James Peck (buried 1905)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Peck
First name: 
James
Other Christian names: 
Benjamin
Gender: 
Male
Burial number: 
468
Born: 
0/12/1850
Died: 
14/08/1905
Buried: 
17/08/1905
Occupation: 
Labourer; Carman; Police Constable;
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
EB
Cemetery row: 
1
Cemetery plot: 
10
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/charge.vital.than
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Headstone inscription: 
In loving memory of James Benjamin Peck who died August 14th 1905 aged 55 years "Thy will be done"

Life story

Life story

James was born in Letheringham, Suffolk, the son of William and Eliza. He was baptised in the village on 23rd May 1852. His father worked on a local farm as a labourer. James stayed in the village until the 1870's when he moved to London, lodging in Hammersmith. By 1882, he had moved to the south coast and was working as a police constable. He was stationed at Bognor and was involved in various cases which were mentioned in the local press. These included vicious dogs, drunks, runaway horses, children on the railway, arson and theft. On 24th April 1888, James married Elizabeth Richardson at South Bersted near Bognor. The couple lived in Chichester until James was transferred to Worthing. They lived in Lyndhurst Road and took in other police constables as lodgers. James and Elizabeth had no children. In 1905 after recently retiring to Tarring, James died of dropsy on 14th August. No probate.

Burial researcher: 
Carol Sullivan

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
00/12/1850
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Elizabeth
Spouse one last name: 
Richardson
Marriage one date: 
24/04/1888
Marriage one address: 
South Bersted, Sussex, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
14/08/1905
Age (at time of death): 
53
Cause of death: 
Dropsy
Address at time of death: 
Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

Worthing Gazette reported on 23 Aug: “he was borne to the grave by old comrades, four members of West Sussex Constabulary. Sixteen members of the local division under Sergeant Beagley attended as a mark of respect. Floral tributes included a very choice wreath from the division.”

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1851 census: 

Letheringham William aged 37, agricultural labourer. Eliza aged 27. Hannah aged 11. Eliza aged 7. Thomas aged 1. James aged 4 months. Hannah aged 65, widow. Eliza Harvey aged 20, visitor.

1861 census: 

Street, Letheringham. Family are listed but not James. No other trace. Possibly missed when the enumerator changed pages) William aged 47, agricultural labourer. Eliza aged 36. Elizabeth aged 16. Thomas aged 11. William aged 7. Alfred aged 5.

1871 census: 

Letheringham Parish. William aged 58, labourer. Eliza aged 46. James aged 20, labourer. William aged 18, labourer. Alfred aged 15, shoemaker.

1881 census: 

13 St Peters Grove, Hammersmith James aged 29, lodger, carman, in the household of Charles Clifton, coachman.

1891 census: 

5 Park Terrace, St Pancras, Chichester James aged 39, police constable. Elizabeth aged 43. Anne Richardson aged 9, niece

1901 census: 

2 Alexandra Terrace, Lyndhurst Road, Worthing James aged 48, police constable. Elizabeth aged 52. Edward Knight aged 25, police constable. William Bastone aged 22, police constable.

Miscellaneous information

Worthing Gazette

report on 16 Aug that James had recently retired from the Police Force and had died of dropsy.