Life story retold by Pamela Moss, direct descendant
George LAKE, my 3x great-grandfather, was born in about 1820 in Thatcham, Berkshire (no birth details found). In the 1841 census he appears as George LEAK, occupation unspecified, living with a farmer in Baughurst, near Tadley, Hampshire, close to where his future wife Elizabeth Ann GUNDRY came from. Elizabeth was born in Tadley in 1825, the daughter of Jane COTTERELL, a spinster, who later married Thomas GUNDRY. Thomas died in 1840, and in 1841 Jane and her younger children were in Kingsclere Union Workhouse. Elizabeth was living with the family of Samuel Gundry, Thomas’s brother, at West Heath, Tadley.
George and Elizabeth were married on Christmas Day 1845 at Reading St Mary’s. They were living in Castle Street, and George was working as an ostler looking after horses, most probably at an inn. By 1851 they had three children – the eldest, Alfred (born 1847), was visiting his widowed grandmother Jane in Pamber, Hampshire. Two young daughters – Ann (born 1848) and Fanny (born 1850) – were with their parents at Castle Square, off Castle Street. According to their birth records George was working as a labourer, but no occupation is given on the census record. (By coincidence there was another George Lake living in Castle Square at the time. He was a bricklayer born in 1811 in Bucklebury, but there is no evidence as to whether he was related).
In 1853 a fourth child, George, was born. His birth record shows his father again working as an ostler, and the family living at 1 Abbey Brook. There appear to have been a few dwellings, and a public house, alongside Abbey, or Holy, Brook between Abbey Mill and Abbey Street. The following year a listing appeared in the Billings Directory for “George Lake, beer retailer, 5 Grape Passage, Upper Hosier Street” but it is not known to which George Lake this refers.
George died in 1860, aged just 40, after a bout of bronchitis. The family had moved to 25 Cross Street, and George was still an ostler. According to the notice of his death in the Reading Mercury he was a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters. This was an early form of friendly society, established in 1834 with a shared duty to support and assist fellow members “as they walked through the forests of life” (it later became known as the Foresters Friendly Society).
George was buried in Division 54 (grave no 2646) of Reading Old Cemetery. His funeral was reported in the Reading Mercury on 21/1/1860:- ” On Sunday last the funeral took place of a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Mr George Lake. The interment took place at the Cemetery, and the body was followed by 60 members, each wearing a black sash etc. in accordance with the rules; the effect was solemn and it must have been gratifying to the friends of the deceased to witness so many brothers paying their last tribute of respect to a departed member. The deceased had belonged to the order for 14 years. The widow received 10L to defray funeral expenses etc. There was not so great a number of spectators as at a previous funeral of a Forester a short time since. Unfortunately, through a mistake, the funeral procession was delayed a long time in the Cemetery ground”. The Berkshire Chronicle ran a similar report, and put the smaller number of spectators down to the ‘unfavourable weather’.
Elizabeth remained at Cross Street working as a laundress, and taking in a lodger, to support her family. In 1867 she married James SPARKS, a labourer from London, and together they ran the Royal Sovereigh public house in Kings Road. Unfortunately James died in 1874, also at the age of 40, after a long illness, and was buried alongside George. Elizabeth remained as licensee at the pub until her son Alfred took over. She died in 1881 (aged 55) and was buried with her two husbands.
Division 54, Plot 2646