Christian Malford – Radnor Street Cemetery

Sometimes it feels as if Radnor Street Cemetery is one big family reunion.

Yesterday’s blogpost Maurice Uzzell, Louisa and little Lily proved popular with readers. Shane messaged to say he’d hit a brick wall with his Uzzell research while Duncan confirmed the Scott/Uzzell family connection.

Mary Ann Scott was the daughter of Henry and Hannah Uzzell and featured in yesterday’s blogpost, living at 67 Jennings Street in 1891 with her husband Jesse Scott and where her three brothers Charles, Maurice and Fred Uzzell were boarding.

Jesse Scott, like Mary Ann Uzzell, was born in Christian Malford. The couple married at the Wesleyan Chapel Baptist Mills, Barton Regis on October 2, 1881 when Jesse was working as a railway signalman at the Stapleton Road Station. The UK Railway Employment Records 1833-1963 state that Jesse entered the Great Western Railway employment in October 1878 shortly before his 19^th birthday working as a Policeman (railway guard) at Stapleton Road. In 1881 he became a signalman, also at Stapleton Road before moving to Swindon a year later where he worked as a switchman. In 1891 he was working as a passenger guard at Swindon and in 1907 he was a platform inspector.

In 1901 the family were still living at 67 Jennings Street. At the time of the census that year Mary was there with five of her children while Jesse can be found at the Railway Mission Convalescent Home in St. Leonards on Sea, Sussex.

By 1911 the family had moved to 73 County Road where Mary states on the census returns that they had been married 29 years and had 7 children but that sadly one had died. In 1911 Jesse and Mary had three adult children living at home and two that were still at school. Mary’s widowed mother Hannah Uzzell also lived with them – oh, and they had a boarder as well!

Mary Ann Scott died the following year and was buried in grave plot D1322 on June 26, 1912. By the 1930s Jesse was living at 60 Eastcott Hill where he died on January 23, 1935. Probate of his will was granted to his brother-in-law Maurice Uzzell and his son William Scott.

The couple’s two daughters are buried with them. Violet Lillian Mary Whitworth who died in the December quarter of 1936 aged 35 and Elsie Hannah Scott who died on November 29, 1939 at 61 Clifton Street, the home of her uncle Maurice Uzzell.

I feel this could be a continuing family history story – I’m sure to find little Lily at some point.

Maurice Uzzell, who was buried in grave plot D64A, has been relatively easy to research. He has a pretty unusual surname and his branch of the family kept in close contact, which all helps the researcher.

Born in 1868 in Christian Malford, Wiltshire, Maurice was the fourth child of Henry and Hannah Uzzell. In 1871 aged 2 years old he is living in the village with his parents and two elder brothers. By 1881 the family was complete – a daughter and two more sons – and they all lived at 35 Leigh Cottages, Christian Malford. The two elder sons Charles 17 and Stephen 15 were working as agricultural labourers, Maurice 13, was still at school.

Drawn to the bright lights of Swindon, by 1891 Charles 27, Maurice 22 and Fred 19 were boarding with Jesse & Mary Scott (formerly Uzzell and their elder sister) at 67 Jennings Street, Rodbourne. Charles and Maurice worked as labourers and Fred as a blacksmith’s labourer, so probably fair to assume they were all employed in the GWR Works.

In 1896 Maurice married Louisa Worts – so let’s have a look at Louisa. Born in 1855 in Leyton, Essex by 1891 Louisa was living with her widowed mother and her sister and brother-in-law in Colebrook Road, Walthamstow where she worked as a laundrymaid.

In the 1901 census Maurice is living at 61 Clifton Street where he works as a Wood Turner in the GWR Works. Living with him are Louisa, his brother Fred and – hello – a niece – Lily Uzzell aged 10 born in Walthamstow.

An Uzzell family search found all his brothers (and Ellen) and it seemed none of them had ever lived in Walthamstow. Only Louisa (nee Worts) had lived in Walthamstow. Was young Lily her daughter, born before her marriage to Maurice?

In 1911 Maurice and Louisa lived alone at 61 Clifton Street. Louisa declared they had been married for 14 years and had no children.

But what happened to little Lily? Did she die in childhood? If so she is not buried with Louisa and Maurice. Did she marry? I can’t find a name or place that matches.

Louisa died in 1931 and is buried in the area close to the cemetery chapel with this discreet pink memorial. Maurice died in 1941. Probate of his estate was awarded to William Scott, railway clerk, most probably the son of Jesse and Mary Scott who Maurice lodged with in Jennings Street as a young man. Maurice is buried here with Louisa.

Fred Uzzell, Maurice’s younger brother who lived with him in 1901 and then moved to Kingshill Road, was buried close to him in the cemetery in grave plot D234.

This branch of the Uzzell family has been relatively straightforward to trace. But what happened to little Lily? I’d love to know.

Tag: Christian Malford

Still in search of little Lily

Maurice Uzzell, Louisa and little Lily