The Deeth Family

This is the only headstone commemorating members of the Deeth family in Edlesborough graveyard.

The inscription reads:

Charles Henry, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Mary Deeth, died July 29th 1903 aged 22 years.

Also Elizabeth Mary Deeth, died January 7th 1921 aged 76 years.

Also Mary Bridginshaw, died 31st December 1941 aged 58 years.

No mention is made of Thomas Deeth, even though he was the head of Edlesborough School from 1904 to 1920. Also recorded is someone else, Mary Bridginshaw.

Family History

Thomas Deeth was an experienced teacher when he was appointed to Edlesborough School.

He was born in 1851 in Southcote, Reading, the son of a miller, and was attending a training college in Culham, Oxfordshire during the time of the 1871 census.

In 1875 he married Elizabeth Mary Paling in Pottersbury, Northants and the couple were living in Calverton, Bucks, when their first child, Florence Emily, was born in 1877. They then moved to Belgrave, Leicester where Thomas was recorded as a  schoolmaster in the census of 1881 and 1891.  3 further children were born there, William, Charles and Alice Dora, in 1885. The youngest daughter, Olwen (Olive) Frances, was born in Penmenmawr in 1887.  By 1891 Florence had become a Pupil Teacher; she was 14 years old. Elizabeth’s occupation was given as ‘Retired Schoolmistress’.

By 1901 the family had moved to the Schoolhouse Shalfleet, Isle of Wight, Thomas occupation was Schoolmaster and his wife had returned to teaching. By now Florence was 24 and was a ‘Teacher in School’.

Thomas was appointed Headmaster at Edlesborough School in 1904.

In the 1911 census Thomas was 60 years old and living with his wife, Elizabeth, who was 65, at 1 Ashridge Cottage, Edlesborough. They had been married for 35 years.

By now daughters Florence, age 34, was a “home worker”, and Alice 26, and Olive 24, both teachers, also lived there.

The local papers provided several reports of their extra curricular work in the school:

26^th November 1912 ‘….Great praise is due to Miss Alice Deeth who with the help of Miss O. Deeth and Miss Mary Mead, trained the children….’ (Leighton Buzzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette)

4^th January 1913 ‘ …. the characters were admirably represented. The artistes were trained by the Misses A and O Deeth and Miss Mary Mead. Miss E Deeth (Florence) presided at the piano.’ (Bucks Herald)

9^th August 1914 - ‘ ….. especially for Miss Deeth who has spent such pains and trouble, time and patience in training the youngsters, and to Miss Mary Mead for her assistance.’  (Leighton Buzzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette).

When Thomas retired in 1920 he moved with Elizabeth and Florence to Eaton Bray, where Elizabeth died in January 1921. By now Olive had emigrated to Canada and on to USA (in 1913), and Alice had married Mr Bartram, in 1915.

29/10/1926 - Thomas sailed to Montreal, leaving Liverpool on the White Star Line ship ‘Doric’.  He was recorded as a Retired schoolmaster, living at Summerleys House, Eaton Bray, age 75. He planned to settle permanently in the US.

The previous week he had been due to leave Liverpool on the “Megantic”, also bound for Montreal. He was due to be accompanied by Florence but both their names were crossed out.

Investigations showed that Florence was taken ill, and died in Liverpool. The death certificate shows that Florence had acute bronchitis for 3 days and then acute myocarditis and cardiac failure when she died 23^rd October 1926 age 49, the day after the Megantic sailed.

Thomas eventually ended up in USA, via Canada, which seemed to be a common route at the time.  Thomas’s entry card into Quebec records that he was going to live with his daughter Olwen in Tacoma, Washington State – her married name Jorgensen.

Thomas’ sons did not enter the teaching profession:

William was born in 1879 in Leicester and by the 1901 Census was a boarder age 21 in Swindon, working as a Machine Fitter. By 1911 he was living in Coventry with his wife, Lucy, working as an Engineers Fitter for a Motor Manufacturer. The 1939 Register records that he was living in Gloucester, working as an Engineer Fitter, “a heavy worker” (this classification meant he was entitled to bigger rations). Also there were his wife and 2 children Isobel and Mabel. Both the girls were working as aircraft workers.

William died in Gloucester in 1955 age 76.

Charles was also born in Leicester, in 1880 and in the the 1901 Census he was boarding in Stockport, occupation Planer Printers Machinist.

He died from Pulmonary Phithisis (TB) in 1903 as can be seen on the headstone in the graveyard.

Charles was the first to die ‘before his time’ but Alice and Florence both died young.

Alice Deeth (Bartram) died in 1917 age 32, and was buried 9^th March 1917 in Edlesborough (unmarked grave) . She was living in Luton at the time. An article in the Luton News and Chronicle on 15^th March 1917 described her funeral and internment.

‘Notwithstanding the wintry weather, a great number of people paid a last token of respect. Blinds were drawn in the village, and the children of the village followed to the grave. …. On Shrove Tuesday, 20^th February, a son was born , and a few days later complications set in with pneumonia, which proved fatal. The deceased was a teacher in the Council School at Edlesborough, with her father, Mr Thomas Deeth, and was greatly  esteemed on account of her very kindly and amiable characteristics. Connected with the day and night school, Sunday school and choir, she also for some time took the organist’s post. … A year last December she was married at Edlesborough Church..

• Charles Deeth - died 29 July 1903 age 22 from TB.
• Alice Deeth (Bartram) - died early March 1917 age 32 from pneumonia following childbirth
• Florence Deeth - died 23rd October 1926 age 49 from acute bronchitis and cardiac failure .

A mystery

Mary Brigginshaw is also recorded on the headstone.

‘Also Mary Bridginshaw, died 31st December 1941 aged 58 years’

The entry in the burials register records that she was buried January 5^th 1942, aged 58 years. The Bedfordshire Times  and Independent of 9^th January 1942 reported that her funeral took place at Dagnall. She died on 31^st December 1941.

She was born Mary Augusta MUNN 13^th August 1882. The 1891 census reports that the Munn family lived at Dunstable Road Edlesborough, her parents were David, a Wheelwright, and Eliza and her elder siblings were Francis and Arthur.

Mary married married Sidney Briggenshaw, from Dagnall, in 1909. In the 1901 census Sidney was recorded as living at 20 Edlesborough Road, Dagnall, born 1887 and doing general farm work for his father, Christopher, a Farmer, working for himself.

In the 1911 census Mary and Sidney were living at Bury Farm, Caddington. By 1939 she was a widow living at 1 Borough Rd, Dunstable, living with Catherine Turner.

It has been impossible to find out why she was buried in the Deeth family plot. Current Munn residents of Dagnall have no information.

 She is not:

Mary Mead, who appears in photograph of 1913 and in the newspaper reports above.

The 1891 census records that there were 5 children living with their parents John and Mary Ann Mead, of which Mary was the youngest, in fact she had only recently been born. John was a Carrier

By the  1891 census the family were living at Town Side Villa, Edlesborough,  by this time there were 9 children.  

1908 - it is recorded that she took an evening class in Leighton Buzzard.  She lived at Handpost Farm, Edlesborough.

1911 -  she was living in Edlesborough with her brother, Isaac. He was a General Carrier and she was recorded as his Housekeeper, age 20.

Sources

• The headstone inscription was taken from the 1985 project carried out Bucks Family History Society, the text being on the plinths and mainly illegible.
• Headstone photo from FOTCOTH gravestone project
• Photo of school from Chris Yates album
• Find My Past website
• Edlesborough Church burials register
• Death certificates for Florence and Charles.