Charles Tom Webb

He was born in 1860 in Newbury the eldest son of Charles Webb and Sarah Ann (nee Wiggins).   His father was a Bargeman based at Greenham Mills.  By the 1871 census the family had grown by 4 more children - Harry (b.1862), Jesse (b.1864), Harriett E. (b. 1867), William Harris (b. 1869) - and they had moved to the Rose & Crown, 33 Northcroft Lane; his father’s occupation is recorded as Carman (driver of horse-drawn vehicles transporting goods).

In 1879 Charles Tom Webb was involved in a vicious fight as reported in the Berkshire Chronicle dated 10 May 1879:  “he was maliciously assaulted by George Kimber, cow keeper, on 4 May 1879, inflicting grievous bodily harm with a knife near the Old River,  Speen Moors”. The defendant, George Kimber, appeared in the dock “with his face and head bound up, having received a severe beating himself”.  The magistrates referred the case to the Berkshire Midsummer Sessions where Mr. Greene for the defence “addressed the jury contending that the stabbing was only an accident and that the prisoner had been very badly used by the prosecutor”.  George Kimber was acquitted (Berkshire Chronicle and Reading Mercury dated 5 July 1879).

In 1880 he married Martha Jane Parr in Newbury and in 1881 they had settled  in Greenham, his occupation Bricklayer. Their only child,  Tom Harris Webb,  was born in 1881 and by 1891 they had moved to Albert Cottages and then to The Lock House, Greenham, in 1901.  Tragedy struck the family when his mother committed suicide by drowning in December 1896.  His father came to live with them at The Lock House where he died  on 20 August 1904.

 In the 1911 census his widowed aunt Harriet Harris (nee Wiggins and the sister of his mother Sarah Ann) aged 84 years was living with them until she died on 17 October 1912. She was married to Daniel Harris, the publican of the Weavers Arms, 17 Cheap Street (1881 census).

Charles Tom Webb died on 14 September 1926 aged 66 years at The Lock House and was buried on 17 September. Also  buried with him are his father Charles Webb who died 20 August 1904 aged 71 years and his wife Martha Jane Webb who died 22 March 1941 aged 83 years.

Author: FNRC
© FNRC