Rachel Keep

c1831-1870

Rachel, her parents, siblings and early life:

Rachel was born in Grafton, Wiltshire. She was baptised on the 30^th January 1831 in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, the daughter of Thomas (a Labourer) and Millicent (aka Amelia) Davies (nee Laurence) who were married on the 7^th August 1820 in Great Bedwyn.

Rachel’s siblings were:

Mary baptised 24^th December 1820       All baptised in Great Bedwyn, surnames recorded as Davies

George baptised 9^th February 1823        Father recorded as a Labourer, abode, West Grafton       

Charles baptised 22^nd May 1825

William baptised 24^th February 1828

Henry baptised 9^th February 1834

Eliza baptised 26^th June 1836

The 1841 census record Thomas Davis (40) as an Agricultural Labourer, living in West Grafton, Wiltshire, with Millicent (40) and their children, George (15), Charles (15), William (14), Henry (7), Rachel (5) and Eliza (3).

In 1851 Thomas Davis (50) was recorded working as a Cooper, living in Farm Lane, Leckhampstead, Berkshire with Amelia (52), William (23), a Cooper, Rachel (20) and Eliza (15).

Rachel in later life:

Rachel Davis married John Keep in 1854 (marriage registered in Newbury)

(John was baptised on the 31^st March 1833 in Chieveley, Berkshire, the son of George and Elizabeth Keep (nee Chapman) who were married on the 26^th July 1830 in Chieveley, Berkshire)

Rachel had a daughter, Mary Jane Davis, born in 1852, before she married John.

Rachel and John had the following children:

William 1854

John 1864

Leonard George c1868

The 1861 census records John (28) as a Lock Keeper, living in Greenham Mills, Greenham, with Rachel (29) and their children, Mary (8) and William (6).

Rachel’s mother Amelia Davis died aged 62 in 1862, she was buried on the 14^th March at St James Leckhampstead.

Her father Thomas Davis died aged 64 in 1866, he was buried on the 13^th March at St James Leckhamstead.

Rachel died aged 37 on the 1^st October 1870, she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 7^th October.

The 1871 census records John (38) as a Wharfinger, living in Wharf Lane, Newbury, with his children, Mary (19), William (16), John (5) and Leonard (3).

John remarried in in 1873. His 2^nd wife was Louisa Phillips (marriage registered in Newbury). He was widowed again in 1890. He married Elizabeth Freeman (nee Church) in 1891 and was widowed again in 1910.

John continued to live in Wharf Road, Newbury until his death. He died aged 83 on the 26^th April 1916 and was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery, with his 2^nd wife Louisa, on the 29^th April.

Newbury Weekly News

Dated 6^th October 1870

Oct. 1, at the Wharf, Newbury, after a protracted and severe illness, Rachel, wife of John Keep, aged 37 years

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