Albert Burnham (buried 1926)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Burnham
First name: 
Albert
Other Christian names: 
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Yes
Burial number: 
1239
Born: 
0/0/1869
Died: 
19/04/1926
Buried: 
24/04/1926
Occupation: 
Contractor's Carman; Domestic Coachman;
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NWS
Cemetery row: 
7
Cemetery plot: 
10
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/royal.gain.beans
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone inscription: 
In loving memory of my beloved husband Albert Burnham who was called home suddenly 19th April 1926 aged 56 "Called, Chosen, Faithful" and his beloved wife Mary Louisa passed home 27th March 1940 in her 69th yea "Reunited"

Warning: this record has been marked as potentially upsetting

The information published on this website will include research obtained from the public domain. It may sometimes include things you might find upsetting, such as the details of their death or any misdemeanours that might have happened in their life. We feel it is important however to tell their full story.

Life story

Life story

Albert was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1870 to a labourer, William Burnaham and his wife, Drusilla nee Allen, who was a dressmaker, with 1 sister and 3 brothers. By 1881 the family had moved to Green End Street, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury by which time his mother had died and only one brother and himself were with their father. In the 1891 Census Albert is a contractor's carman and shown lodging with Thomas Fisher, a railway porter, and his family at Marne Street, Chelsea. In about 1894 Albert married Mary Louisa Brown and in 1901 they were living at Stable Cottage. Friars Lane, Aston Clinton. Albert was a domestic coachman with 2 young sons, Albert George, aged 3, and John William, aged 1. Albert George joined the Royal Navy in 1919 and survived WW1. 

Mr Rodocanachi's home
Mr Rodocanachi's home

We now know he worked for Mr Rodocanachi who owned Rose Bank, Acton and then moved his family and staff to Worthing. He built a large house with a stable and cottages in Heene and have we have found this poster of Mr Rodocanachi's home. 

Albert and Mary were in Heene by 1911 at 4, Heene Mews, and there was a daughter, Doris Drusilla, aged 4. Albert's probate announcement shows that he had prospered for he left £3097 0s 2d when he died at 17, Shakespeare-road, Worthing, on 19 April 1926. 

N.B. Probate states Albert is of Bethel, 27 Belsize Road, Worthing and died at 17 Shakespeare Road, Worthing.

Burial researcher: 
Angela Levy

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
00/00/1869
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Mary Louisa
Spouse one last name: 
Brown
Marriage one date: 
00/00/1896
Marriage one address: 
Chelsea, London, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
19/04/1926
Age (at time of death): 
55
Cause of death: 
Heart Disease; Haemorrhage at base of neck; Post Mortem.
Address at time of death: 
Bethel, Belsize Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Personal effects
Executors: 
Mary Louisa Burnham status: Widow: William Wonter Coles status: Gentleman: William Vickers status: Gentleman
Probate pounds: 
£3,097

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1871 census: 

Kingsbury, St Mary, Aylesbury William Burnham, 48, head, labourer; Drusilla Burnham, 41, wife, dressmaker; Sarah Burnham, 13, daughter, scholar; Harry Burnham, 8,  scholar; John Burnham, 3, scholar; Albert Burnham, 1, son; Francis Burnham, 4 months, son;

1881 census: 

Green End Street, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury William Burnham, 58, head, widower, carter; Harry B Burnham,18, son, carter; Albert Burnham, 11, scholar;

1891 census: 

72, Marne Street, Chelsea Thomas Fisher, 28, head, Railway Porter; Ellen Fisher, 28, wife; Ernest Fisher, 12, son, scholar; Henry Fisher, 10, son, scholar; Albert Burnham, 21, lodger, contractors carman;

1901 census: 

Stable Cottage, Friars Lane, Acton, Middlesex Albert Burnham, 31, head, coachman (domestic); Louisa Burnham, 30, wife; Albert G Burnham, 3, son; John William, 1, son;

1911 census: 

4, Heene Mews, Worthing Albert Burnham, 41, head, coachman domestic; Mary Louisa Burnham,30, wife; Albert George Burnham, 13, son, school Doctors Boy; John William Burnham, 11, son, school; Doris Drusilla, 4, daughter;

Miscellaneous information

Worthing Gazette 21st April 1926  "A Garden Tragedy"

One of the Corporation gardeners and assistant park keepers Albert Burnham of Bethel, Belsize Road died with tragic suddenness while mowing a lawn in Shakespeare Road on Monday evening. Deceased who was 55 years of age, was employed at the Victoria recreation ground. At a coroner's inquiry yesterday, held by Mr Fraser Haddock, the Deputy Coroner for West Sussex, Mrs Burnham stated that on going back to his work after dinner, her husband told her he would be a little late as he was going to cut the grass in an empty house opposite the park. He appeared to be in his total health. Deceased was seen lying in the garden of the empty house at about half past five by Miss Amy Pillaut who is in domestic service next door. he lay close by the mowing machine. Mrs A Terry of 31 Thorn Road, whose attention was drawn to the garden by Miss Pillaut said he appeared to her to be dead at that time although she fancied she saw his eyelids move. Dr J G Drew was called and could find no sign of life and restoratives were tried in vain. Dr W O Pitt made a post mortem examination which disclosed old pleurisy in both lungs, signs of old pericarditis and the heart a little enlarged. There were small haemorrhages on the bronchial tubes and a haemorrhage at the root of the neck which may have caused death. The Deputy Coroner recorded the cause of death as given in Doctor Pitt's evidence.

FoHC received a letter in February 2022 from Michael Burnham, grandson to Albert and Mary Louisa Burnham.

letter-from-Michael-Burnham
letter-from-Michael-Burnham