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Thomas CHAMBERLAIN (1790–1865)
His wife Mrs Martha CHAMBERLAIN, née Salisbury (1798–1880)
Their son Edward Salisbury CHAMBERLAIN (1831–1858)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 6a, Grave C55

 

Thomas Chamberlain was born in Long Wittenham in 1788 and baptised there on 27 June. He was the son of the labourer Robert Chamberlain and his wife Ann. Thomas became a bedmaker at Trinity College, Oxford, and was already living in St Mary Magdalen parish In December 1827 when the banns for his marriage were called at St Mary Magdalen Church.

Martha Salisbury was born in Abingdon (then in Berkshire) in 1798 and baptised at St Helen’s Church on 29 July. She was the daughter of Edward Salisbury, who was a labourer, and his wife Ann.

On 3 January 1828 at St Helen's Church, Abingdon, Thomas Chamberlain married Martha Salisbury. They had the following children:

• Elizabeth Ann Chamberlain (born at 1 Beaumont Buildings, Oxford in 1829 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church:on 19 July)
• Edward Salisbury Chamberlain (born at 1 Beaumont Buildings, Oxford in 1831 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church:on 1 January 1832)
• Mary Susan Chamberlain (born at 1 Beaumont Buildings, Oxford in 1833 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church:on 24 July)
• Caroline Chamberlain (born at 1 Beaumont Buildings, Oxford in 1835 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church:on 26 April)
• John Thomas Chamberlain (born at 1 Beaumont Buildings, Oxford in 1839 and baptised on at St Mary Magdalen Church:2 April).

At the time of the 1841 census Thomas Chamberlain (described as a college servant) was living at Beaumont Buildings in St Mary Magdalen parish, Oxford with his wife Martha and their five children.

In 1851 the address was given more precisely as 1 Beaumont Buildings. Thomas (60) and Martha (50) were at home with Elizabeth Ann (21), Mary Susan (17), Caroline (16), and John Thomas (12). Their elder son Edward (19), who was a clerk to an ale & porter merchant, was paying a business visit to Marylebone.

On the evening of Friday 23 June 1854, Thomas and Martha Chamberlain suffered a terrible tragedy when their three daughters Elizabeth Ann (25), Mary Susan (21), and Caroline (19) were taken by boat to Iffley by two young grocers, and on their return journey the boat capsized on the Thames opposite the Isis Tavern, and all five young people were drowned. They were all buried together in a double plot: see separate grave, which also has more information about the accident.

Four years later the Chamberlains also lost their elder son, and he was buried in a new grave in St Sepulchre’s:

† Edward Salisbury Chamberlain died at Beaumont Buildings at the age of 27 on 28 December 1858 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 4 January 1859 (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

At the time of the 1861 census Thomas Chamberlain (72) was described as a retired servant, and he and his wife Martha were living alone at 1 Beaumont Buildings. They moved to the Cowley Road soon afterwards, where Thomas died in 1865. He was buried with his son Edward:

† Thomas Salisbury died at the Cowley Road at the age of 78 in October 1865 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 7 October (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

At the time of the 1871 census Martha Chamberlain (73), described as an annuitant, was living at 11 Cowley Terrace, Cowley Road with her only surviving child, John Thomas Chamberlain (31), who was then an unemployed commercial clerk.

Martha died at the Cowley Road in 1880 at the age of 83 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s with her husband and son Edward on 20 September.

† Mrs Martha Chamberlain, née Salisbury died at the Cowley Road at the age of 83 in September 1880 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 20 September (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

The only surviving member of the family, John Thomas Chamberlain, never married. At the time of the 1881 census he was a bursar’s clerk, living alone at 62 Cowley Road, which was described as being part of Cowley Terrace and was probably his parents’ old house. He continued to work as a college servant, and in 1891 was lodging at 202 Cowley Road, and in 1901 at 54 Walton Street. He died at the age of 79 in 1917 (reg. Headington district fourth quarter).