Florence Biggs (buried 1925)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Biggs
First name: 
Florence
Other Christian names: 
Ellen
Gender: 
Female
Children: 
No
Burial number: 
1199
Born: 
06/06/1884
Died: 
26/06/1925
Buried: 
01/07/1925
Occupation: 
Laundry Assistant in family business; Sunday School Teacher

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
SES
Cemetery row: 
8
Cemetery plot: 
25
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Headstone inscription: 
In loving and grateful remembrance of Florence Ellen eldest daughter of James William and Ellen Biggs born June 6th 1884, at rest June 26th1925

Life story

Life story

Florence Ellen Biggs was born in Edmonton in Middlesex and was one of 8 children born to James and Ellen Biggs. Florence's father was a draughtsman in Engineering. Two of his sons followed the trade and were draughtsman. The family did seem to move around quite a bit and had lived in Middlesex, Shropshire, Lancashire, Southampton and then Worthing. Florence always lived with her parents and remained single throughout her life, working in the family Launderette business when in Worthing as an assistant for which her Father James was the proprietor. Ellen was a member of the Christchurch Road Baptist Church and worked as a Sunday school teacher and had links with secondary schools in Woolston Southampton. During their stay in Worthing Florence's brother Arthur Ridley had enlisted in the Army in 1914 after training with Cambridge college as a 2nd lieutenant and has given his home address of his father as "Fairlight" Valencia Road Worthing. Unfortunately, Arthur Ridley was killed in Action on 2 July 1916 in The Great War 1914 - 1919. The family lived at "Fairlight" Valencia Road, Worthing during their time in Worthing, and Florence Ellen was a highly respected member of the church in Worthing, and a piece was written in the Worthing Herald to mark the sad passing of Florence.

After her death in 1925 the remaining members of the family were in Southampton again and both parents died there.

Burial researcher: 
Gail Warner-Clarkson

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
06/06/1884

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
26/06/1925
Age (at time of death): 
41
Cause of death: 
Carcinoma of Breast; Operation Intra-thoracic Recurrence
Address at time of death: 
Fairlight, 13 Valencia Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

WORTHING HERALD - 4TH JULY 1925 - BAPTIST WORKER The Baptist community in Worthing has lost valued worker by the death of Miss Florence Ellen Biggs (daughter of Mr. James William Biggs and Mrs. Ellen Biggs, of " Fairlight" Valencia-road, Worthing). which occurred on Friday after a long and painful illness borne with great fortitude and patience. The late Miss Biggs, who was 41 years of age, was a member of Christchurch road Baptist Chapel and was also a Sunday School teacher at West Tarring Mission. The funeral took place at Heene Cemetery on Wednesday, the service being conducted by the Rev. W. Ridley Chesterton, assisted by Mr. W. 11. Bird, Prior to the committal service a short service was held at the house. The chief mourners were the parents, Mr. William Riggs (brother), Mrs. Sinither (sister), Messrs. John, Ernest and Edward Biwa (brothers), together with a large number of sympathisers. There were numerous !knit tributes, which included those from the family and other relative*, Mrs. Wellston' and Miss Welaford, Auntie Florrie, Douglas and Kathleen, Auntie Louie and Mabel, Uncle Will, Aunt Nellie and Kathleen, Mrs. Barron and Queenie, Mrs. J. Barron and Miss Rooky, the Misses Edmonds, Miss Gladys Painter, Nora Oak, Amy Jacob, Mr. and Mrs. Lambeth, Mr. C. Lambeth, Mr. and Mrs. Porter,. Annie," Mrs. Barr .Miss Rosa Courtier, Kathleen and Francis 4 Wilkins, Mrs. Inglis, Mrs. and Miss King. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, the Misses H. and B. Francis, Miss Eva Reesman, Miss Katie Waller, a few friends at Parkfleld-road, the staff at Woolston, the teachers West Tarring Mission t. School, Miss Biggs' clans at West Tarring, Pear Tree Green. and the Congregational S. School, Southampton.

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1891 census: 

Living at 3, Cedar Villas, Edmonton - James W Biggs aged 35, head, Civil and Mechanical Engineer; Ellen Biggs aged 31, wife; Florence E Biggs aged 6, daughter, scholar; Lilian A Biggs aged 5, daughter, scholar; James W G Biggs aged 4, son; Emily G Biggs aged 2, daughter; John H Biggs aged 6 months, son; Minnie E Kirkman aged 15, general domestic servant.

1901 census: 

Living at 130, Bailiff’s Row, Lilleshall, Shropshire; James W Biggs aged 44, head, Master Draughtsman Engineering; Ellen Biggs aged 41, wife; Florence E Biggs aged 16, daughter; James W G Biggs aged 14, son; Emily G Biggs aged 12, daughter; John H Biggs aged 10, son; Ernest L Biggs aged 9, son; Arthur R Biggs aged 7, son; Mary E Ferriday aged 16, general domestic servant.

1911 census: 

Living at 33, Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Itchen, Hampshire - James William Biggs aged 54, head, Laundry Proprietor; Ellen Biggs aged 51, wife; Florence Ellen Biggs aged 26, daughter, assistant in business part time; James William George Biggs aged 24, son, head draughtsman motor engineer; Emily Gertrude Biggs aged 22, daughter, student teacher School of Art; John Henry Biggs aged 20, son, articled clerk to a solicitor; Ernest Llewellyn Biggs aged aged 19, son, apprentice pattern maker; Arthur Ridley Biggs aged 17, son, County Council pupil teacher; Edward Walter Biggs aged 8, son, school.

1921 census: 

Living at Abbotts Worthy, Nr. Winchester

Ernest Llewellyn Biggs, Head, 29yrs 4mths; Married; Born - Edmonton, Middlesex; Pattern Maker for Green & Carter Ltd, Vulcan Iron Works in Kings Worthy, Nr. Winchester

Esther Elizabeth Biggs, Wife, 28yrs 6mths; Married; Born - Southampton, Hampshire; Home Duties;

Florence Ellen Biggs, Visitor, 37yrs; Single; Born - Edmonton, Middlesex; Home Duties in "St Mary's" Grove  Road, Lee-on-Solent, Hants.