Lydia Watkinson Barnes

 

Derbyshire Times

The Derbyshire Times, published on the 20^th of January 1934, an article entitled Formerly of Chesterfield.  The article was about the Mrs. L. W. Barnes

Mrs Lydia Watkinson Barnes lived with her sister Mrs. J. Lewis Roe, Norwood Avenue, March, Cambridgeshire. She lived with her sister from November 1923, until she died in 1934.  Her funeral was at Aldershot Military Cemetery.

Lydia Watkinson Melland was born in 1855, in Sheffield and was the daughter of Rev. William Melland and Lydia Fisher. Other family connections were, Helen Kelsall Melland, a cousin who married Henry Asquith, the former Prime Minister.

At the time of the 1861 Census, the 7-year-old Lydia was living in the Parsonage House, Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire.

1861 Census

William 43 years old was the Incumbent of the Parish, whilst Lydia, was 46 years old.  Their two daughters were Eliza 11-year-old, and 7-year-old Lydia.

Employed by the family were two servants, Ann Critchlow, 39 years old, and Lucy Bullock, 20 years old.

Two years later, Lydia died aged 48.

1881 the census records that William who is 60 has moved to The Rectory, Port Eynon.   He was the Rectory of the Parish.

1881 Census

He married for the second time, to Mary Jane Stockall, in 1865.  Their daughter, Mary Florence, was 5 at the time of the census.

Elizabeth Clement aged 20 is the family servant.

Lydia at the time of the 1881 Census is living with her aunt, Jane Fisher at 4 Melville Crescent, St. Midlothian, Scotland.

Jane died the following year.  Whilst Lydia was living in Scotland, she founded the Light Brigade Temperance Society, Leith.  Following her aunt’s death, she carried on her work with the fishermen.  This works she also did in Port Eynon.

Rev William Melland
St. Cattwg church, Port Eynon
credit - findagrave

By the time of the 1901 Census, both Rev. William and Mary Melland had died and were buried at St. Cattwg church, Port Eynon.

1901 Census

Meanwhile, Lydia was recorded as a visitor at the home of Margaret Watson 4 Rembrandt Road, Lewisham, London.  Lydia doesn’t seem to have an occupation recorded.

1902 Lydia married in Leicester Eric Barnes. 

Eric served with the Natal Army under General Redvers Buller during the South African War.  During the conflict, Frederick carried dispatches to General Woodgate at the Battle of Spion Kop, 1900, when his horse was shot under him.  Eric also sounded the reveille for the whole of the British cavalry that took part in the Relief of Ladysmith.

Following the conflict, Eric and Lydia settled down in Aldershot where he a Scripture Reader in the Wellington Line.  Lydia strengthened by her husband work both in Aldershot and at the Church of England’s Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Institute.

Both Eric and Lydia at the time of the 1911 Census, were living at 9 Landsdowne Road.  Eric, who was 31, is recorded as a Army Scripture Reader, whilst Lydia is 39.

1911 Census

Also present in the property is Susan Crowson, a 25-year-old servant.

Eric Barnes
Royal Garrison Church All Saints
credit - findagrave

Christmas Eve 1911, Eric died, and he is commemorated at the Royal Garrison Church All Saints.

There doesn’t to be any further records for Lydia.