Frederick Albert CASTLE (1862–1918)
His wife Mrs Harriet CASTLE, née Merry (1867–1944)
Their daughter Louisa CASTLE (1898–1917)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 35, Grave L64½
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND FREDERICK A. CASTLE DIED SEP 30TH 1918, AGED 56
[plus another inscription to his daughter Louisa (1917) and wife Harriet (1944)]
Frederick Albert Castle was born at George Street, Oxford in 1862 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 7 September. He was the eldest son of the basket-maker Frederick William Castle and Mary Wiltshire, who were married at Oxford Registry Office on 23 May 1858. For more information about his parents and five siblings, see his father's grave. In 1871 Frederick (7) was living at 8 Broad Street with his parents and next three siblings. His father died on 23 July 1877, and at the time of the 1881 census his mother was housekeeper to the solicitor John Clayton at 30 Wellington Square, and Frederick (18), who was an apprentice electrician, and three of his siblings were living with her there. By the time of his marriage Frederick had ceased to be an electrician and was a basket-maker like his father.
Harriet Merry was born at Stanton St John in 1867 (probably at Breach Farm, where they were living in 1863) and baptised there on 9 June. She was the daughter of the labourer Job Merry of Studley and Mary Anne Munt of Wheatley, who were married at Beckley on 15 October 1855. Harriet's eldest sister Ellen was born in Cuddesdon in 1857; her brother Thomas was baptised at Beckley in 1859, and Thomas in 1869; and her next three sisters were baptised at Stanton St John: Leah (1863), Ann (1865), and Emily (1869). At the time of the 1871 census Harriet (4) was living at Forest Hill with her parents Job (40) and Mary (39) and her siblings Ellen (13), Thomas (12), George (10), Leah (8), Ann (6), and Emily (2). in 1887 she was living at 7 Park Crescent (now 26 Park Town), Oxford, and was probably in service there.
On 14 August 1887 at St Giles's Church, Frederick Albert Castle married Harriet Merry. They had four children:
- Frederick Ernest Castle (born at 2 Higgins Row, Penson's Gardens, St Clement's, Oxford on 6 January 1888 and baptised at Cowley St John Church on 11 March)
- Catherine Wiltshire Castle (born on 20 March 1893 and baptised at St Barnabas's Church on 21 May)
- Florence Ada Castle (born on 17 March 1896 and baptised at St Barnabas's Church on 10 May)
- Louisa Mary Castle (born on 18 January 1898 and baptised at St Barnabas's Church on 20 March)
The Castles began their married life in St Clement's, but had moved to the Jericho area of Oxford by 1891.
At the time of the 1891 census Frederick (28), who was now a bricklayer, was living at 72 Great Clarendon Street in St Barnabas's parish with Harriet (24) and their first child Frederick Ernest (3).
They were still at 72 Great Clarendon Street in 1901 with their four children: Frederick (13), Catherine (8), Florence (5), and Louisa (3).
By 1911 George (48) and Harriet (43) were living at 4 St Barnabas Street, and all four of their children were still at home: Frederick (23) was a blacksmith; Catherine (17) and Florence (15) were domestic servants; and Louisa (13) was still at school.
Their son Frederick was married in 1911:
- In the second quarter of 1911 in Oxford, Frederick Ernest Castle married Florence Gertrude Clemson.
Their daughter Louisa died in 1917:
† Miss Louisa Mary Castle died at 4 St Barnabas's Street at the age of 19 on 3 March 1917 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 6 March (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
There is no obvious reason why Louisa's grave is in the St Mary Magdalen section of the cemetery.
Frederick & Harriet Castle must have moved to 2 Walton Well Road soon after Louisa's death, as Frederick died there in 1918:
† Frederick Albert Castle died at 2 Walton Well Road at the age of 56 on 30 September 1918 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 5 October (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
Their two daughters were married in the 1920s:
- On 2 August 1924 at St Ebbe's Church, Oxford, Florence Ada Castle (28) of 111 Woodstock Road married Albert Edward Townsend (23), a storekeeper of 16 Bridge Street
- On 3 April 1926 at St Mary Magdalen Church, Oxford, Catherine Wiltshire Castle (32) of The Croft, Headington married Frank Reginald Smith (31), a gasfitter of 2 Friar's Entry and the son of the labourer Thomas Smith.
Mrs Castle died in 1944:
† Mrs Harriet Castle née Merry died at 1 Kingston Road at the age of 76 on 27 February 1944 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 1 March (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
Her effects came to £258 3s. 3d., and her executor was her son-in-law Albert Edward Townsend, who was an engineer storekeeper.
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