The STORIES

Friends of Horton Cemetery The Burials

Our Volunteers and the Stories they write.

The following stories have been written by our volunteer researchers who are all amateurs, united by a deep-rooted passion to preserve the memory of those buried in Horton Cemetery.

Once written, the researchers often return to stories at a later date when further information is unearthed. Occasionally, the researchers find case notes and photographs in the local archives and these details are woven into the stories. Sometimes, family members have come forward to add detail to the stories.

If you believe that any of the following might be someone significant in your family history, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
    JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
    b.1899-d.1918 Grace Ethel Primrose Jones was born on 19th April 1899. She was the eldest child of Frederick Albert Jones (1874 - 1927), a stationer's packer,…
  • HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
    HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
    b.1861-d.1909 Matilda's parents In 1858, Henry Franklin Hiron, an engineer, married Matilda Fell in Stepney. Matilda was the daughter of another engineer and plumber, Richard…
  • CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
    CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
    The Domestic Servant
  • CARTWRIGHT, Walter
    CARTWRIGHT, Walter
    A story revisited by the author when invaluable case notes came to light at the London Metropolitan Archives. What followed resulted in a thorough family…
  • HONEY, Joseph Thomas
    HONEY, Joseph Thomas
    b.1843 – d.1912 Early Life Joseph Thomas was the fifth of seven children born to Joseph Honey (1804-81) andMargery Couch (1811-66) who were both born…
  • SULLIVAN, Agnes
    SULLIVAN, Agnes
    b.1877 – d.1927 Intro Had it not been for the Manor address book, we would never have unravelled this story. The addresses gave us the…
  • BELLAMY, Louisa
    BELLAMY, Louisa
    Lost her twin brother, aged 4
  • CORBETT, John Francis
    CORBETT, John Francis
    b.1858-d.1908 This story is probably typical of the majority of unfortunate people who passed through the asylum system during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. John…
  • MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
    MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
    Additional difficulty of not speaking English
  • GARLAND, Percy Ernest
    GARLAND, Percy Ernest
    b.1882-d.1916 Percy's parents and siblings Percy Ernest Garland was born in Blackheath, Kent in the 4th Q of 1882, the fourth of six children. No…
  • YEO, Marian Elizabeth
    YEO, Marian Elizabeth
    The silver polisher
  • WOOD, Mary Ann
    WOOD, Mary Ann
    b.1837 - d.1911 Mary Ann Wood neé Pearce was born abt.1836 in Hackney, Middlesex, England. Her birth is too early to locate on the GRO…
  • HOLTON, Emma
    HOLTON, Emma
    The sad story of Emma of whom we know very little. She was born without speech and spent most of her life away from her…
  • AITKEN, William
    AITKEN, William
    5½ weeks after he had his head cut open by being knocked down by some roughs in the street, William Aitken suffered a life of…
  • WHITROD, Elizabeth
    WHITROD, Elizabeth
    Coping with 6 family deaths within 4 months
  • SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
    SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
    The giggling tomboy
  • HAYCOCK, Hannah
    HAYCOCK, Hannah
    b.1868-d.1908 Hannah’s parents and siblings Hannah Haycock was born in 1868 in Rochford, Essex to parents Thomas and Caroline (née Thompson). Hannah was the eldest…
  • FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
    FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
    The tailoress suffering depression
  • COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
    COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
    b.1845-d.1915 Mary Ann’s parents Mary Ann Myring’s birth is registered in the 4th quarter of 1845 in Sapcote which is a small town around 12…
  • STREET, John
    STREET, John
    It is not clear why John entered Manor hospital. His family were interesting. John's brother George, a builder, left £6m in his will. His son…
  • UNDERWOOD, Septimus Rowland
    UNDERWOOD, Septimus Rowland
    b.1873-d.1913 Septimus’s parents Septimus Rowland Underwood was born in Groton, Suffolk, in the 2nd quarter of 1873. He was the seventh of nine children born…
  • GILCHRIST, Jane 
    GILCHRIST, Jane 
    b.1893-d.1918  Jane’s parents and siblings Jane Gilchrist was born in the Holborn registration district to Charles Edward Gilchrist 1854  1895 and his wife Mary née…
  • YOUNG, Kate
    YOUNG, Kate
    b.1862-d.1920 Kate’s parents Catherine – or Kate as she would later be known – was the seventh of the eight children born to Joseph Young…
  • FOLWELL, Dora
    FOLWELL, Dora
    The Dressmaker
  • VAHID, Henrietta
    VAHID, Henrietta
    b.1873-d.1915 A story full of mysteries and unanswered questions Henrietta Vahid was buried in Horton Estate Cemetery at Epsom in Grave number 1789b on the…
  • HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
    HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
    b.1846-d.1930 Sarah’s story was brought to us by her family and they are happy for it to go on our website. They kindly provided the…
  • SABEY, George David
    SABEY, George David
    What happened to this Bootmaker?
