X452

Records of the Burridge and Hoe families of Bedford

These records are a small archive mainly relating to the affairs of the Burridge family of Bedford Borough in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The member of the family they principally concern is Hannah, who was married twice, first to James Burridge and secondly to Thomas Markham Hoe. In 1873 James Burridge was licensee of a public house in Cauldwell Street, St Mary's, Bedford, the house being a rented one as the licence gives John Steed of Baldock as the owner (X452/9/1a). The house was probably the 'Plough and Harrow' as mentioned in Mrs Burridge's letter of 1880 to Mr Steed (X452/8/3). In Kelly's directory of 1877 James Burridge is described as a beer retailer, shoeing and general smith and this is in addition to his sale of tobacco and snuff at the inn. James probably died in about 1879 or 1880. The surrender of the tenancy of the inn by Hannah, still Mrs Burridge, was probably due to his death or to her prospective second marriage to T M Hoe. Thomas Hoe himself took out a licence to sell spirits and also tobacco and snuff in May 1883. This was at the Cross Keys inn, 69 High Street, Bedford, where he continued until his death in August 1898 when the licence was transferred to his widow (X452/9/16). Hannah signed her will and also her deed of gift to her son with a mark (X452/10/1, 2 and 3) but this may have been due to the infirmity of old age (her obituary notice in 1911 said 'for some time past she had been in failing health') as she was able to write a reasonable letter to Mr Steed in 1880, unless she had employed an amanuensis to write the letter for her - as is possible. At her death her estate was valued at nearly £2,900. Much of this must have been made up of the various pieces of property she owned (X452/4). Both James Burridge and Thomas Hoe appear to have bought property, mainly in the St Mary's area of Bedford or in Kempston (X452/1 and 2), much of which Hannah presumably inherited - certainly she was able to give 8 houses to her son in 1908 in addition to a mortgage upon another 7 and other property besides (X452/10/2 and 3). In her obituary notice of 15 August 1911 in the 'Bedford Daily Circular' Hannah was said to be 79. 'For many years' it went on to say 'she supported and maintained a number of the deserving and aged poor of the town and the full extent of her munificence will never be fully known' (X452/11/7). By her first marriage Hannah had six children but only one survived. This was Henry Burridge, Mayor of Bedford from 1900-1904. In 1885 Henry was residing at 41 Cauldwell Street and he was a plumber, glazier, gas fitter and general smith (Kelly's Directory). By 1894 he was a plumber only. In 1900 when elected Mayor he was living at Cauldwell House, presumably bought from the trustees of the late R B Strafford in 1899 (X452/1/4), and he had gained the dignity of a 'private resident' in the directories. Indeed at this time he was a builder and owner of brickworks. In the deed of gift from his mother he is described as a brick manufacturer (X452/10/2 and 3). However in his application for a patent for 'improvements in motor vehicles and the like' for a kind of amphibious car, he described himself as an engineer (X452/11/9) Henry Burridge was noted in Bedford life. He had shares in the Bedford Chemical Co. (1922) Ltd. (in which his son-in-law was also interested) (X452/8/15) and in the Bedford Club and Bowling Green Co. (X452/8/16). His only daughter, Ethel Beatrice, married Henry Edgar Drew of Chelmsford on 20 November 1915. The bridegroom at the time was a newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the East Anglian Divisional Engineers having previously been a Squadron Quarter Master Sergeant in the 1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry (X452/8/13 and X452/11/8). In 1938 Mrs Drew, then the owner of Cauldwell House wished to sell it to the Bedfordshire County Council as a site for the proposed new technical institute (X452/8/17). Unfortunately the plan and details of the lowest price she would accept as requested in X452/18/17 are not part of this collection but obviously the offer was not accepted. Also in this collection are one or two very interesting items namely the Official Programme of the festivities for King Edward VII's coronation in 1902 (when Henry Burridge was Mayor) (X452/11/5) and the programme of the Grand Shakespearian Bazaar in December 1904 which was opened by Princess Christian the first day and Lady French the second. Many of the stalls were decorated to represent the plays of Shakespeare and the programme itself is beautifully bound in silk (X452/11/6) Outline pedigree of the Burridge and Drew families Hannah, born c. 1832, died 12 Aug 1911 m. i) James Burridge, died c. 1879; ii) Thomas Markham Hoe, died Aug 1898 | |----------------------------| five children died young Henry Burridge m. ? Pearcey Mayor of Bedford | 1900-1904 | |-----------------|-------------|---------------------------| Alfred Walter Ethel Beatrice Cecil died young m. Flo m. 20 Nov 1915 died young Henry Edgar Drew | Councillor Mrs Tompkins

fonds

Burridge,
Hoe