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Charles HASTINGS (1838–1888)
His wife Mary Ann HASTINGS, née Acott (1836/7–1889)
[Their daughter Sarah Louisa HASTINGS (1863–1869), buried elsewhere]
Their son James Charles HASTINGS (1874–1875)
Their twin daughters Edith Mary HASTINGS (1867–1878)
and Florence Anne HASTINGS (1867–1881)
St Mary Magdalen section: Row 31, Grave L65

Charles Hastings was born in Oxford in 1837/8, the son of James Hastings (born in Wytham in 1814/15) and his wife Sarah Brain(s) (born in Fritwell in 1806 and baptised there on 9 September), who were married at St Ebbe’s Church on 26 December 1836. At the time of the 1851 census Charles (13) was was already working as a printer’s boy. He was then living with his parents and siblings in Clarendon Street, Oxford, and his father was working as a college servant. Charles was presumably apprenticed to a saddler when he was 14, as that became his trade.

Mary Ann Acott was born in Oxford in 1835/6, the daughter of James Acott (born in Oxford in 1810/11) and Sophia (born in Oxford in 1808/9). At the time of the 1851 census when she was 15, she was living at 4 Abbey Place, St Ebbe’s with her parents and siblings: her father was a carpenter. By the time of her marriage, she was living in Orchard Street.

On 16 August 1860 at St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford, Charles Hastings junior married Mary Ann Acott, and they had the following children:

• Elizabeth Lucy Hastings (born in Castle Street, Oxford in 1861 and baptised at St Peter-le-Bailey Church on 7 July)
• Sarah Louisa Hastings (born at Church Street, St Ebbe’s, Oxford in 1863 and baptised at St Ebbe’s Church on 28 June)
• Edith Mary Hastings (twin, born in Oxford in 1867, baptised at St Thomas’s Church on 11 August)
• Florence Ann Hastings (twin, born in Oxford in 1867, baptised with Edith above)
• James Charles Hastings (born in Oxford in 1873 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 14 December)

At the time of the 1861 census Charles (23) and Mary Ann (25) were newly married and living alone in Castle Street, and Charles was working as a saddler. By 1863 they had moved to Church Street in St Ebbe’s.

By the time the twins were baptised August 1867 they had moved to St Thomas’s parish, and Charles was still described as a saddler: their address is specified as 6 Park End Street in 1869.

In about 1867 Hastings joined the Oxfordshire Yeomanry, in which he served until his death, in parallel with working as a saddler .

† Sarah Louisa Hastings, the eldest daughter of Charles & Mary Ann, died at 6 Park End Street at the age of six in 1869 and was buried on 3 October (probably in Osney Cemetery, as the burial was recorded in the parish register of St Thomas’s Church).

By the time of the 1871 census Charles was the licensed victualler at the Spread Eagle in Park End Street. This was probably nothing more than a beerhouse run in his own home, and he probably also continued with his saddlery business. He and his wife were living there with their three surviving daughters: Elizabeth (9), and the twins Edith and Florence (3).

By the end of 1873, when their son, James Charles Hastings was baptised, they had moved to George Street, and Charles was once again just described as a saddler in the parish register.

Their only son James died in 1875:

† James Charles Hastings died at George Street at the age of eighteen months in August 1875 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 8 August (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

One of the twins died three years later in 1878 (with the number of the house given as 45, but the street was drastically renumbered in 1895):

† Edith Mary Hastings died at George Street at the age of ten on 3 May 1878 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 5 May (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

Both can be assumed to have been buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery, as both burials were recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church.

At the time of the 1881 census Charles was working as a saddler at the house then numbered 45 George Street and employing one man. Their two surviving daughters were still living with them: Elizabeth (19) was the shopkeeper at his saddlery, and Florence Ann (13) was a dressmaker’s apprentice. Florence, the survivor of the twins, died later that same year:

† Florence Ann(e) Hastings died at 45 George Street at the age of 14 in 1881 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 3 October (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

Charles Hastings died in 1888:

† Charles Hastings died at 45 George Street at the age of 50 on 26 January 1888 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 1 February (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

His death notice in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 4 February 1888 read "Jan. 26, at 45, George-street, Oxford, Charles Hastings, Troop Saddler Major of the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars, aged 50", and this obituary was published in the same edition:

MILITARY FUNERAL.—Our obituary this week records the death on the 26th ult., at the age of 50, of Mr. Charles Hastings, saddler, of George-street, in this City, after a painful illness of not very long duration. The deceased had been a member of the Yeomanry, or the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars, as the title now is, for a period of twenty-one years, and at the time of his decease held the rank of Saddler-Sergeant-Major, and was one of the Oxford Troop of the Regiment, of which Major Viscount Valentia is the officer commanding. It was determined, in consideration of his long service and the general esteem in which he was held by his comrades, that the deceased should be accorded the honour of a military funeral, and the members of the Oedipus Lodge of Buffaloes, of which he was a “Knight,” also resolved to attend in a body.

