingly secular age in which we now live, what sustains us at the end of our life?
When Stephen Chequer married Elizabeth Iles at St Mark’s Church in 1847 his occupation was that of labourer. Both he and Elizabeth made their mark in the marriage register, indicating they were not sufficiently proficient in writing to sign their names. Stephen obviously worked extremely hard to establish his own business with all the paperwork that involved.
By 1851 Stephen and Elizabeth were living in Westcott Place with their four children and Stephen’s widowed mother Mary. Stephen was 37 years of age and working as a farm labourer. It wasn’t until the 1871 census that we discover Stephen working as a Butcher in Westcott Place.
Stephen Chequer died aged 67 years and was buried on March 23, 1887 in grave plot E8466 which he shares with his wife Elizabeth who died in 1883.
Today Westcott Place is much altered and barely recognisable from this 1976 photo published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.
Stephen and Elizabeth’s daughter Emma Jane married Charles Edward Hall. You may like to read more about her family here.
Charles Edward Hall of 75 Morris Street, Rodbourne.
Rear Admiral Sir Arthur Hall – an extraordinary Swindon story
Radnor Street Cemetery 