Grave of the Month

Maureen Ann Russell (1940-1941)

Edward Keith Wyatt Russell (known as Keith) was born in 1906 in Streatham, and was keen to follow philately as a career with Stanley Gibbons, but his mother insisted that he should get a ‘proper’ job so he joined Westminster Bank.

After training, he was posted to Boscombe branch, and regularly operated a mobile branch in the town. Through this he met, then married, Winifred Frances Cherrington (known as Win) in 1935. Brian Peter Russell was born in February 1938 in Bournemouth.

Keith was then transferred to Newbury Branch of Westminster Bank in Market Place, Newbury, and the family moved to Bartlemy Road, Newbury. During the war, Keith wanted to join up, but was rejected on medical grounds. He did however become a Fire Warden on duty in the Market Place. Fortunately, there were no incidents to cope with.

During this period, a second child MAUREEN ANN RUSSELL was born on 15^th December 1940. Unfortunately, she was a poorly child with chest problems, and passed away on 5th November 1941, only 10 months old.

Maureen is buried in a small plot C70 just behind The Lodge.

Keith and Win decided to try for another girl, and I was born in Victoria Cottage Hospital in Newbury on 24^th September 1943! Although Dad had hoped for a girl, I was cherished as much as any child could wish for.

In 1947, Keith was promoted to Head Office in Lombard Street, London so we all moved to New Malden. Keith worked there until he retired to Poole in 1963. He regularly returned to Newtown Road Cemetery to visit and tend Maureen’s grave until he passed away in 1991. That is a task I now have taken over as I have returned to live in Newbury area.

Sources: