Richard Horton [h.1.7.3]

Richard Horton was the third child of Richard Horton & Mary Phipps born at West Bromwich & christened April 11th, 1852 at St Martin's Tipton, Staffs..

In 1861 Richard was still at home with his parents & older brother William & sister Mary at Groat St, West Bromwich.

In 1871 Richard was a grocer’s shopman, & was with John Gregory, another grocer’s servant in Great Bridge, West Bromwich. There were 4 other grocer’s shopmen living there.

Richard continued in the grocery trade & at some time in the 1870s formed a partnership with Charles Francis Hemming (born 1852 in Little Comberton, Worcs) known as Hemming & Horton. An article in the London Gazette of July 26th, 1881 reveals that this grocery & provision business, which was carried on at 103 New Rd, Great Bridge, had been dissolved on July 19th, 1881. The business was to be carried on by Charles Hemming alone.

NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership hereto-
fore subsisting between us the undersigned, Charles
Francis Hemming and Richard Horton, under the style or
firm of Hemming and Horton, and carrying on business at
103, New-road, Great Bridge, in the county of Stafford, as
Grocers and Provision Dealers, is this day dissolved by
mutual consent; and in future the business will be carried
on by the said Charles Francis Hemming alone, who will pay
and receive all debts due from and to the said partnership.
—Witness our hands this 19th day of July, 1881.
Charlet Francis Hemming.
Richard Horton.

On January 6th, 1879 Richard married Martha Elizabeth Stone at the Parish Church of West Bromwich after the reading of banns. Richard was described as a 26 year old grocer of West Bromwich & Martha was 23 year old spinster of West Bromwich. Witnesses at the wedding were Martha’s father Benjamin Stone & her younger sister Letitia Jane Stone. Martha was born September 1st, 1855 at Lombard St, West Bromwich, the daughter of Amelia Hackett & Benjamin Stone, an iron roller.

By 1881 Richard & Martha, known as Eliza, were living at 60 Old Meeting St, West Bromwich & Richard was a grocer. They had a 1 year old son Denys.

Richard & Eliza's third son, Frederick Richard, sadly died in 1890, aged 6. The cause of his death was croup & the informant of his death was his aunt, Sarah Fisher.

In 1891 Richard was a grocer on the High St, Spon Lane, West Bromwich. He & the family were living at #232-234 High St. In addition to Denys they now had Henry N (9), Sydney H (5), Alfred (3), Oscar (1) & Margaret A (4 months). Two grocer’s assistants were living with them, as well as a domestic nurse & a general servant.

Richard Horton

Interestingly in 1891 there was a grocery business & coffee house run by James Freeth [fh.4.6.1.7.5] in the High St of the nearby Sandwell district of West Bromwich. James was an older brother of Louisa Freeth [fh.4.6.1.7.10] who married Paul Thomas Wall [w.8.5] & whose daughter, Gertrude married Denys Horton – Richard & Eliza's eldest son.

By 1896 when the 3 youngest boys attended Christ Church School the family address was given as Legge St, West Bromwich. Daughter Margaret also attended the same school from 1897 to 1901.

By 1901 Richard & Eliza were living at 37 New St, West Bromwich & Richard was working as a grocer/shopkeeper working at home, the business being known as R. Horton & Sons. Children at home were Henry N, a grocer’s assistant, Sydney H, a junior clerk, Alfred, a grocer’s assistant, Oscar & Margaret A.

Richard & Eliza c1900 (with daughter Margaret?)

Photo courtesy of Richard Horton's great grandson, Richard Horton

By 1911 Richard & Eliza had moved to 15 Oxford Rd, West Bromwich & the census states that Richard was a grocer's assistant. Sydney Herbert was the only child living at home & at age 25 he was a manager in a glass warehouse. It was noted on the census form that Eliza had had 7 children, but only 6 were still alive.

In 1914 an article in the London Gazette of July 14th reveals that son Henry was centrally involved in the declaration of the insolvency of his father’s grocery business at 59 High St, West Bromwich.

Richard died April 23rd, 1929, aged 77, at 15 Oxford Rd, West Bromwich, the cause of death being uraemia due to prostate cancer. The informant of the death was his son Denys of 74 Dagger Lane, West Bromwich. Richard’s funeral was held at St Michael’s, Bull Lane & after a Requiem Mass he was buried at St Peter’s. Richard was a very religious man &, despite infirmity, devoted his later life to furthering the work of the church. It was noted in his obituary that ‘his place can never be filled, & the people of St Michael’s feel they will not be privileged to look on his like again’.

The 1939 Register reveals that Eliza was living with daughter Margaret Amelia Horton at 25 Balmoral Road, in the borough of Doncaster, West Yorks. Margaret was an elementary school teacher & was also an air raid warden.

Eliza died on January 20th, 1945, aged 89, at 257 Ashbourne Rd, Leek, Staffs. The cause of death was myocarditis & senility. The informant was her daughter Margaret.

The children of Richard Horton & Martha Elizabeth Stone were:

h.1.7.3.1 Denys Horton born October 9th, 1879 at Bilhay St, & christened October 20th, 1879 at St Andrews, West Bromwich, Staffs; died August 20th,1966 at Troed-y-Bryn, Arthog, Wales
h.1.7.3.2 Henry Norman Horton born October 26th, 1881 at Great Bridge & christened November 24th, 1881 at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died May 6th, 1917 at Zillebeke, Belgium

h.1.7.3.3 Frederic Richard Horton born February 22nd, 1884 at Great Bridge & christened March 23rd, 1884 at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died April-June 1890 at West Bromwich
h.1.7.3.4 Sydney Herbert Horton born October 27th, 1885 at Great Bridge & christened November 29th at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died April 19th, 1918 at Picquigny, Amiens, France
h.1.7.3.5 Alfred Horton born July 27th, 1887 at Great Bridge & christened August 21st at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died February 9th, 1966 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne
h.1.7.3.6 Oscar Horton born May 7th, 1889 at Great Bridge & christened June 11th, 1889 at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died August 9th, 1961 at Dudley
h.1.7.3.7 Margaret Amelia Horton born November 27th, 1890 at 15 Great Bridge & christened December 28th, 1890 at St Andrews, West Bromwich; died December 25th, 1972 at Skegness, Lincs