Joshua Higgs

1793-1866

Joshua was born in Thatcham Berkshire he was baptised on the 12^th May 1793 (nonconformist, Duchess of Huntingdon Connexion) in Goring Oxfordshire the son of Samson and Ann Higgs (nee Corderoy) who were married in Chieveley on the 29^th October 1789

Joshua married Mary Corderoy on the 23^rd December 1815 at St Mary Newington Surrey (Joshua’s abode recorded as Lambeth on the marriage record) and they had the following children:

Mary Ann baptised on the 1^st June 1817 at St Mary the Less Lambeth Surrey (died aged 1 in 1818 buried 16^th Mar)

Ann born c1817 (died aged 1 in 1818 buried 17^th Dec)

Joshua baptised on the 13^th August 1820 at St Mary the Less Lambeth Surrey

Mary Corderoy baptised on the 7^th November 1824 at St Mary the Less Lambeth Surrey (died aged 16 in 1841 buried 15^th June)

Maria baptised 24^th February 1828 at St George Hanover Square Westminster

Ellen baptised 5^th January 1830 at St George Hanover Square Westminster

George Corderoy born 1831 (died May 1832 aged 1year 3months)

Matilda born c1834

Esther born c1836

Joseph born 1838 (died in aged 26, buried in the NRC on the 12^th October 1864)

Sarah born 1839

Joshua was a Carpenter in his earlier working life living in Duke Street Lambeth (as recorded on his older children’s baptism records). Various street and trade directories record him as a Carpenter and a Builder and Undertaker, at Grosvenor Market, Grosvenor Square, Davies Street, 63 Davies Street and 59A Davies Street Berkeley Square London.

Berkshire Electoral Registers (1840-1965) record Joshua as the owner of a freehold house and land in Cold Ash Thatcham (1841 until 1861, later records (1863-1866) record a freehold house land and cottages, recorded as The Retreat Cold Ash).

The 1841 census records Joshua (45), as a Builder living in Davies Street St George Hanover Square with his wife Mary (40), his son Joshua (20), a Builder, his daughters, Mary (15), Maria (13), Matilda (8) and a William Higgs (15), a Carpenter’s Apprentice. Joshua and Mary’s younger children, Esther (5), Joseph (3) and Sarah (1) were recorded living in Cold Ash Thatcham Berkshire.

The 1851 census records Joshua (58), as a Master Builder employing 40 men, living at 59A Davies Street with Mary (54), their daughters Maria (23), Matilda (17) and two servants.

Mary died aged 63 at The Retreat, Cold Ash, Thatcham on the 25^th December 1860 she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 2^nd January 1861

Joshua remarried on the 17^th August 1863. The following was recorded in the Reading Mercury dated 22^nd August 1863:

On the 17^th inst., At Lambourn Church by the Rev. H R Barter, Mr Joshua Higgs, Cold Ash, Thatcham, to Caroline Amelia Hopson, third daughter of the late Mr John Hopson, Newbury 

Joshua died aged 73 on the 10^th August 1866 at Mount Pleasant, Cold Ash he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 15^th August alongside his 1^st wife Mary Ann and their son Joseph.

Caroline Amelia remarried in 1869 her 2^nd husband was a widower, Stephen Osmond, a retired Primitive Methodist Minister. Stephen died aged 62 in 1881 at Cold Ash. Caroline was recorded living in Cold Ash Thatcham (1881), St Mary’s Place Newbury (1891) and 11 Carnarvon Terrace Newbury (1901). She died on the 17^th March 1905 and was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 20th March alongside Stephen.

Author: Christine Gambles
© FNRC