Edward Mortimer Hill (1853 – 1891)

  Edward Mortimer Hill was born in 1853 in Newbury, the son of John and Eliza, nee Francis, Hill. He was recorded with his parents and three siblings in Bartholomew Street in Newbury in the 1861 census, his father John was recorded as a grocer (journeyman).

In the 1871 census Edward was living with his parents John and Eliza at 14 Bartholomew Street in Newbury. John was recorded as a paper hanger and Edward a baker.

Edward married Jemima Painter on 25 September 1876 at the Presbyterian Chapel in Newbury. Jemima was born in 1846 in Leckhampstead, the daughter of Richard and Jemima, nee Knapp, Painter. In the 1871 census Jemima was living as a servant at The Vicarage in Brimpton.

In the 1881 census Edward and Jemima were living with her brother Henry Painter and nephew Hedley Painter and a lodger at 7 Victoria Place in Newbury. Edward was recorded as a baker (journeyman). A few months after the census in August 1881 Edward was a witness at an inquest into the death of Alice Ayres, who had been found drowned. He was recorded as a baker living at 7 Newmarket Street. He had seen Alice at half past four on the Saturday morning, no doubt on his way to an early start as a baker.

Ten years later in the 1891 census Edward and Jemima were living with a lodger at 26 Cheap Street in Newbury. Edward was recorded as a baker.

Edward hanged himself on 12 May 1891 and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 19 May 1881. An inquest was held into his death and a full report appeared in the Newbury Weekly News dated 19 May 1891.

After the death of Edward Jemima moved away from Newbury and in the 1901 and 1911 censuses she was recorded with her nephew Hedley in Hackney and Tottenham respectively. She died in 1919 in Hackney.

Edward’s parents were also buried at Newtown Road Cemetery, his father John on 1 August 1878 and his mother Eliza on 14 October 1878.

Sources: as above