Elizabeth Compton Webster [we.12.1]

Elizabeth Compton Webster was the first child of William Webster & Elizabeth Winder born October 29th, 1850 & christened December 15th, 1850 at Burnham, Bucks.

In 1851 Elizabeth was living at High St, Burnham with her parents & her father was described as a corn dealer & seedsman, & farmer holding 130 acres.

In 1861 she was living with her parents & sisters at Dorney Wood Farm.

Elizabeth married Maurice Bayley on February 20th, 1872 at Burnham, Bucks who was a farmer in the 1871 census at Dartford, Kent. Witnesses at the wedding were William Webster, Mary Emma Webster & Chas Smith. Maurice was born April 30th, 1843 at Britwell Farm, & christened July 9th, 1843 at Burnham, the son of Elizabeth Frances Kemshead & William Bayley, a farmer of 640 acres.

In 1881 Maurice & Elizabeth were living at Court Lodge Farm, Sutton-at-Hone, Kent. Maurice was a farmer of 900 acres employing 11 men & 10 boys. They had 5 children – Maurice William (7), Maud Elizabeth (5), Ethel May (4), Arthur J (2) & Reginald Francis G (10 months). Living with them was Maurice’s elder sister Frances Smith who was now widowed. The family had a governess & 2 servants.

In 1891 Maurice & Elizabeth (known as Bessie) were living at Middle Park House, Eltham, London & still described as a farmer. He & Elizabeth now had 6 children at home – Maud (15), Ethel (14), Arthur (12), Reginald (10), Violet Mary (9) & Gerald Norman (4). They had a governess, a housemaid & a general servant.

Elizabeth Compton (Bessie)

(Photo courtesy of Michael H H Bayley)

They were still living at Middle Park Farm, Eltham in 1901 & Maurice was described as a dairy farmer. Helping him on the farm were sons Maurice & Arthur. Also at home was Ethel, Reginald, a student, Violet & Gerald. Elizabeth’s sister Madeline Webster (31) was visiting, as was Daisy W Stepney, a 23 year old medical student. The Woolwich Gazette of September 27th, 1901 reported on a prosecution of Maurice for selling ‘milk deprived of 23 percent of its fat’. He was fined 20shillings & 2 guineas costs. Maurice was in more trouble for adulterating milk in 1905! (Kentish Independent, September 8th, 1905)

Daughter Ethel May married Percy Charles Lamprey, an engineering draughtsman, in 1903 & in 1911 they were living at 5 Boswell Terrace, Lewisham with their 4 year old daughter, Sidney Elizabeth.

Maurice & Elizabeth continued to live at Middle Park Farm & Maurice was still a dairy farmer in 1911. They had 3 children at home at this time – Maud Elizabeth, Arthur John who was helping on the farm & Violet Mary who had married Charles Richard J Harrison in 1907. All of Elizabeth & Maurice’s children were alive at the time of the census. Elizabeth's younger sister, Alice Marion Bradford (51) was also with them at the time of the census, & was described as married & a maternity nurse. Maurice & Elizabeth had 2 domestic servants to look after their 14 roomed house.

Son Gerald worked in the cable service in Peru & was listed returning to England in 1913.

Son Reginald spent a number of years working as a metallurgist on the Gold Coast of Africa, returning to England several times in the period 1916-1921.

Daughter Maud Elizabeth married Thomas Blucher D’Eath, a clerk accountant, on September 14th, 1916 at St John the Baptist, Eltham.

Maurice of Middle Park Farm, Eltham died on February 9th, 1918 aged 75 at St John’s Hospital, Lewisham, Kent & was buried on February 13th at St John the Baptist, Eltham. Probate was granted on May 7th, 1918 to widow Elizabeth Compton. His effects were £5,174.5s.7d.

Elizabeth died on December 28th, 1937 at 26 Southend Rd, Eltham, London & was buried January 1st, 1938 at St John the Baptist, Eltham. Probate was granted on March 14th, 1938 to son Maurice William, retired dairyman. Her effects were £5,033.19s.10d.

The 1939 register shows son Maurice, a retired dairy farmer, & his wife Carrie Ethel (nee Cantrell) living at 58 Old Farm Avenue, Chislehurst, Kent. In 1939 son Arthur John, now a part-time groundsman & jobbing gardener, & his wife Violet Lilian (nee Cartmell) were living at 3 Eltham Green, Woolwich.

In 1939 daughter Violet & her husband Charles Richard Harrison, an engineering draughtsman, were living with Violet’s widowed aunt, Ellinor Bayley [we.12.8] at Woodside Avenue, Eton, Bucks.

The children of Elizabeth Compton Webster & Maurice Bayley were:

we.12.1.1 Maurice William Bayley born February 4th, 1874 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died April 6th,1947 at 58 Old Farm Avenue, Sidcup, Kent
we.12.1.2 Maud Elizabeth Bayley born September 13th, 1875 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died Jan-March 1945 in Brentford, Middlesex
we.12.1.3 Ethel May Bayley born December 12th, 1876 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died November 22nd,1951 at 16 St Michaels Rd, Worthing, Sussex
we.12.1.4 Arthur John Bayley born October 13th, 1878 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died July-September 1969 at Bexley, London
we.12.1.5 Reginald Francis Gordon Bayley born April-June 1880 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died August 13th, 1926 at the General Hospital, Tunbridge Wells
we.12.1.6 Violet Mary Bayley born January 8th, 1882 at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent; died November 21st, 1978 at The Priory, South St, Tarring, Worthing, Sussex
we.12.1.7 Gerald Norman Bayley christened May 8th, 1887 at St Peter’s, Eltham, Kent