Miss Elizabeth EAST (1798–1878)
Her relation William EAST (c.1834–1908)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 8, Grave D62
IN AFFECTIONATE
REMEMBRANCE OF
[IHS symbol]
ELIZABETH EAST
WHO DIED MARCH 28, 1878
AGED 80.
WHO SERVED FAITHFULLY IN THE
FAMILY OF THE LATE
CHARLES FOSTER
UPWARDS OF 60 YEARS.
ALSO OF
WILLIAM EAST
WHO DIED NOV. 10, 1908
AGED 74
Elizabeth East was born in Bicester in 1798 and baptised there on 5 December. She was the daughter of Aaron East and Mary Chapman, who were married at Bicester on 23 December 1790. Her eight siblings were also baptised at Bicester: Thomas (1791), Abraham (1792), Ann (1796), Catherine (1800), Aaron (1802), twins Catherine and Maria (1804), and another Maria (1806).
Elizabeth (18) became the servant of the family of the draper Charles Foster around the time of his marriage in about 1816, and remained with them for over 60 years until her death in 1878. Initially she lived with the Fosters over their shop at 105 High Street, but when Charles Foster retired in about 1835, they all moved to 15 St John Street.
Elizabeth is listed as a servant of the family at 15 St John Street in the 1841 and 1851 censuses.
Her employer Charles Foster died in March 1853, and at the time of the 1861 census she was working for his widow Sarah (73) and her daughter Eleanor Rebecca (39).
Mrs Sarah Foster died in February 1863, and Elizabeth East continued as the servant of her daughter Miss (Eleanor) Rebecca Foster, who started to run a boarding house at 15 St John Street.
At the time of the 1871 Elizabeth (73) was described as the housekeeper of Miss Rebecca Foster.
She died in 1878 in the home of Miss Foster, who probably arranged for this headstone for her:
† Miss Elizabeth East died at 15 St John Street at the age of 80 on 28 March 1878 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 30 March (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
Her death notice read, “March 28, at 15, St. John-street, Oxford, Elizabeth East, for upwards of 50 years the faithful and attached servant in the family of the late Charles Foster; greatly respected.”
William East was born in c.1834, but is hard to find in the censuses. He must be a relation of Elizabeth East, probably an unmarried nephew, and he worked as a schoolmaster.
His home was at Charlton-on-Otmoor in 1908, when he died at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford.
† William East died at the Radcliffe Infirmary at the age of 74 on 10 November 1908 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 13 November (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).
His effects came to £87 15s. 8d., and his probate record described him as a retired schoolmaster.
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