  • BARNET, Enid
    BARNET, Enid
    Daughter of famous colonial architect who built Sydney.
  • ROBERTS, Benjamin
    ROBERTS, Benjamin
    Benjamin said he had made a harp with 1,000 strings and could play any tune and instrument! He worked as a musician.
  • GILBERT, George Frederick
    GILBERT, George Frederick
    Died aged just 22
  • MAPLE, Louisa
    MAPLE, Louisa
    b.1854 - d.1923 What do we know? The address book contains details of a son, Frederick Maple, son Henry & Edith Maple, daughter, E. Redsull…
  • EVANS, Ida Ellen
    EVANS, Ida Ellen
    b. 1876 - d. 1913 1870s Born Ida Ellen Jacobs, Ida's birth was registered in the 1st Quarter of 1876 in the Registration District of…
  • PENFOLD, Edward Charles
    PENFOLD, Edward Charles
    b. 1853-1908 Early Years 1850s to 1870s Edward Charles Penfold was born on 6 Nov 1853 in Holborn, Middlesex, registration district St Luke’s. His parents…
  • COPPING, Ada
    COPPING, Ada
    An epileptic since birth
  • MASSEY, Harriet
    MASSEY, Harriet
    b.1832-d.1907 Death I have had to start at the end of Harriet Massey's life and try to work backwards in order to tell her story. …
  • MORGAN, Alfred
    MORGAN, Alfred
    Orphaned at 13
  • WEEKES, Esther
    WEEKES, Esther
    A mother of 10
  • CLAYTON, Ada
    CLAYTON, Ada
    Ada proved a little elusive to find at first.Thanks to the visitor book, the author then found her husband and more of her short life…
  • MILTON, Maria
    MILTON, Maria
    Maria MILTON gave birth to 11 children, a challenging life that ended in Horton Asylum.
  • BRYANT, Percy Henry
    BRYANT, Percy Henry
    b.1890-d.1914 Percy’s family and early life Percy was born, the eldest of seven children, on 2nd December 1890 and baptised on 22nd February at St…
  • ALDRIDGE, Frederick William
    ALDRIDGE, Frederick William
    The Mechanical Engineer
  • CASSAN, John Sheffield
    CASSAN, John Sheffield
    The Hollywood film star's brother.
  • COLSON, Mary Ann
    COLSON, Mary Ann
    The Lambeth Needlewoman
  • EFFEMEY, John
    EFFEMEY, John
    b.1851-d.1909 John’s family The Effemey name has been quite a challenge to research due to its change of spellings when transcribed. Effamy, Effemy, Efeny, Evamy,…
  • HODGES, Annie Harriet
    HODGES, Annie Harriet
    b.1831 - d.1911 Annie Harriet Conway was born on the 16th August 1831 in Holborn, Camden, England to parents Charles Conway and Ann Thiselton, she…
  • EARING, Mary Ann
    EARING, Mary Ann
    There is no hint of any mental health problems until Mary Ann enters the Asylum in 1899. He family remain attentive and visit her many…
  • KILMINSTER, George Thomas
    KILMINSTER, George Thomas
    The Kensington Plumber
  • BAILEY, Kate
    BAILEY, Kate
    b.1882-d.1914 Kate Bailey née Cheer was born in 1882 in Abingdon, Berkshire to a farming family. Unfortunately, there is little cheer in this family’s story,…
  • GORSUCH, Joseph
    GORSUCH, Joseph
    b.1846 - d.1916 Joseph Francis Gorsuch was born on the 7th of May 1846 at City Road, St Luke, Shoreditch, London, England to parents William…
  • FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
    FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
    b.1837-d.1910 Amy’s parents Amy was born in 1837 in Bermondsey, as Amey Presley. There is an entry in the GRO for Amey Presley, March quarter,…
  • JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
    JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
    b.1899-d.1918 Grace Ethel Primrose Jones was born on 19th April 1899. She was the eldest child of Frederick Albert Jones (1874 - 1927), a stationer's packer,…
  • HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
    HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
    b.1861-d.1909 Matilda's parents In 1858, Henry Franklin Hiron, an engineer, married Matilda Fell in Stepney. Matilda was the daughter of another engineer and plumber, Richard…
  • CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
    CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
    The Domestic Servant
  • CARTWRIGHT, Walter
