A community project to immortalise those buried at Horton Cemetery
b.~1871 – d.1950 Intro This story has been built from a combination of online resources, family notes and historical paperwork. It tells the story of Polish nobility ‘szlachta’ losing everything during WW2 and how this once wealthy woman became buried in an unmarked grave on a now abandoned plot of land in Surrey. Felicja Staszewicz,… read more »
b.1849 – d.1902 – Dutch Artist Introduction Out of sight, out of mind and forgotten might have been an epitaph on his headstone, if he had one, because once this talented artist was admitted to Banstead Asylum in 1888 his family, friends and the world at large seem to have lost any personal interest in… read more »
b.1892 – d.1914 Lily Sophia Spackman was born in 1892 (JFM) in South Hornsey, London. She was the youngest of four children and the only daughter, born to Benjamin and Jane Sophia Spackman (nee Willats). No baptism record has yet been found for Lily. Family Background Benjamin and Jane were married on the 18th May… read more »
b.1872 – d.1927 – American Author Victorian Connecticut Mary Winchester ABBOTT was born on 30 December 1872 in Woodbury, Connecticut, USA, to The Reverend Alvin Van Rensselaer ABBOTT, 45, and Mary Chase, who was 41. The 1880 census has Mary living with her family in Orient, Southold a community at the North East tip of… read more »
b.1850 – d.1908 The Worst and Wickedest Woman in London Introduction The life of Tottie Fay has been pieced together from numerous sources – initially through newspaper articles from the reporters whose jobs were to attend the many magistrates’ courts in London. Unfortunately, these court proceedings have not been digitised and we have relied on… read more »
b.1844 – d.1910 – Victorian Star of Stage – Mr. Byron PEDLEY was born in Q4 1844, in Chorlton-upon-Medlock in Manchester. (GRO District Chorlton, v20, p237), to John and Mary. Byron had a very successful comedy acting career. He clearly enjoyed causing laughter as a low comedy actor, a dramatic form of popular entertainment without any primary… read more »
b. 1893 – d. 1941 – Flamenco Extraordinaire Félix García’s full name was Félix Fernández García, the García part coming from his mother´s maiden name. Félix, famed Spanish dancer, and subject of Picasso, was confined at the Long Grove asylum, after he started acting peculiar, soon after being possibly deceived by The Ballet Russes director,… read more »
b.1881 – d.1933 – A Grieving Wife Intro Much of the story of Beatrice is a result of information given to us by a living relative; in which we discover more than what can be found in records alone. 1880s Beatrice Miriam HUGHES was born in Pimlico, London in 1880 to John Hughes (b.1849), originally… read more »
b.1839 – d.1912 – The Widow and the Decorator – The mysterious story of someone who wasn’t who they seemed. Amelia FRANCIS a.k.a. Mrs. Lavinia EVERLEY nee TEMPLEMAN. On December 28th 1911, a mysterious widow was arrested for begging on Grays Inn road, giving the name Amelia FRANCIS. After being remanded she was sent to… read more »
b.1871 – d.1910 – Hoxton Crew Gang Member – The story of Edward hit an obstacle very early on. The Find a Grave index assumes a birth in Ireland with no solid evidence whatsoever; I believe this to be untrue. Tracing the lunacy documents backwards, I found that Edward entered to lunacy system via prison,… read more »
b.1913 – d.1948 Intro Josef’s story has been compiled by FOHC researcher, MOD records and information provided by Josef’s son. Early Years Josef was born in Krzyzowa, Kraków, Poland on 11 February 1913, to parents Wojciech and Anna (nee Slowik). Before joining the army Josef was a clerk at the Craft Guild. War Years Josef… read more »
b. 1869 – d.1918 – Son of The Ripper’s Nemesis – George Alfred Lusk was born in the March quarter of 1869 and his birth was registered in Mile End Old Town registration district. He was born in the East End of London to an East End family. He replaced a brother with the same… read more »
b.1887-d.1915 Adeline Miriam Marham was born on the 19th of August 1887 in the Union Workhouse, Docking Norfolk. She was born to an unmarried 22-year-old mother named Harriet, a domestic worker from the neighbouring village of South Creake. Adeline was not Harriet’s first child, she had a son a few years earlier named Robert. Life… read more »
b.1873 – d.1939 – Titanic Survivor – Mr. George Pelham survived the sinking on the 15 April, 1912 and is believed to have escaped in Lifeboat 16. Story taken from: George Pelham : Titanic Survivor (encyclopedia-titanica.org) Mr George Pelham was born at 7 Castle Square, Bethnal Green, London, Middlesex, England on 28 January 1873. He… read more »