Rachel Everard.(rachel @t shobrooke.org) of Exeter, Devon, writes: I am researching Richard Eggbeer (and his family).  Richard was an Excise officer who, due to the nature of the job, moved around various locations during his career. From the minutes of the Board of Excise at the PRO I have tracked him around Devon, Cornwall, Wales, Hampshire,  and he ended his career as  Supervisor of Excise for Hemel Hempstead, from 1828 till his death in 1858.

Richard Eggbeer was baptised 26 Feb 1790 at Bickington, Devon. He died 1 Feb 1858 in Hemel Hempstead aged 66 from "spasms of the heart".  He had been in receipt of a pension from the Board of Excise. On his death certificate the informant was Henry Day, deputy coroner, and the death was not registered until 30 June 1858 - 5 months after the death.

Richard's wife Elizabeth's death is registered in June QTR, 1851 in Hemel  Hempstead RD (She died after the census date). Richard and his wife Elizabeth (nee Chirgwin) had 5 children that I know of:

1) Betsey Chirgwin Eggbeer baptised 1817 in Paul, Cornwall (Elizabeth's home parish).  Betsey (Married name Roberts) died in Paul in 1874. (CRO PRs)

2) Ann Chirgwin Eggbeer baptised 1820 in Barnstaple, Devon. (DRO) She is single on 1841& 1851 census with the family at Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead. I have found no further trace of her.  No suitable death or marriage inGRO index.

3) Thomas Chirgwin Eggbeer baptised 1822 Paul, Cornwall. (CRO) He dies at Guys Hospital, London in 1858. (Hospital records at GLRO)

4) Mary Eggbeer baptised Ringwood, Hampshire 1827. (HRO) I have found her on 1841, 1851 census at Marlowes, 1881 & 1901 in Hampshire. She remains a  spinster.

5) Jane Egbeer baptised 2 Jan 1836 at St Marys, Hemel Hempstead. (HALS) No further trace of her.

I believe the family lived at Marlowes all or most of the time they were in Hemel Hempstead.

Pigots Directory of Herts 1833/34 p 739 "Thomas Eggbear, Supervisor,  Marlowes" - wrong christian name
Pigots Directory of Herts 1840 p 189 "Richard Eggbear, Supervisor of  Excise, Marlowes"
PO Directory of Herts 1855 p 206 Hemel Hempstead "Gentry - Mr Richard Eggbeer, Marlowes"

Queries:

1) I would like to find the burial record for Richard Eggbeer (d 1 Feb  1858, aged 66) & for Elizabeth Eggbeer (d Jun QTR 1851, aged approx 56). I have no reason to suspect they were non conformist, but I suppose that  cannot be ruled out. I understand the municipal cemetery did not open until  1878. I was told that the possible burial places would be St Marys, Hemel  Hempstead; Holy Trinity, Leverstock Green; or St Johns, Boxmoor.

The most likely place for them to be buried would be St Mary's and if they were buried there, I would expect an entry in the burial register. One might well have expected a memorial stone (rather than long gone burial boards) but all the stones in St Mary's have either been moved to the boundary walls, or used as paving, and many may have been destroyed. 

2) Apart from the baptism record on 2 Jan 1836 at St Marys, I have no  further record of Jane Eggbeer.  There is no suitable marriage or death  entry in GRO index. I think it may be likely she died very soon after birth ie, prior to 1837. I would like to find her burial record if this is the case, but have not located it in St Marys.

There is nothing for Eggbeer in Hertfordshire on the National Burial Index.

3) As Richard was a man of some standing, I would hope there may be some obituary or death notice in a local paper.  As his death was registered so late, and by the deputy coroner, I wonder if there might have been an inquest for some reason, and this might be reported too. (Would an inquest and late registration have delayed burial?)

Unfortunately local newspapers only started to be published widely after the abolition of stamp duty in 1855, and the Hemel Hempstead Gazette did not start until 1859. Unless there was some major news content I think it unlikely that it was covered in the Hertfordshire Mercury (based at Hertford) or the Hertfordshire Advertiser (based in St Albans), although either might include a one line death notice. Some West Hertfordshire news was also included in the Bucks Herald and the Bucks Advertiser, but I would not be hopeful.

