Olivia Barnett was the sixth child of Joseph Barnett and Hannah Olivia Watts (nee Allingham). She was their only daughter. She was born at Remenham, Berkshire, on August 24th & christened on November 1st, 1840.
The 1851 census records 9 year old Olivia at home with her parents at Common Barn Farm, Remenham. She was a scholar.
Olivia married Lieutenant Henry Atkins Sampson on January 1, 1859, at St George Hanover Square, Middlesex, by licence. Henry was of full age, a bachelor, Esquire, of Maddox Street. He was christened on August 7th, 1825 at Halstead, Kent, the eldest son of Elizabeth Corbitt & the Rev. Henry Sampson of Cambridge St, Hyde Park Square. Olivia was of full age according to the marriage entry, however she was really only 18, a spinster of Remenham, Berks. Her father, Joseph Barnett, was a Gentleman. The witnesses were Joseph Barnett and C H N Morley.
Olivia & Henry’s first daughter, Josephine Olive, was born prematurely on July 24th, 1859 at Marine Parade, Hastings. The birth announcement gave Henry’s address as Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park.
In 1861 Henry & Olivia were living at Rowney Abbey, Great Munden, Herts. They had a daughter (Josephine) Olive, aged 2, born in Hastings, Sussex. Henry was described as ‘Army Retired Fund Holder’ & also as a farmer of 136 acres employing 4 men & 2 boys.
At the time of the 1871 census Olivia was visiting Elizabeth Weaver, a 45 year old annuitant, in Portsea, Porstmouth. With her were children Josephine (11), Hubert (9), Charles (8) & Gertrude (3). The whereabouts of husband Henry & children Cicely & Arthur are unknown. However the 'Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales' of 1870-72 by John Marius Wilson mentions that the resident of Rowney Abbey, Sacombe (a village in the County of Hertfordshire near Ware) was Lieut H Sampson.
Olivia died on August 25th, 1873 at 40 Treherne Road, Brixton, Surrey, aged 33 years. According to the death entry, cause of death was post Partum Haemorrhage.
Administration of the effects of Olivia Sampson (wife of Henry Atkins Sampson) late of Treherne-road Brixton Surrey who died on 25 August 1873 at Treherne-road was granted on 19 July 1877 to the said Henry Atkins Sampson of 21 York-buildings Adelphi Middlesex Commission Agent. Effects under £100.
Not much is known of Henry Atkins Sampson. According to daughter Elizabeth Gertrude's birth registration in 1868, he was a late Lieutenant Land Transport Corp.
The register of apprentices indentured in the Merchant Navy shows son Henry Hubert being registered in August 1876 in London to George Smith & Sons of Glasgow for 4 years. Henry gave his age as 17, when in fact he was only 15! He sailed on the ‘City of Paris’ in 1876 but a note shows he deserted in March 1880.
At the time of the 1881 census son Arthur was at the home of his uncle Arthur George Barnett at Hampstead Farm, Oxon; daughters Cicely & (Elizabeth) Gertrude were both scholars at 'Summerbrook' ladies school, Redlands Rd, Reading, Berks. Daughter Josephine was employed as a nurse governess for Mary & George Perry, a surgeon major in the coldstream guards. They were living at 67 Charlwood St, St George Hanover Square, London.
Son Charles joined the Royal Navy & there is a record of his service from 1882 to 1884 on a number of ships. His character was described as very good.
Son Arthur emigrated to Tasmania, Australia where he married Margaret Black in Launceston in 1888.
In 1891 Cicely (Cecelia on census) was living at 29 Arthur Rd, North Horsham, Sussex where she was a teacher of english & drawing. The head of the household was Catherine Matthews, a teacher of english, french & music. Gertrude had moved to Horsforth, Yorks by this time where she was a governess at Clare House, Scotland Lane. In 1901 Gertrude had returned south to North Horsham & continued to be a governess living with Catherine Matthews, now a private school mistress. They both worked from home at 54 London Rd.
In 1911 Gertrude was living at Southborough, Tunbridge Wells & was a companion for 66 year old May Shaw, a lady of private means. Cicely was in Ireland at the time of both the 1901 & 1911 censuses at Castlemorris, Kilkenny, the home of Mary & Waller Demontmorency. She was employed as a lady's companion.
Cicely was mentioned in the Will of her cousin Eva May Barnett in 1915. She was of Castle Morris, Knocklopher, Kilkenny. Gertrude was also mentioned in the Will of cousin, Eva May Barnett. At that time she was living at Gorse Moor, Southborough near Tunbridge Wells. Gertrude died on July 1st, 1934, aged 66. According to the probate index, she was of Pineview, Pinewood-gardens, Southborough, Kent. Administration of her estate was granted in York on August 25, 1934 to her sister, Cicely Sampson, a spinster. Her effects came to £1,193/3s/9d.
Daughter Cicely was living at a guest house, 36 Brunswick Rd, Hove, Sussex at the time of the 1939 register.
The known children of Olivia Barnett and Henry Atkins Sampson were:
b.2.9.6.1 Josephine Olive Sampson born July 24th, 1859 at Marine Parade, Hastings & christened August 9th, 1859 at Hastings, Sussex; died Oct-December 1884 at Isle of Wight, Hampshire
b.2.9.6.2 Henry Hubert Sampson born Oct-December 1861 at Ware Herts
b.2.9.6.3 Charles Edgar Sampson christened June 25th, 1862 at Great Munden, Herts
b.2.9.6.4 Julia Sampson born February 4th, 1863 at Rowney Abbey & christened February 5th, 1863 at Great Munden, Herts; buried September 20th, 1864 at Sacomb, Herts
b.2.9.6.5 Cicely Sampson born April 13th, 1865 at Ware, Herts; died June 1st, 1959 at Abercorn House, Hawley, Surrey
b.2.9.6.6 Arthur Oswald Sampson christened August 7th, 1866 at St Luke West Holloway, Islington, London, Middlesex
b.2.9.6.7 Elizabeth Gertrude Sampson born March 1st, 1868 & christened April 3rd at St Mary Islington; died July 1st, 1934
b.2.9.6.8 Frederick Sampson born April-June 1870 in Portsea; died July-September 1870 at Portsea Island