Samuel Seward was a trustee of Bartholomew Street Methodist Church. He was a foreman at West Mills for 11 years. He then took over and ran successfully the bakers and confectioner business and restaurant which was situated in Cheap Street.

Samuel Seward (1857 – 1938),   Jane Seward (1859 – 1929),  Charlie Seward (1882 – 1882)

Samuel Seward was born on 9 February 1857 in Kingsclere, the son of Samuel and Ellen, nee Collins, Seward. In the 1861 and 1871 censuses he was living with his parents and siblings at Ram Alley in 1861 and Kingsclere in 1871, his father Samuel was an agricultural labourer.

Jane North was born on 24 September 1859 in Kingsclere, the daughter of Thomas and Ann, nee Tucker, North. She was baptized on 13 November 1859 at the Primitive Methodist Chapel probably in Ashford Hill. In the 1861 and 1871 censuses she was living with his parents and siblings at Fair Oak in 1861 and Ashford Hill in 1871. Her father Thomas was an agricultural labourer.

Samuel and Jane married on 5 October 1878 at St Paul in Ashford Hill.

In the 1881 census Samuel and Jane along with son Arthur aged one were recorded living at Chamber House Mill Cottages in Thatcham. Samuel was a miller.

A year later Samuel and Jane had a son Charlie. Sadly, Charlie died in June 1882 aged only 5 weeks. He was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 9 June 1882.

In the 1891 census Samuel and Jane along with son Arthur aged 11 and daughters Lily aged 7 and Ada aged 4 were living at 3 Craven Terrace, Berkley Road in Newbury and Samuel was a miller.

Ten years later in the 1901 census Samuel and Jane along with children Arthur aged 21, Lily aged 17, Ada aged 14, Frederick aged 9 and Harold aged 10 months were living at 36 Cheap Street in Newbury. Samuel and Arthur were both journeyman bakers, Lily an assistant to a pastry cook and Ada a dressmaker.

Subsequently in the 1911 census Samuel and Jane along with sons Frederick aged 19 and Harold aged 10 were living in Howard Road in Newbury. Samuel was a baker and bread maker and Frederick a boiler maker while Harold was a scholar.

Samuel and Jane were still living in Howard Road, at number 12, in the 1921 census. Also recorded in the house was daughter Ada Pickett, a widow, with two of her children and older daughter Lily Davis with her husband Philip and two of their children. Samuel was recorded as a retired baker while Philip was a shopkeeper and greengrocer.

Jane passed away on 20 April 1929 aged 69 and she was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 28 April.

Samuel died just over seven years later on 25 January 1938 aged 59 and he was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 28 January. An obituary appeared in the Newbury Weekly News dated 27 January 1938 which included many details of his life.

Arthur Seward, son of Samuel and Jane, was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 5 October 1938.

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