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b.1828–d.1903
William’s marriage to Sarah
After their marriage banns had been read in St Mary’s Church, Newington, bricklayer William Underwood was aged 35 when he married 26-year-old spinster Sarah Bird on 12th October 1863. Both had been living in Albert Terrace at the time. William’s father was recorded as John Underwood, a builder, and Sarah’s father as Thomas Bird, a farmer.
William and Sarah did not have any known children during their marriage.
A journeyman bricklayer
William appears to have been employed most of his life as a journeyman bricklayer and by 1871 he and his wife were living at 8 Luxor Street, Lambeth, along with Sarah’s brother Charles Bird and his wife Ellenor. Charles, a 27-year-old discharged police constable, died after the census was taken.
The 1881 Census was taken on 3rd April and recorded William and Sarah as having rooms in 44 Warner Road, Brixton, in the borough of Lambeth. Mr & Mrs W. Pearson and widower George A. Picken were the other occupants.
A property owner
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the electoral registers were limited to men who owned property. Without having children to raise, William who was now aged 63, must have saved enough money to buy property as the 1891 London Electoral Register records him as living at 44 Warner Road, Brixton, in the borough of Lambeth.
The census taken on 5th April records that William and Sarah had a boarder, Benjamin Dean, living with them, while four members of the Mansell family lived in three other rooms of the house.
On 28th February 1896, Sarah’s niece Mary Butler, who worked as a domestic servant, gave birth in number 44 Warner Road to her Illegitimate son Matthew James McWilliam Butler. His birth was registered by Aunt Sarah Underwood who had attended his birth. Mary married Alexander McWilliam shortly after the birth of their son Matthew, whose name for reasons unknown, was later changed to Edward.
A month later, on 28th March 1896, an article appeared in The Standard newspaper regarding the sale of the freehold ground-rents of number 44 and others.
The property and surrounding houses were reported as being “… a very good class of houses, most with nice gardens, in a thriving and improving neighbourhood…”
William and Sarah continued to live at number 44 until 31st March when the 1901 Census was taken.
They had a boarder named Thomas Baker, as well as Mary and Alexander McWilliam along with their son John Charles, aged 4, and baby Ian Alexander.
Their older son Matthew/Edward was staying with his maternal aunt Sarah Laverack, née Butler, and her family in Peterborough.
In and out of the workhouse
Just a few weeks later on 23rd May 1901 William, aged 73, was admitted as being allegedly insane into the Constance Road Workhouse in St Giles Camberwell. He was discharged by a Justice of the Peace on 13th June 1901.
Unfortunately, a few months later he was returned by the police on 17th October to the workhouse again as being allegedly insane.
He was discharged at his own request on 16th December 1901 and went back to Sarah who was still living at number 44 Warner Road.
Transfer to Horton Asylum and death
The following year on 18th April 1902, William was once again admitted into the Constance Road Workhouse. Four days later, on 22nd April, he was transferred into the care of the Horton Asylum in Epsom, Surrey.
His stay there was for just under a year before he died, aged 75, on 6th April 1903 after a week suffering from acute pneumonia; his body was buried in grave 191 in the Horton Estate Cemetery on 11th April 1903.
Probate of his effects valued at £80.00 (equivalent to about £12,626.39 today) was granted to his widow Sarah of 44 Warner Road, Camberwell. I hope that she had a headstone laid for William.
Sarah after William’s death
Sarah was recorded in 1911 as being a boarder at 22 Danemere Street, Putney, the home of Mary and Alexander McWilliams, and their children Edward, John, Ian, Ronald, and Kathleen.
Her niece Mary was the informant when Sarah, aged 77, died of ‘senile heart’ on 19th October 1913 in St James’ Infirmary in Ouseley Road, Balham.
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