Abel Samuels (1780 – 1859)

                                    Elizabeth Samuels (1792 – 1875)

Abel Samuels was born circa 1780 in Newbury, the son of John and Mary Samuels. He was baptized on 4 January 1781 at St Nicolas in Newbury.

Abel married Elizabeth Moore on 25 September 1809 at All Saints in Catfield in Norfolk. Elizabeth was born in Norfolk in circa 1792 according to her recorded age at burial, although her birth did year slightly according to the age recorded in different censuses. She was recorded as being born in Norwich in the 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses.

Abel and Elizabeth had a son William who was born on 14 December 1809 and baptized on 17 December at St Swithin in Norwich. They also had four more children, all baptized at St Nicolas in Newbury, who were Harriet (April 1818), Elizabeth (March 1822), Eliza (September 1825) and George (April 1829). Elizabeth, although recorded as Eliza in the burial record, died aged 2 years and 4 months and was buried at St Nicolas on 30 July 1824.

In the 1841 census Abel and Elizabeth were recorded with sons William and George at Mary Hill in Newbury with Abel recorded as a brick labourer and William a porter.

Ten years later in the 1851 census Abel and Elizabeth were recorded with son George at Kimber’s Yard, Bartholmew Street in Newbury. Abel was recorded as a pauper formerly a bricklayer, Elizabeth a pauper formerly a nurse and George a journeyman shoemaker.

Abel died in January 1859 aged 78 and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 17 January.

Elizabeth was recorded with her daughter Harriet Spanswick and her sons Charles and Henry living at St Mary’s Hill in Newbury in the 1861 census. Elizabeth was a nurse and Harriett a char woman.

A few months later on 12 October 1861 an article appeared in the Berkshire Chronicle that Elizabeth had been elected to fill one of two vacancies in the church almhouses. Elizabeth was recorded in the church almhouses in Newbury in the 1871 census living by herself.

Elizabeth died on 3 March 1875 at the church almhouses and was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 8 March. An announcement appeared in the Newbury Weekly News dated 4 March 1875 as below.

SAMUELS – March 3, at Church Almhouses, Elizabeth Samuels, aged 84.

Three of Abel and Elizabeth’s children were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery, daughter Harriet Spanswick on 17 January 1907, sons George Samuels on 1 October 1866 and William Samuels on 20 June 1891.

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