Clara Darvill Webb

1864-1935

Clara Darvill Purdue was the eldest child of Charles and Ruth Purdue (nee Darvill).

Clara’s father:

Charles Purdue was born c1825 in Newbury the son of Charles and Ann Purdue (nee Lawrence) who married on the 19^th April 1819 at St Nicolas Church Newbury. Charles married Elizabeth Keys (born c1821 in Newbury) in Newbury in 1850. They had the following children (all born in Newbury):

Catherine Maria born c1851

Arthur Wellington born 1852

Helen Elizabeth born 1854 (aka Ellen) (died aged 7 in 1861 buried on the 20^th November at St Mary the Virgin Shaw-cum-Donnington)

Charles born c1857 (aka John Charles)

Frederick William born 1859 (died shortly after birth, buried 28^th December 1859 at St Mary the Virgin Shaw-cum-Donnington)

In the 1841 census 17 year old Charles was recorded as an Apprentice, living in the High Street Croydon Surrey.

The 1851 census records Charles (27) as a Grocer, living with his wife Elizabeth (29) and their daughter, Catherine Maria (2 months), in the Broadway Newbury.

The 1861 census records Charles (36) as a Maltster, living with Elizabeth (40), Catherine (10), Ellen E (6), Arthur W (5) and John C (2), in Shaw-cum-Donnington Berkshire.

Elizabeth died aged 43 in 1862 she was buried at St Mary the Virgin Shaw-cum-Donnington on the 15^th September.

Clara’s mother:

Ruth Darvill was born c1833 in Saunderton Buckinghamshire the daughter of John and Sarah Ward Darvill (nee Edmonds) who married on the 30^th April 1818 at St Mary’s Church Princes Risborough Buckinghamshire.

In both the 1841 and 1851 census records Ruth was recorded living with her parents John and Sarah Darvill, in Saunderton Buckinghamshire

Ruth married Richard Darvill (born c1828 in London) in Newbury in 1856 they had a daughter Martha Mary born c1859 in Whitechapel Middlesex.

The 1861 census records Richard (33) as an Assistant Draper, living with Ruth (27) and their daughter Martha (2) (recorded as Mary), in Norfolk Terrace Hackney.

Richard died aged 34 in 1861 in Hackney.

Clara’s parents married in Newbury in 1863, they had the following children (all were given the middle name Darvill , all births registered  in Newbury except Frederick):

Clara Darvill born 1864

Herbert Darvill born 1865

Ada Darvill born 1867

Edith Darvill born 1868

Fanny Sarah Darvill born c1870

May Louise Darvill born 1871

Cecilia Darvill born c1873

Beatrice Darvill born c1874

Frederick Darvill born 1877 (birth registered in Wycombe)

The 1871 census records Charles (46) as a Brewer, living with Ruth (37), Arthur Wellington (18), John Charles (12), Herbert Darvill (5), Ada Darvill 3), Edith Darvill (2) and Fanny Sarah Darvill (1), in Donnington Village

By 1881 Charles (56) had retired and was living in Beech Villa (east side of Amersham Hill) Wycombe Buckinghamshire with Ruth (50), his step-daughter Martha Darvill (21) and his daughter Clara (17).

Charles died aged 60 on the 13^th April 1885 in Donnington he was laid to rest on the 18^th April at St Mary the Virgin Shaw-cum-Donnington.

 Ruth died aged 52 on the 11^th December 1885 at home (“Cedars” Donnington) she was laid to rest on the 15^th December at St Mary the Virgin Shaw-cum-Donnington.

Clara:

Clara married Henry Webb in Wycombe in 1890. Henry was born in 1860 in Donnington, the son of Charles and Esther Webb (nee Hopson).

The 1891 census records Henry (30) as a Farmer, living with Clara (27) and their daughter Dorothy (three and a half months), in Donnington Berkshire.

In 1896 Clara gave birth to a son, Maurice Charles

The 1901 census records Henry (40) as a Milk Dairyman, living with Clara (37), Dorothy (10) and Maurice (3) at 46 Basingstoke Road St Giles Reading. By 1911 Henry (50), Clara (47) and Maurice (14) were living at 64 Christchurch Road Reading. Henry was again recorded in this census as a Dairyman.

Dorothy moved to Canada and married Leonard Burningham in 1915 in York, Ontario (some family trees online  record Maurice moving to Canada but no confirmation of this found, although no death found in England)

By 1931 Henry and Clara were living in Tawaai Newtown Common Newbury. Henry died aged 70 in the Newbury District Hospital Newbury on the 2^nd January 1931 he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 6^th January. (Recorded on MI as Harry)

Clara died aged 71 on the 6^th July 1935 she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 9th July.

Probate:  Webb Clara Darvill of 33 Enborne-grove Newbury Berkshire widow died 6^th July 1935 at the Newbury House Nursing Home Newbury Probate Oxford 7^th August to Arthur Charles Purdue farmer and Erica Mizen widow. Effects: £404 7s 1d

Author: Christine Gambles
© FNRC