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John Francis CRIPPS junior (1830–1863)
His brother Charles CRIPPS (1839–1910)
His brother's wife Mrs Rebecca CRIPPS, née Wilsdon (1843–1926)
St Michael section: Row 21, Grave G45½

John Francis Cripps junior was born at Pusey Street (then called Alfred Street), Oxford on 11 October 1830 and baptised at St Giles’s Church on 1 December.

Charles Cripps, his younger brother, was born at 18 Broad Street in 1839 and baptised at St Michael’s Church on 6 October. They were two of the five sons of John Francis Cripps senior and Mary Rowell. For more about their parents, see their mother's grave, which is next-but-one to this vault.

Soon after the birth of John junior in 1830, their father took over the family confectioner's business at 18 Broad Street.

John Francis Cripps senior died on 29 June 1844 when John junior was 14 and Charles was 4, and their mother continued to run the business. At the time of the 1851 census John (20) was working as her assistant, while Charles (12) was still at school.

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John Francis Cripps junior

On 24 December 1860 at St Michael’s Church, John Francis Cripps junior married Hannah Kilby.

At the time of the 1861 census, John (30) and Hannah were living at 18 Broad Street with John’s mother Mrs Mary Cripps, who was still working as a fruiterer and confectioner. John was now a confectioner like his mother, while his unmarried brother George (23) was still a confectioner’s assistant. Again, the family had one house servant.

John and Charles’s mother Mrs Cripps died in 1861 after a long illness

John Francis Cripps junior died in 1863, just two years after his mother, at Torquay. He was the first member of the family buried in this. the second of the two Cripps' graves:

† John Francis Cripps junior died at Torquay the age of 33 on 18 September 1863 and his body was brought back to Oxford and was buried in St Sepulchre's Cemetery on 24 September 1863 (burial recorded in parish register of St Michael’s Church).

His effects came to under £1,500, and his executor was his wife Hannah. He was described as being “late of 18 Broad Street”, suggesting that he had moved down there; but his wife's address was still given as 18 Broad Street.

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Charles & Rebecca Cripps

Mrs Cripps’s youngest son Charles Cripps (born 1839) was a 21-year-old assistant chemist & druggist in 1861, living over the shop of his master, Isaac West, at 67 St Giles's Street.

By the time of the 1871 census Charles (31) was living over his own shop at 65 St Giles’s Street with an assistant and a servant. Rebecca Wilsdon (28). Rebecca, who was born at Combe near Woodstock in 1843 and baptised there on 13 August, was the daughter of the labourer Richard Wilsden and his wife Elizabeth.

Rebecca Wilsdon gave birth to an illegitimate son, Arthur Frederick Wilsdon, in Oxford in 1874, and Charles Cripps was probably the father.

On 5 January 1876 at Holy Trinity Church, Haverstock Hill, St Pancras, Charles Cripps discreetly married his servant Rebecca Wilsdon (33), who was about to give birth to her second son. Charles was incorrectly described as being of no occupation and living at 11 Victoria Road in that parish, while Rebecca, who signed her name with a cross and described her father as a farmer, gave their correct address of 65 St Giles's Street, Oxford.

Charles & Rebecca Cripps had the following children in all:

• Arthur Frederick Wilsdon (born in Oxford, probably at 65 St Giles's Street in 1874, reg. fourth quarter with surname Wilsdon, and baptised at St Paul's Church on 30 June 1879 at the age of four as Arthur Frederick Cripps)
• George Charles Cripps (born at 65 St Giles's Street, Oxford in 1876 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 14 January 1877, but registered with his forenames reversed)
• Mary Elizabeth Rebecca Cripps (born in Oxford in 1877, reg. third quarter but not baptised at St Paul's Church until 30 June 1879, at the same time as her older brother Arthur and younger sister Alice.
• Alice Louisa Cripps (born in Oxford in 1878, reg. third quarter and baptised at St Paul's Church on 30 June 1879)
• Ada Lucy Cripps, known as Lucy (born in Oxford in 1885, reg. third quarter).

At the time of the 1881 census Charles and Rebecca Cripps were living over their chemist’s shop at 65 St Giles’s Street with their first four children and a servant.

By 1891 Charles described himself as a farmer, and they were living at New Hinksey near the Abingdon Road. Their son Arthur (16) was then described as an auctioneer and estate agent.

In 1901 their address is specified as 234 Abingdon Road, and Charles now stated that he was a retired chemist. Their daughters Alice Louisa (22) and Ada Lucy (15) were still living with them.

Charles Cripps died in 1910, and was buried in the second family grave with his brother John:

† Charles Cripps died at 327 Cowley Road at the age of 70 on 14 February 1910, and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 17 February (burial recorded in the parish register of St Michael’s Church).

His effects came to £3,894 1s. 1d., and probate was granted to his son Charles George Cripps, who was a police sergeant, and the bank clerk Harold Joseph Harvey.

Charles’s widow Rebecca moved to Church Hanborough and can be seen there in the 1911 census with two of her daughters, Alice Louisa (32) and Ada Lucy (25); the latter was a children’s nurse. Rebecca died in that village in 1926 and was buried with her husband her brother-in-law John Cripps:

† Mrs Rebecca Cripps née Wilsdon died at Rosebank, Church Hanborough at the age of 83 in April 1926 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 22 April (burial recorded in the parish register of St Michael’s Church).

Her effects came to £429 13s., and probate was granted to her eldest son Arthur Frederick Cripps formerly Wilsdon, who was an outfitter.