Name: Henry Boxall
Burial Number: 1421
Gender: Male
Occupation: Agricultural Labourer; Groom; Fruit Grower; Domestic Gardener;
Born: 00/00/1866
Died: 24/11/1929
Buried: 27/11/1929
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Story
Henry Boxall was born in Fittleworth, Sussex, in 1866, to Noah Boxall, 38yrs, Woodsman, and Sarah nee Lawrence, 34yrs. He was the fifth of six children. By the age of 15years, Henry had left home and was employed as an agricultural labourer in Wisborough Green. He went on to be a groom on the Worth Park Estate when he was 25yrs, and in 1894, aged 28yrs, he married Anne Warren, 27yrs, on 21st April at St. Albans, Hertfordshire.
They set up home in West Tarring, and by 1911 they had had 6 children, Minnie 16, Dorothy 14, Ivy 10, Henry Warren 8, Montague 6 and Gladys 2. Henry worked as a fruit grower before becoming a domestic gardener. He was known as Harry later in life, and at the outbreak of war in 1914, he enrolled in the Territorial Army.
Henry was widowed in March 1929 and suffered physical and mental illness, he was cared for by a daughter who lived with him but became increasingly delusional, and on 24th November that year, he was found drowned, an inquest returned the verdict – suicide by drowning while of unsound mind. He was 63yrs old, and at the time of his death he was living at 12, London St. W. Worthing.
Probate was granted to his son, Henry Warren Boxall, Gardener, effects, £136 16s 4d. Value 2019 – £8.5K.
Researcher: Unknown
The Grave
Location in Cemetery
Area: EB Row: 4 Plot: 16
Exact Location (what3words): payer.piles.fats
Ashes or Urn: Unknown
Headstone
Description:
No description of the headstone has been added.
Inscription:
In loving memory of Annie Boxall died 13th March 1929 aged 62. also of Henry her husband died 24 Nov. 1929 aged 64 "Resting"
Further Information
Birth
Name: Henry Boxall
Gender: Male
Born: 00/00/1866
Town: Fittleworth
County: Sussex
Country: England
Marriage
Maiden Name: Not applicable
Marriage Date: 21/04/1894
Spouse First Name: Anne
Spouse Last Name: Warren
Town of Marriage: St Albans
County of Marriage: Hertfordshire
Country of Marriage: England
Information at Death
Date of Death: 24/11/1929
Cause of death: Suicide by drowning
Address line 2: 12
Address line 3: London Street
Town: Worthing
County: Sussex
Country: England
Obituary
No obituary has been entered.
Personal Effects
Money left to others: £136 16 s 4 d
Current value of effects: Not calculated
Census Information
1871
Living at Hogshurst, Fittleworth, Sussex. Noah Boxall, 43yrs, Woodsman, wife, Sarah, 39yrs, 6 children, Frederick 16, Agricultural Labourer, Mary Ann 12, Emma 10, John 8, Henry 5, and George 3.
1881
Lving at Collins Marsh, Wisborough Green, Sussex. Frederick Puttick, 60yrs, Shopkeeper and Farmer, wife, Jane, 50yrs, Henry Boxall, 15yrs, Agricultural Labourer, visitor, Mary Boxall, 40yrs, plus 1 domestic servant.
1891
Living at the Worth Park Estate, East Grinstead – Henry Boxall, 25 yrs. is a Groom.
1901
Living at Snow Cottage, South Street, West Tarring. Henry Boxall, 35yrs, Fruit Grower, wife, Annie, 3 children, Minnie 6, Dorothy 4, Ivy 1, boarder, Ernest Perham, 19yrs, Nursery Gardener.
1911
Living at Madehurst, Tarring Road, Worthing. Harry Boxall, 44yrs, Domestic Gardener, wife, Annie, 43yrs, 6 children, Minnie 16, Dorothy 14, both described as servants in the home, Ivy 10, Harry Warren Boxall, 8, Montague 6 and Gladys 2.
1921
Living at Kirkby, Ripley Road, Worthing, Sussex.
| Harry | Boxall |
Head
|
Male | 1867 | 54 | Fittleworth, Sussex, England | Gardener Market | |
| Annie | Boxall |
Wife
|
Female | 1877 | 44 | St Pancras, London, England | Home Duties | – |
| Minnie Lattimore | Boxall |
Daughter
|
Female | 1897 | 24 | Worthing, Sussex, England | Grocer Assistant | – |
| Dorothy | Boxall |
Daughter
|
Female | 1897 | 23 | Worthing, Sussex, England | Nursemaid | – |
| Mary | Boxall |
Daughter
|
Female | 1900 | 21 | Worthing, Sussex, England | General Servant | – |
| Harry | Boxall |
Son
|
Male | 1901 | 19 | Worthing, Sussex, England | Gardening | – |
| Mary Tagwe | Boxall |
Son
|
Male | 1903 | 17 | Worthing, Sussex, England | Gardening At Home Mkt |
Miscellaneous Information
West Sussex Gazette 28 Nov.1929
DEAD IN A DITCH – How the body of a man with over £27 in his pockets was found in a ditch at Durrington, was told at an inquest on Henry Boxall, 64yrs. of 18, Ripley Road, West Worthing, on Tuesday, held by the Coroner for West Sussex. Harry W. Boxall, the dead man’s son, of London Street, a gardener, said the deceased had been suffering from neurasthenia , and had frequently said, “I won’t be here tomorrow”. Dr. Hayden, West Tarring, who had been attending him, and Dr. Goode, as well as witnesses and his sister, had advised him to go into the infirmary, but he refused. Last week he was delirious and had delusions. Miss Boxall, who lived with her father, said he was a widower and had always been very nervy. He complained of his head and said there was gas in the house, or – “We shall be in total darkness” – and made other statements while in delirium, and he suffered from delusions. He went out to get a shave on Saturday morning and as he did not return, she told her Uncle who tried to find him. When they failed in their search they told the police. Sidney H. Woods, Limbrick Lane, Goring, a tractor driver, said that at 8.10 on Sunday morning he was going to Nell Wood to feed pigs when he saw a coat, neatly folded, and placed on the stump of a tree, with a cap by it’s side on the bank of a ditch. On the way back, still seeing the coat there, he looked into the ditch and saw something he thought might be the body of a man. He told the police and eventually helped PC Beaker get the body out of the ditch. PC Beaker (Durrington) said he saw the body lying face downwards covered by mud
and water. On the body was £36.10s in notes, and in the trouser pockets, 10s in silver and 3s in copper. A watch in deceased’s waistcoat was still going. Among letters on the body was one containing a 5s post order. The ditch was 3ft. below the level of the field and the water in it was 2ft.6ins. The ditch was 7ft. wide.
Dr. G. E. Hayden said he had attended deceased for gastritis and abdominal trouble. A post-mortem examination showed that death was due to suffocation, partly by drowning and partly by blockage caused by mud.
The Coroner returned a verdict of “Suicide by drowning while of unsound mind.”