I suspect that the late registration might have been due to an oversight, and it may be that the coroner had to approve the registration. In the days before refrigeration burial would not have been delayed. In the case of accidents, etc., the inquest was often held in a convenient building (often a public house) nearby within 24 hours or so, with the coroner and jury able to view the body.

4) It seems strange that he did not leave a will, but I have not found one.  I assume it would be in the index 1858 onwards, but I have found no entry yet.

I would have expected a will - or at least thought it worthwhile to look for one. Perhaps, as an expert in taxation, he made sure that he had no taxable assets when he died!

5)  Any suggestions for any other local sources that might be relevant? Was Marlowes a house, or an area of Hemel Hempstead?

At the time Richard Eggbeer was living there Marlowes was the main road between the town of Hemel Hempstead and the main road, and canal, from London and the Midlands. Since then it has become the main town shopping centre, leaving the old town centre full of old buildings, and less shoppers.

The 1843 Tithe Map of Hemel Hempstead shows that plot 989 consisted of 4 houses and gardens owned by Joseph Cranstone (a local indurtrialist) and his tenants were Sarah Cranston, William [sic on my transcript] Eggbeer, Montagu Grover and Elisha Eales. As Eggbeer is an otherwise unknown surname in the area I suspect that this must be where your Richard lived. I have marked the approximate position on the above map (you would need to go back to the original to work out the position more accurately). The houses are part of an early 19th century ribbon development of posh middle class houses, most of which have survived the modern redevelopment and are now used as offices. Just the kind of place that you would expect Richard Eggbeer to live.

[Should you want to visit the area plot 1140 is the site of the hospital, and the adjacent building (by the "L") is now called Chere House and was the original Hospital. The lane adjacent to the "S" has been widened and is now Midland Road.]

I apologise if this is too lengthy a query.  If you are able to shed light on any part of it I will be very grateful.  It is unlikely I will be able to travel to HALS again for a long time, so I am a bit stuck!

A very informative question, which shows a significant level of sound research. It is doubly interesting in that about 50 years ago my parents (and my brother and me) went to live in Bickington, South Devon! My mother was born in Hemel Hempstead (see The London Gunners come to Town) and some of her school friends lived in or close to the house where the Eggbeers had lived.

February, 2004

Rachel Everard.(rachel @t shobrooke.org) reponded: Since your reply, I have been contacted by a couple of people who have told me that there is a Jane EGBERE on the HFHS burial index CD (up to 1851) listed as being buried at Hemel Hempstead Baptist 24 Jan 1836, which ties in with my assumption she died soon after birth. I assume these records are held at HALS, and hopefully
there are later burial records which may include her parents??? I shall certainly follow up the Baptist connection. 

It is worth checking what HALS holds. While it is the official depository for Church of England records, some non-conformist records are still held by the church/chapel and others have been lost.

You kindly included an extract of the tithe map for Hemel Hempstead.  Is this available on a disk or on-line? I imagine the original is at HALS, but I was curious as to where your copy came from!

Tithe Maps are manuscript maps of parishes produced as a result of the Tithe Act 1836, and three copies were made of each. The original was sent to the Tithe Commissioners and should now be with the Public Records Office. The second went to the Diocese - and in the case of Hemel Hempstead is now at HALS. The third stayed with the churchwardens in the parish, and in the case of Hemel Hempstead is now also at HALS. The Hemel Hempstead map was drawn by John Griffin at 26.7 inches to the mile and the award (list of owners of properties, etc) is dated 1843.  Like all such maps it is large (approximately 12 feet by 10 feet) and difficult to handle. (There are very large map tables at HALS.)

The very small section I reproduced comes from a photocopy of a copy of part of the map in Hemel Hempstead Central Library, and it is seems that parts of the original were very worn (possibly from the parish copy with people pointing to the house where they lived.) An enthusiast has recently redrawn/reconstructed a number of old maps of Hemel Hempstead, including parts of the tithe map and these have been used in exhibitions by the Dacorum Heritage Trust. I don't know if there are any plans to publish them.

There is a web page for Hemel Hempstead 

If you can add to the information given above tell me.

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