Life story retold by Judy Williams
The grave is the resting place of:
Robert Henry BRYANT (1872-1910)
Rosina Henrietta Randall BRYANT (1912-1915)
Sylvia Bessie BRIDGES, nee HIBBS, formerly BRYANT (1879-1938)
John BRIDGES (1885-1955)
Robert Henry BRYANT was my grandmother’s first husband. He was born in Titchfield, Hampshire. His parents were Robert BRYANT, a colour sergeant in the 77th Regiment and Mary Ann RYAN, a widow. They married in October 1871 in Southampton. Robert was in the Navy for 12 years, serving on HMS Orlando, Excellent, Victory 1, Alexandra and Raven.
My grandmother Sylvia Bessie HIBBS was born on Christmas Day 1879 in Blessing, Wimborne to Alfred HIBBS, a farm carter and Mary née FREEBORNE who was the youngest of 4 children.
She gave birth to Henry’s daughter, Elsie Mary in 1899, at Furzehill, Holt, Wimborne. Her parents would not give consent to the marriage. Henry came to Reading to work at the Huntley and Palmer’s Biscuit factory. When Sylvia was of age, he sent the money for their train fare and Sylvia and Elsie came to Reading where they were married at St Giles Church on 3rd September 1900. They lived at 63, Mill Lane, Reading.
Sylvia gave birth to her 2nd child Alfred in June 1904, Sylvia was born in May 1906, Eva in March 1908 and Montague in October 1909. Unfortunately, Henry died of tuberculosis at the age of 37 on 18th July 1910 at 6, Northfield Cottages, Caversham Road, Reading. Sylvia was left on her own to look after 5 children under the relief of the Poor Guardians. She struggled to make ends meet and as a result, Alfred, Sylvia and Eva were taken away to be fostered in Mortimer. Sylvia wasn’t told where they had gone and it was 1919 before she found out and made contact again.
In the meantime, Sylvia meets her partner, George William RANDALL, a soldier, whose parents lived in Norfolk Road, Reading, with whom she lived in Holly Court, Coley.
They never married but had 3 children, Rosina Henrietta RANDALL BRYANT born in 1912, George William RANDALL BRYANT, my father, born in July 1914 and Vera Grace Adelaide RANDALL BRYANT born in July 1917.
George went to fight in WW1 but was discharged as medically unfit in January 1915 from the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Rosina died in February 1915 of bronchitis. George worked as a labourer at the Reading Gas Works, dying from pneumonia in the Royal Berkshire Hospital in 1918 aged 31 years. Sylvia joined the Women’s Royal Air Force in June 1918 and was discharged on compassionate grounds in February 1919.
In 1919, Sylvia married John BRIDGES from Drayton St Leonards, Oxfordshire.
Their daughter Ivy Mercy Irene was born in 1920 and they moved to Stone Street, Reading.
Sylvia died suddenly on the 28th April 1938, aged 58 years.
When I was born, we lived with John Bridges, my step grandfather. He had worked in a machine clothing factory, with timber merchants, was a soldier in WW1 and a railway labourer. He died on 27th April 1955, aged 69 years.
Division 39, Row J, Plot 5792