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Edward Tyrrell WALKER (1867–1909)
His wife Mrs Maud Mary WALKER, née Smith (1868–1938)
St Paul section: Row 4, Grave A22

Edward Tyrrell Walker was born in Cranham Street, Oxford in 1867 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 25 December. He was the son of the printer's warehouseman William Edward Walker and Martha Tyrrell, who were married at St Paul's Church on 12 February 1867. At the time of the 1871 census Edward was aged three and living at Kingston Road (then in the parish of Ss Philip & James) with his parents and his brother James (2) and sister Charlotte (eight months). In 1881 Edward (13) was still at school and was living at 13 Cranham Street in Jericho with his parents and his younger siblings James (12), Charlotte (10), Catherine (8), William (6), and Martha (4). Edward's father had also taken in his widower brother David with his two daughters, and still had room for a boarder.

Maud Mary Smith was born at Albert Street, Oxford in 1868 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church in St Ebbe's on 29 April. She was the daughter of the deaf-and-dumb cabinet-maker Robert Clements Smith and Eliza Honour, who were married at St Mary's Church, Lambeth on 26 December 1859. For more about her parents, see their separate grave, which also lists Maud's siblings. The family had moved to 24 Observatory Street by 1871, when Maud was aged three. Maud (23) was still living there with her parents in 1891 and working as a shop assistant.

On 27 April 1895 at St Paul's Church, Oxford, Edward Tyrrell Walker (27), a compositor of 13 Cranham Street, married Mary Maud Smith (24) of Observatory Street. They had the following children:

• Ruth Frances Walker (born at North Parade Avenue, Oxford in 1904 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 6 November)
• William Edward Walker (born at 27 Juxon Street, Oxford on 7 September 1906 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 7 October)
• Richard James Walker (born at 27 Juxon Street, Oxford on 17 January 1909 and baptised at St Paul's Church on 21 February).

At the time of the 1901 census Edward, a printer's compositor, and Maude, a bookshop manageress, were living at 6 North Parade Avenue. They were both aged 33, and as yet had no children.

In his spare time, Edward was Superintendent of St Paul's Sunday School and a stretcher-bearer in the 4th “T” (territorial) Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry (which became the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1908).

Edward died in 1909:

† Edward Tyrrell Walker died at 27 Juxon Street at the age of 41 or 42 on 2 November 1909 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 6 November (burial recorded in the parish register of St Paul's Church).

A report on Walker's burial at St Sepulchre's Cemetery in the Oxford Journal Illustrated on 10 November 1909 (p. 9) states that he did not have a military funeral, but that several of his comrades attended in uniform, and that “some idea of the esteem with which he was held in several local institutions could be gauged from the numerous followers to the graveside”. The text accompanied the following three photographs:

• Some of the followers entering St Sepulchre's Cemetery, including representatives of the Typographical and Co-operative Societies, of which he was one of the auditors;
• A group of stretcher-bearers, taken at Beaulieu Camp earlier in 1909, with Corporal Walker marked with a cross;
• NCOs and men of the 4th “T” Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry heading the cortège to the cemetery.

His effects came to £454 12s. 3d., and his wife Maud was his executor.

Mrs Maud Mary Walker was left with three young children, including a nine-month old baby, and went to live with her unmarried sister Frances Smith, who had a shop in New Headington. At the time of the 1911 census Mrs Maud Mary Walker (43) and her children Ruth (6), William (4), and Richard (2) were living with Frances (who had also taken in their father Richard) over the City Drapery Stores at the present 50 New High Street. Frances died the following year, and Maud was her executor.

Mrs Walker did not remain in New High Street, but it is unclear where the family went to live. She ended up in Combe in Oxfordshire, possibly with one of her children, and died there in 1938, nearly thirty years after her husband:

† Mrs Maud Mary Walker née Smith died at the School House, Combe, Oxfordshire at the age of 70 on 11 July 1938 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 14 July (burial recorded in the parish register of St Paul's Church).

Her effects came to £342 15s. 9d., and her executors were her daughter Miss Ruth Frances Walker and her elder son William Edward Walker, who was now a factory foreman.