Edward Billinghurst (buried 1912)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Billinghurst
First name: 
Edward
Other Christian names: 
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Yes
Burial number: 
683
Born: 
00/00/1844
Died: 
18/10/1912
Buried: 
23/10/1912
Occupation: 
Domestic Gardener
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
EB
Cemetery row: 
3
Cemetery plot: 
12
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/toned.prime.steps
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone description: 
Buried with Mary and William Roberston
Headstone inscription: 
in dearest memory of Mary Elizabeth Robertson a devoted wife and mother who fell asleep in Jesus April 2nd 1929 aged 78 years "Sleep on beloved" Also William Proctor Robertson husband of the above aged 86 1935 "Christ my rock, hope and life eternal"

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

Edward’s parents were George an agricultural labourer and Rhoda nee May. He was born in Mereworth, Kent in the Spring of 1844. He became a domestic gardener and married Margaret Ann Hotton on 11th November 1873 at St Mary’s church, St Marylebone, London. By 1881 they were living at Grange Lodge, Slaugham, Sussex but 10 years later, they were living in Colebrooke Park, Tonbridge, Kent and had 5 children: Rhoda b 1875, George b 1877, Rachael b 1879, William b 1881 and Henry b 1886. In 1911, the family were living at 14 Elm Grove, Worthing. Edward was working as an under gardener for Mr Rodocanachi at Cecil’s in  Manor Road. He was found dead in the garden shed apparently having taken poison used to kill wasps. Although the local papers thought it was possible that Edward had died of natural causes, the jury at the inquest decided that he had died by suicide but there was no evidence of his state of mind. See below for further details. The full inquest was printed in the Worthing Gazette on 23rd October 1912. No probate.

Burial researcher: 
Angela Levy

Further information

Birth
Name: 
Edward Billinghurst
Gender: 
Male
Date born: 
00/00/1844
Address at birth: 
Mereworth, Kent, England
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Margaret Ann
Spouse one last name: 
Hotton
Marriage one date: 
11/11/1873
Marriage one address: 
Marylebone, Middlesex, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
18/10/1912
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
14 Elm Grove, Worthing, Sussex, England

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1851 census: 

King Street, Mereworth, Kent

George aged 37, ag lab. Rhoda aged 35. George aged 13, farm labourer. Adelaide aged 10. Edward aged 6. Alfred aged 5. Charles aged 2. Henry aged 1.

1861 census: 

Mereworth, Kent.

George aged 47, ag lab. Rhoda aged 46. Mary Ann aged 18, living at home. Edward aged 17, ag lab. Alfred aged 15, ag lab. Charles aged 13, ag lab. Henry aged 10. Arthur aged 7. Ellen aged 2.

1871 census: 

Cashisbury Gardens, Watford, Herts.

Edward aged 26, gardener (domestic servant). Thomas Arnold aged 20, lodger, gardener (domestic servant).

1881 census: 

Grange Lodge, Slaugham, Sussex.

Edward aged 37, gardener, domestic. Margaret aged 38. Rhoda aged 6. George E aged 4. Rachael M aged 2. William aged 2 months.

 

1891 census: 

Colebrooke Park, Tonbridge, Kent.

Edward aged 47, gardener. Margaret aged 49. Rhoda aged 16. George aged 14, grocer’s shopman. Rachael aged 12. William aged 10. Henry Charles aged 5.

1901 census: 

Gardener’s Cottage, Colebrooke Park, Tonbridge, Kent.

Edward aged 57, gardener (domestic). Rachael Curtis aged 22, daughter. Henry aged 15, gardener.

1911 census: 

14 Elm Grove, Worthing, Sussex.

Edward aged 67, gardener (domestic). Margaret aged 69. Rhoda aged 36.

Miscellaneous information

The Argus 19th October 1912

Tragic Discovery: Worthing

Another tragic discovery was made at Worthing yesterday, a gardener named Edward Billinghurst aged 68 who lived at 14 Elm Grove being found dead in the shed in the gardens at The Cecils in Manor Road where he was employed. A man named Baker caught sight of the deceased lying on his side in the shed about two o'clock and called PC Rapley who found that the old man was quite dead. Dr Hide was summoned but was unable to give a definite opinion as to the cause of death. In the shed not far from the deceased's feet was found a glass mineral water bottle which was labelled "poison" and contained a certain amount of fluid which had been used it is understood by the gardeners for killing wasps. At present there is no evidence to show whether this had any bearing on the death, which may have been due to natural causes.