Edwin George BUTLER (1838–1906)
His wife Mrs
Kezia Kent BUTLER, née Kent, later Bunce (1840–1921)
Their son
George Richard BUTLER (1871–1874)
St Giles (Ss Philip & James/St Margaret) section: Row 27, Grave J27½
In Loving Memory
of
EDWIN GEORGE BUTLER
DIED MAY 21ST 1906,
AGED 58 YEARS.
ALSO OF
KEZIA KENT
WIFE OF THE ABOVE,
DIED DEC. 8TH 1921,
AGED 81 YEARS.
ALSO OF GEORGE RICHARD
SON OF THE ABOVE,
DIED NOVR 7TH 1876
AGED 3 YEARS & 8 MONTHS.
Edwin George Butler was born at 5 Richmond Road (then 5 Worcester Terrace) in the Jericho area of Oxford in 1838 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 1 July. He was the only surviving child of the tailor Richard Butler and Ann Sanders, who were married Dorchester in Oxfordshire in 1834. At the time of the 1851 census Edwin (12) was living with his parents at 4 Clarendon Buildings, and in 1861, when he was also a tailor, he was living with them at 6 Richmond Road (now 6 Walton Terrace).
For more on his parents, see their separate grave.
Kezia Kent (sometimes spelt Keziah) was born at Hinton Waldrist, near Longworth, Berkshire in 1840 and baptised at Hinton Waldrist Church on 14 June: she was described in the register as the “bastard daughter” of Charlotte Kent. In 1841 Kezia (1) and her mother Charlotte (20), who was working as a servant, were living in Hinton Waldrist with a family called Herring. On 1 January 1843 at Hinton Waldrist, Charlotte Kent, described as a servant, married the shoemaker William Bunce, and henceforth Kezia called herself Kezia Kent Bunce; but it is uncertain whether he was Kezia's father, as there was a gap prior to the marriage. At the time of the 1851 census Kezia (10) was living at Little Clarendon Street in Oxford with her (step)father William (31), who was a master cordwainer; her mother Charlotte (34), and their next four children. By 1861 the family had moved to Park Passage off Holywell Street (demolished in 1890 to make way for Mansfield Road). Kezia (20) and her mother's next child Sarah Ann (15) were seamstresses; William Henry (13) was a reader at the University Press; and there were now five younger children: Charlotte (12), John George (10), Arthur (8), Alice (5), and Susan (3).
On 29 September 1869 at St Helen's Church in Abingdon, Edwin George Butler (31) married Kezia Bunce (28): they were both then living in Market Place, Abingdon. In 1870 Edwin became the first leaseholder of 159 Kingston Road in Oxford.
They had just one child:
- George Richard Butler (born at Kingston Road near the beginning of March 1871 and baptised at Ss Philip & James's Church on 7 May)
At the time of the 1871 census Edwin (32) was living at Kingston Road with his wife Kezia (29) and their baby son George (one month). Edwin's widowed mother Ann (65) had also come to live with them
Their young son died in 1874:
† George Richard Butler died at Kingston Road at the age of 3 years 8 months on 7 November 1874 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 11 November (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles's Church).
Edwin's mother died at their house at the age of 79 on 10 December 1875.
In 1881 Edwin (42) was still working as a tailor and living with Kezia (40) at 16 Kingston Road.
By 1891 Edwin (52) was the licensed victualler of the Gardener's Arms at 43 Plantation Road, and lived over the pub with his wife Kezia (50) and his wife's niece Ethel Bunce (15), who was a milliner, plus a servant.
By the time of the 1901 Edwin (62) described himself as a retired licensed victualler and was living at 16 Leckford Road with Kezia (60).
Edwin Butler died in 1906:
† Edwin George Butler died at 16 Leckford Road at the age of 68 on 21 May 1906 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 24 May (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles's and Ss Philip & James's Church).
His effects came to £1,732 16s. 6d., and his wife Kezia was his executor.
At the time of the 1911 census Kezia (70) was living on her own at 16 Leckford Road. She was still there in 1915, but had moved to 45 Southmoor Road by the time of her death in 1921:
† Mrs Kezia Kent Butler née Bunce died at 45 Southmoor Road at the age of 81 on 8 December 1921 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 10 December (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles's Church).
Her effects came to £1,622 9s. 4d., and her executor was the removal contractor James Cowley.
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