    CARTWRIGHT, Walter
    A story revisited by the author when invaluable case notes came to light at the London Metropolitan Archives. What followed resulted in a thorough family…
  • HONEY, Joseph Thomas
    HONEY, Joseph Thomas
    b.1843 – d.1912 Early Life Joseph Thomas was the fifth of seven children born to Joseph Honey (1804-81) andMargery Couch (1811-66) who were both born…
  • SULLIVAN, Agnes
    SULLIVAN, Agnes
    b.1877 – d.1927 Intro Had it not been for the Manor address book, we would never have unravelled this story. The addresses gave us the…
  • BELLAMY, Louisa
    BELLAMY, Louisa
    Lost her twin brother, aged 4
  • CORBETT, John Francis
    CORBETT, John Francis
    b.1858-d.1908 This story is probably typical of the majority of unfortunate people who passed through the asylum system during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. John…
  • MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
    MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
    Additional difficulty of not speaking English
  • GARLAND, Percy Ernest
    GARLAND, Percy Ernest
    b.1882-d.1916 Percy's parents and siblings Percy Ernest Garland was born in Blackheath, Kent in the 4th Q of 1882, the fourth of six children. No…
  • YEO, Marian Elizabeth
    YEO, Marian Elizabeth
    The silver polisher
  • WOOD, Mary Ann
    WOOD, Mary Ann
    b.1837 - d.1911 Mary Ann Wood neé Pearce was born abt.1836 in Hackney, Middlesex, England. Her birth is too early to locate on the GRO…
  • HOLTON, Emma
    HOLTON, Emma
    The sad story of Emma of whom we know very little. She was born without speech and spent most of her life away from her…
  • AITKEN, William
    AITKEN, William
    5½ weeks after he had his head cut open by being knocked down by some roughs in the street, William Aitken suffered a life of…
  • WHITROD, Elizabeth
    WHITROD, Elizabeth
    Coping with 6 family deaths within 4 months
  • SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
    SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
    The giggling tomboy
  • HAYCOCK, Hannah
    HAYCOCK, Hannah
    b.1868-d.1908 Hannah’s parents and siblings Hannah Haycock was born in 1868 in Rochford, Essex to parents Thomas and Caroline (née Thompson). Hannah was the eldest…
  • FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
    FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
    The tailoress suffering depression
  • COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
    COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
    b.1845-d.1915 Mary Ann’s parents Mary Ann Myring’s birth is registered in the 4th quarter of 1845 in Sapcote which is a small town around 12…
  • STREET, John
    STREET, John
    It is not clear why John entered Manor hospital. His family were interesting. John's brother George, a builder, left £6m in his will. His son…
  • UNDERWOOD, Septimus Rowland
    UNDERWOOD, Septimus Rowland
    b.1873-d.1913 Septimus’s parents Septimus Rowland Underwood was born in Groton, Suffolk, in the 2nd quarter of 1873. He was the seventh of nine children born…
  • GILCHRIST, Jane 
    GILCHRIST, Jane 
    b.1893-d.1918  Jane’s parents and siblings Jane Gilchrist was born in the Holborn registration district to Charles Edward Gilchrist 1854  1895 and his wife Mary née…
  • YOUNG, Kate
    YOUNG, Kate
    b.1862-d.1920 Kate’s parents Catherine – or Kate as she would later be known – was the seventh of the eight children born to Joseph Young…
  • FOLWELL, Dora
    FOLWELL, Dora
    The Dressmaker
  • VAHID, Henrietta
    VAHID, Henrietta
    b.1873-d.1915 A story full of mysteries and unanswered questions Henrietta Vahid was buried in Horton Estate Cemetery at Epsom in Grave number 1789b on the…
  • HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
    HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
    b.1846-d.1930 Sarah’s story was brought to us by her family and they are happy for it to go on our website. They kindly provided the…
  • SABEY, George David
    SABEY, George David
    What happened to this Bootmaker?
