Rebecca Bignell

Part of the Earley family tree (Great-great-grandmother)

Family background and early life

Rebecca Bignell was born in the tiny village of Lee [midway between Chesham and Wendover] on 23 June 1840. She was the fourth (of twelve) children of David Bignell (1805–1877) and his wife, Louisa née Fountain (c.1816–1899), who had married at Lee parish church on 10 November 1832.

At the first national census in June 1841, David Bignell (an agricultural labourer) was living at Church Street, Lee with Louisa and their four children, including 11-month old Rebecca.

The family remained at Lee, where a further four children were born, until about 1850, when they moved about three miles east to the hamlet of Chartridge, near Chesham. At the 1851 census, the family (David and Louisa and six children) were living at Chartridge. 10-year old Rebecca, and three siblings were recorded as schoolchildren. Her eldest sister, Susannah (aged 17) was a servant in the home of George Woodman, a plumber, at Aylesbury, while brother 14-year old John was working as a ploughboy at Hundridge, a few miles south of Chartridge.

Her siblings included Henry Fountain Bignell, born in 1847, who was regularly in trouble with the courts, and died a tragic death aged 50.

By 1861, Rebecca had left the family home and was working at Weirhouse Mill in Chesham as a servant to James Clare, the miller, and his wife Elizabeth and four children.

Marriage and children

On 25 July 1864, 24-year old Rebecca, married 28-year old Thomas Peers, a painter, at The Old Church in St Pancras, London. On the marriage register, Rebecca’s father, David Bignell is recorded as a publican [at the Portobello beer house in Chartridge].

The couple’s first child, Alice Louisa Peers, was born at Cobourg Street, Somers Town, near St Pancras Station, on 21 May 1865. Alice was baptised at The Old Church on 3 June 1866, shortly after her first birthday.

Rebecca returned to the family home in Chartridge for the birth of her second child, Emily Mary Peers, who was born there on 25 January 1867.

The couple then settled at Green Lane in Great Stanmore, Middlesex where Rebecca was to live for the rest of her life. Her third daughter, Elizabeth Maud Peers, was born at Great Stanmore on 14 July 1869. Both Emily and Elizabeth were baptised at St John the Evangelist Church, Great Stanmore (across the road from the family home) on 3 October 1869.

At the April 1871 census, Thomas and Rebecca were living at Church Road, Great Stanmore, with their three children. Alice and Emily (5 and 4 years old respectively) were both recorded as schoolchildren.

A fourth daughter, Amy Rebecca Peers, was born at Great Stanmore on 28 October 1871 and baptised at St John the Evangelist Church on 1 December 1872.

Thomas died, aged 38, at Great Stanmore on 10 June 1874; the cause of death was phthisis [tuberculosis], leaving Rebecca as a widow at 33, with four daughters under 10-years old, and expecting a fifth child

Her son, Thomas Emanuel Peers was born on 14 August 1874, two months after Thomas died. He was baptised at St John the Evangelist on 4 October 1874. Also baptised on the same occasion, was Alice, the daughter of Rebecca’s younger brother, Emanuel Bignell (1844–1921) and his wife, Maria.

Life as a widow

Rebecca survived her husband by fifty years, bringing up her family as best she could with very little income, and continued to live in Great Stanmore, at the corner of Green Lane and High Street (now Uxbridge Road), variously described as Brights Square, Upper Square and Top Square.

At the 1881 census, she was living there with her eldest daughter Alice, aged 15, and her two younger children, Amy (aged 9) and Thomas (aged 6). Both Rebecca and Alice were recorded as having no occupation, while Amy and Thomas were both at school. The middle two daughters, Emily (aged 14) and Elizabeth (aged 11) were both at the Red Hill Union School, attached to the Hendon Workhouse on Edgware Road, Burnt Oak.

By the 1891 census, Alice and Emily had married, while Maud was in service in Wapping, leaving only Amy and Thomas still living with Rebecca. Rebecca was described as “nurse sick” while Amy, aged 19, had no occupation and Thomas was a plumber’s labourer.

In 1896, Amy had a son born at Hendon Workhouse, followed by another in 1899. The elder son, originally named Clifford Joseph, now had the name Alfred, and in 1901, he and his mother were both living with Rebecca at Upper Square, Great Stanmore. Both women were working as charwomen.

Amy married in 1910, although her son Alfred continued to live with his grandmother. At the 1921 census, Arthur was employed by Parsons Bakery as an assistant baker, while 80-year old Rebecca was no longer working.

Rebecca died at home at Upper Square, Great Stanmore on 9 February 1924, aged 83. The causes of death were influenza and bronchitis.

Children

Alice Louisa Peers married William Stock (1862–1939) on 3 August 1884, with whom she had seven children. She died in Lambeth in 1946.

Emily Mary Peers married William Robert Branch (born 1868) on 6 April 1890. She had one daughter. She died in Staines in 1944.

Elizabeth Maud Peers married William Hill (born 1878) on 13 April 1899. She appears not to have had any children. She died in Kensington in 1945.

Amy Rebecca Peers married Arthur Williams (born 1885) on 28 August 1910. She had no further children. She died in Elstree, Middlesex in 1945.

Thomas Emanuel Peers emigrated to South Africa, where he married Rosabella von Abo. He died in Johannesburg in 1950.