Amy Elizabeth Seymour

1855-1855

Amy Elizabeth was born in Newbury, Berkshire. She was baptised on the 26^th November 1855, at St Nicolas Church, Newbury, the daughter of James Betteridge (a Draper) and Mary Stevenson Seymour (nee Downing) who were married on the 8^th January 1854, at St Botolph, Aldgate, Middlesex.

Amy Elizabeth died aged 14 days, she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 7^th December.

Amy Elizabeth’s family:

Her father James Betteridge Seymour was baptised on the 15^th January 1832, in Lyncombe and Widcombe, Somerset, the son of James Betteridge (a Harness Maker) and Elizabeth Seymour (formerly Somerfield, nee Williams) who were married on the 19^th June 1823, at St James, Bath, Somerset. (Elizabeth Williams married William Somerfield on the 8^th March 1818 in St Swithin, Walcot, Somerset. She was widowed in 1820. William Somerfield died aged 29 and was buried in Lyncombe and Widcombe)

Her mother Mary Stevenson Downing was born c1824, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. She was baptised on the 22^nd April 1824, in Great Yarmouth, the daughter of Thomas Leggett (a Sailor) and Priscilla Downing (nee Stevenson) who were married on the 23^rd June 1814, in Great Yarmouth.

James and Mary also had the following children baptised at St Nicolas, Newbury:

Henry William, 18^th March 1855

Frederick Charles, 7^th February 1857

Percy Downing, 8^th January 1860

Elizabeth Annie, 14^th November 1864

The 1861 census records James (31) as a Linen Draper Assistant, living at 13 Carnarvon Terrace, Newbury, with Mary (36) and their sons, Frederick (4) and Percy (1). Their son Henry (6) was recorded as a pupil in Speenhamland, Berkshire.  His aunt Anna Seymour (wife of his uncle Henry) was the Schoolmistress.

In 1871 James (42), a Draper, was living at 10 Bartholomew Street, Newbury, with Mary (44), Frederick (14), Percy (11), Elizabeth (8), an assistant, an apprentice and a servant.

In 1881 James (51), now a Pawnbroker, Mary (55), their daughter Elizabeth (18), an Assistant, their nephew George Seymour (17), also an Assistant and a Domestic Servant, were recorded living in Bartholomew Street, Newbury.

James died aged 58, in 1887, (death registered in St Giles, Middlesex)

The 1891 census records Mary (65) living at 2 Springfield Park Crescent, Lewisham, with her son Henry William (35), a Financial Agent (Broker), her daughter- in- law Jane (38) and her grandchildren, Ethel (5), Leslie, (4) and Walter (2).

Mary died aged 68 in 1893 in Lewisham.

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