• History of Cemetery
• Location/Plans
• Notable people
• Grimsley gravestones
• News
• Burials A–Z
• Current Work
• Photographs
• Restoring a grave
• Contact/Search

Samuel HARRIS (1827–1894)
His wife Mrs Caroline Susannah HARRIS, née Horser (1834–1899)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 4a, Grave D71b

Samuel Harris was born in Holywell, Oxford in 1827 and baptised at St Cross Church on 3 August. He was the son of John Harris (born in South Hinksey in 1797 and baptised there on 17 December) and Sophia Kelsall (born in Headington on 1 January 1795 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 1 February). His parents were married at St Cross Church on 6 September 1819: both were lodging in Holywell parish at that time. By 1820 Samuel’s father was a servant at Lincoln College. Samuel’s had nine siblings, also baptised at St Cross Church: Elizabeth (1820), John junior (1822), Thomas (1824), Sophia (1826), Ann (1828), Henry (1830), Charles Kelsall (1832, died 1835), George (1834), and Charles (1836).

At the time of the 1841 census Samuel (14) was living in Holywell Street with his parents and eight surviving siblings. By 1851 he was a cook, still living at the age of 23 with his parents: their house is now specified as 92 Holywell Street (one of the six houses demolished in 1888 to make way for the New College tutor’s house). Four of his siblings were at home: Sophia (24); Henry (20), who was a college servant; George (17), who was a clerk; and Charles (14) who was at school. The family had one servant. Two years later Samuel’s father John Harris died (death registered Headington district in the second quarter of 1853).

Caroline Susannah (or Susan) Horser was born in St Aldate's parish, Oxford in 1834, the eldest child of William Horser, a servant at Trinity College, and Hannah Suffield.
For more about her background and her parents and siblings, see separate grave of her mother and brother.

On 9 September 1854 at St Giles's Church, Samuel Harris (28) married Caroline Susannah Horser (20). At the time of the marriage Samuel was described as a cook at Brasenose College and was living in St Giles’s Road (the name given to the south end of both the Woodstock and Banbury Roads), and Caroline was living in Little Clarendon Street. They do not appear to have had any children.

At the time of the 1861 census Samuel Harris (32), described as the Manciple of Worcester College, was living at 48 St Bernard’s Road with his wife Caroline (26) and two lodgers (his wife’s brother Cottrell Horser, and an undergraduate of Worcester called Richard Parker). Their niece Emma Elizabeth Hands (9) was living with them, and they had one servant.

By 1871 census Samuel Harris (43) was described as a college cook and was living at 55 St Bernard’s Road with one servant; his wife Caroline was away from home and hard to find; but his mother-in-law Mrs Hannah Horser (70), a widowed laundress who died later that year, was staying with him.

At the time of the 1881 census Samuel Harris (53), described as a college cook, was living at 55 St Bernard’s Road with his wife Caroline (42) and their niece Annie F. M. Horser. They had one servant.

In 1891 Samuel Harris (63), described as a Manciple again, was living at 55 St Bernard’s Road with his wife Caroline (57) and one general servant. He died there three years later in 1894:

† Samuel Harris died at 55 St Bernard’s Road at the age of 67 on 2 December 1894 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 4 December (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

His effects came to £1,087 16s. 8d.

Mrs Harris died just over four years after her husband:

† Mrs Caroline Susannah Harris née Horser died at 55 St Bernard’s Road at the age of 65 on 22 April 1899 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 24 April (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

Her effects came to £220 7s. 2d.