The curious case of Rupert Graham - b. abt. 1834, Chelmsford

[ruthhelen]

I wonder if anyone else has come across this family, or can shed any light on what happened to them? The only concrete evidence I have of them all together comes from the 1891 census in Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, as follows:

Rupert Graham, head, married, 57, printer & publisher, Essex, Chelmsford
Emma Graham, wife, married, 33, Essex, Cold Norton
Cicely/Cecily Graham, daughter, 10, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Cuthbert Graham, son, 8, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Hilda M Graham, daughter, 5, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Harold V Graham, son, 4, scholar, Essex, Maldon
Leo Graham, son, 3, Middlesex, Sunbury
Percy L Graham, son, 3, Middlesex, Sunbury
Louis Graham, son, 1, Middlesex, Sunbury

With such distinctive names for the children, you’d think it would be relatively easy to track them down, but it seems not 

I have found birth records for the three youngest boys, born in Middlesex - Percy Leo S Graham and Leo Vincent S Graham were twins, Leo died in 1892, aged 3, the death was registered in Tendring, Essex. The youngest son, Louis Wilfred S Graham, surfaces again in Tendring in 1907, where he marries Violet Castleton Johnson. He died in Chelmsford in 1958.

I believe Emma Graham could be Emma Devenish, born in April 1858 to Thomas Devenish and Lydia Sach, but I can find no trace of a marriage between her and Rupert Graham, nor can I find her after 1891 (or in 1881 either, when she is presumably already married).

And that is pretty much the sum of what I have  No trace at all of the other children, nor of father Rupert Graham, either before or after 1891. The only other possibility is the death of a Rupert Graham of the right age in Cambridge in 1899.

The only other piece of information I’ve managed to glean about the elusive Rupert Graham is from random newspaper adverts across the regional press in the late 1880s, where he is advertising various publications for sale - the address is given as Holloway House, Sunbury, Middlesex - the address he appears at in the 1891 census. As a slightly curious twist, he’s also quoted as a testimonial in an advert for some ‘cure’ for rheumatism, where he signs as Rupert Graham, Graham & Son Publishers - same address as before… 

Google has so far failed to provide any further information about Rupert and his publishing empire - Holloway House doesn’t appear to exist any longer, although the pub next door in the 1891 census - The Britannia - is still in French Street, Sunbury, now called The Jockey… 

I fear I may be forced to get the 1899 death cert for the Rupert Graham who died in Cambridge in 1899, if only to rule him in or out...

Ruth

[avm228]

Have you identified the "S" middle name that Percy, Leo and Louis seem to have had in common in case that turns out to be an alternative surname used by the family?

E.g. I see a birth for a Cecily Osyth Savile in Maldon, Mar qtr 1881.

[rosie99]

I was just looking at this one 

Births Mar 1883   
Cuthbert St John W    Savile   
Maldon    4a   416

[avm228]

Also further Savile births in Maldon:

Dec qtr 1879: Flora Mary E Savile (died Mar qtr 1880)
Mar qtr 1883: Cuthbert St John W Savile
Dec qtr 1884: Saint Hilda E J Savile
Sep qtr 1886: Harold Vivian Savile

Cross-post re Cuthbert with Rosie

[ruthhelen]

Excellent spot avm228 and rosie99  I think you might be on to something... Off to do some further digging...

Ruth

[avm228]

The 1881 census shows this family in Maldon:

William Saville Head Mar 47 Hawker Travelling Stationer Essex Pleshey
Emma do Wife Mar 23 Dressmaker Essex Cold Norton
Cecily O do Daur 2mo Essex Maldon

RG11/1776/27/11.

[Milliepede]

Just about to post those births and

Mar 1881 Maldon has

Cecily Osyth Savile

I think we are in business 

[avm228]

The death of a William Saville in Maldon in Jun qtr 1890 aged 53 may or may not be relevant.

[ruthhelen]

Bingo - Emma Devenish married William Savil in London in 1879 

So... with the death of William Saville in 1890 (assuming that is he...), Emma married again perhaps..?

Ruth