  • BARNET, Enid
    BARNET, Enid
    Daughter of famous colonial architect who built Sydney.
  • ROBERTS, Benjamin
    ROBERTS, Benjamin
    Benjamin said he had made a harp with 1,000 strings and could play any tune and instrument! He worked as a musician.
  • GILBERT, George Frederick
    GILBERT, George Frederick
    Died aged just 22
  • MAPLE, Louisa
    MAPLE, Louisa
    b.1854 - d.1923 What do we know? The address book contains details of a son, Frederick Maple, son Henry & Edith Maple, daughter, E. Redsull…
  • EVANS, Ida Ellen
    EVANS, Ida Ellen
    b. 1876 - d. 1913 1870s Born Ida Ellen Jacobs, Ida's birth was registered in the 1st Quarter of 1876 in the Registration District of…
  • PENFOLD, Edward Charles
    PENFOLD, Edward Charles
    b. 1853-1908 Early Years 1850s to 1870s Edward Charles Penfold was born on 6 Nov 1853 in Holborn, Middlesex, registration district St Luke’s. His parents…
  • COPPING, Ada
    COPPING, Ada
    An epileptic since birth
  • MASSEY, Harriet
    MASSEY, Harriet
    b.1832-d.1907 Death I have had to start at the end of Harriet Massey's life and try to work backwards in order to tell her story. …
  • MORGAN, Alfred
    MORGAN, Alfred
    Orphaned at 13
  • WEEKES, Esther
    WEEKES, Esther
    A mother of 10
  • CLAYTON, Ada
    CLAYTON, Ada
    Ada proved a little elusive to find at first.Thanks to the visitor book, the author then found her husband and more of her short life…
  • MILTON, Maria
    MILTON, Maria
    Maria MILTON gave birth to 11 children, a challenging life that ended in Horton Asylum.
  • BRYANT, Percy Henry
    BRYANT, Percy Henry
    b.1890-d.1914 Percy’s family and early life Percy was born, the eldest of seven children, on 2nd December 1890 and baptised on 22nd February at St…
  • ALDRIDGE, Frederick William
    ALDRIDGE, Frederick William
    The Mechanical Engineer
  • CASSAN, John Sheffield
    CASSAN, John Sheffield
    The Hollywood film star's brother.
  • COLSON, Mary Ann
    COLSON, Mary Ann
    The Lambeth Needlewoman
  • EFFEMEY, John
    EFFEMEY, John
    b.1851-d.1909 John’s family The Effemey name has been quite a challenge to research due to its change of spellings when transcribed. Effamy, Effemy, Efeny, Evamy,…
  • HODGES, Annie Harriet
    HODGES, Annie Harriet
    b.1831 - d.1911 Annie Harriet Conway was born on the 16th August 1831 in Holborn, Camden, England to parents Charles Conway and Ann Thiselton, she…
  • EARING, Mary Ann
    EARING, Mary Ann
    There is no hint of any mental health problems until Mary Ann enters the Asylum in 1899. He family remain attentive and visit her many…
  • KILMINSTER, George Thomas
    KILMINSTER, George Thomas
    The Kensington Plumber
  • BAILEY, Kate
    BAILEY, Kate
    b.1882-d.1914 Kate Bailey née Cheer was born in 1882 in Abingdon, Berkshire to a farming family. Unfortunately, there is little cheer in this family’s story,…
  • GORSUCH, Joseph
    GORSUCH, Joseph
    b.1846 - d.1916 Joseph Francis Gorsuch was born on the 7th of May 1846 at City Road, St Luke, Shoreditch, London, England to parents William…
  • FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
    FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
    b.1837-d.1910 Amy’s parents Amy was born in 1837 in Bermondsey, as Amey Presley. There is an entry in the GRO for Amey Presley, March quarter,…

In total, there are about 9000 stories to be written.