John Staples (1823-1900)

John was the son of George and Jane nee Green. He was baptised in South Damerham, near Fordingbridge, Wiltshire on 21^st February, 1823. George was a Gardener. 

John married Mary Miller on 12^th December, 1849 in St Marylebone, Middlesex. (His name is given as George John on their Marriage certificate but, is known as John, probably to avoid confusion with his father.) Mary was the daughter of William and Ann and her family lived in Speen, where they had a plant nursery, later known as Elm Nurseries. Their plant and floristry business extended to Andover and her brother, James, raised the Miller’s Seedling Apple in 1848, which received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1906.

John and Mary came to live in Newbury in 1850 and had a successful Confectionery business at 32, Northbrook Street, well-known for their lardy cakes*. John had taken over the business of a Mr Harding and over the years expanded into catering and was a sought-after chef. He joined the Royal Berkshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1853 and was an active member**.

John and Mary had a daughter, Anne Maria, born in Newbury 1855. The Census shows her living in West Street in 1891 and in 1901, a Teacher of Music. She continues her profession in 1911 when she is living at “Hurstleigh”, 18 Andover Road, with her cousin Anna Maria Paine, who had been a Teacher of Drawing.  This was her residence at time of death on 3^rd. February, 1928.

It appears from Birth and Death records that John and Mary may have had two other daughters – Mary born 1850, burial record Speen 1850 and Catherine Elizabeth born 1853, burial record Speen 1858.

Mary died in 1881 and John marries Helen Quinton in 1882. Helen was the daughter of John Eccles Quinton, a Master Baker and Confectioner and Charlotte nee Shephard. In 1871, her father is a widower living with his grand-daughter, Emily at 10 Staples Yard, near to 32 Northbrook Street. In 1881, Helen, now a Professional Cook and Confectioner is living at 4 Shaw Road, Speen so, they have a business connection too. Helen continues with the shop with the help of the Andrews family*** after John’s death in 1900. She died on 31^st. December, 1910.

 awning to Staples shop can be seen behind the procession (July 1933)  see photo

From Sue Hopson’s “Newbury – a Photographic Record 1850-1935

She also notes “When the Racecourse was opened in 1905 many of the visitors used to stop off in Northbrook Street to buy lardy cakes at Staples and sausages from Griffins.”

**there is a photo on the Hungerford Virtual Museum website of Quartermaster John Staples in his cook’s whites at a military event at Hungerford in 1887.

***her sister Harriette and her sons Harold and Charles assisted in the business. The boys were well-known locally for cycling, even as far as Brighton, on their tri-bike (see photo)

The Andrews Brothers, front to rear, Harold, Frederick and Charles.

From Sue Hopson’s “Newbury – a Photographic Record 1850-1935

(note: people in purple are buried in Newtown Road Cemetery)

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