The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, at St. Sepulchre’s Cemetery, Walton-street, at three o’clock, and shortly before that hour the Troop marched with the Regimental Band, which had come especially from Henley for the occasion, from St. Giles’s to the deceased’s residence, and the members of the Buffalo lodge also went thither from their Lodge-room in procession, each man wearing ivy leaves in his button-hole, and also carrying a leaf of the same to be dropped on the coffin at the conclusion of the ceremony. The firing party of the Troop, consisting of eight men, stood on either side of the door of the house in Worcester-street, with their arms at the “present,” as the body was borne to the hearse. Upon the coffin were place a Union Jack, and the sword, busby, and carbine of the deceased, and the pall-bearers were Sergeant-Major Howland and Farrier-Major Tompkins, of the Troop, and two “Knights” of the Oedipus Lodge, “Sir” Frederick Brooks and "Sir" James White. The order of the cortège was as follows:— The firing party, marching with arms reversed, under the orders of Sergeant-Major Thompson, the Band, the hearse, a horse having the jack boots in the stirrups reversed, the remainder of the Troop, about 20 in number, Viscount Valentia, the members of the Oedipus Lodge, to the number of about 45, and then two mourning coaches containing the relatives. The Band, with muffled drums, played the Dead March as the procession passed in slow march along Worcester-street and Walton-street, large numbers of people, who were attracted by the novel spectacle of a military funeral, accompanying. Long before the arrival of the cortège at the cemetery gates several hundreds of people had passed through, and the Police had very great difficulty in keeping out the more disreputable looking persons and scores of children, and it is computed that between three and four thousand persons were present. At the gates the firing party opened out to each side of the entrance and stood with arms reversed while the body, which was borne on the shoulders of four members of the Oedipus Lodge, the procession, and the mourners passed through. The body was taken into the chapel, where the first part of the Burial Service was read by the Rev. H. B. Pim, Assistant Curate of St. Mary Magdalen. Meanwhile the large crowd had congregated so densely around the grave that the members of the Buffalo Lodge formed a circle, and by pressing backwards formed a sufficiently clear space for the conclusion of the ceremony to be performed. The firing party were drawn up on either side of the grave, and the remainder of the Troop at the head, and the Service was finished by the Clergyman. The relatives having taken a last look into the grave, the words of command were heard for the firing party to “present arms,” then “shoulder arms,” “with blank cartridge ready,” and “fire three volleys in the air.” This farewell salute having been given by the comrades of the deceased, the members of the Oedipus Lodge shook hands by twos across the grave, dropping in their ivy leaves as they did so, and the large crowd quickly dispersed, the Troop marching off to the strains of the Band, which commenced playing when a considerable distance from the gates. We should have added that three wreaths of ivy and two wreaths of choice flowers (one of which was sent by the Troop) were placed on the coffin before it was lowered into the grave.

His personal estate came to £282 3s., and his executor was his widow Mary Ann.

Mary Ann Hastings died in 1889, just seven months after her husband:

† Mrs Mary Ann Hastings died at 45 George Street, Oxford the age of 53 on 30 May 1889 and was buried with him in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 1 June (burial recorded in the parish register of St Mary Magdalen Church).

Her personal estate came to £199 1s. 11d., and her executor was the millwright William John Curtis of 12 Worcester Street.

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Their only surviving child

• Elizabeth Lucy Hastings (born 1861) married William John Curtis (born in Old Botley in 1863/4), at St Mary Magdalen Church on 17 May 1887. Their first child Charles Hastings Curtis was born in St Mary Magdalen parish in 1888 but baptised at North Hinksey Church. They then went to live in Botley, and their subsequent children were born there: Edith Mary (1891), twins Frederick John and Arthur William (1893), Helen Sophia (1897), and Hubert John (1904). At the time of the 1901 census Elizabeth’s husband was working as an engine fitter and living with his wife and first five children at Seacourt Villa, Old Botley. They were still living in Botley in 1911, but William was now a farmer; his son Frederick (17) was working on his farm; and Arthur (also 17) was an apprentice to a saddler. Elizabeth died at Seacourt Villa, Old Botley at the age of 50 on 28 March 1912. Her effects came to £158 16s. 6d., and her husband was her executor