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John WALKLETT (1825–1868)
His wife Mrs Mary WALKLETT, née Bliss (1827–1899)
St Giles section: Row 3, Grave B39

Mrs Walklett’s name was not added to this stone, but the fact that her burial is recorded in the St Giles’s register although she did not live in that parish at the time of her death indicates that she was buried with her husband

John Walklett was born at Longwall Street in Oxford in 1825 and baptised at St Peter-in-the-East Church on 20 March. He was the son of Charles Walklett, the cook of Magdalen Hall, and Hannah Mander, who were married at St Peter-le-Bailey Church on 24 July 1817. His three older siblings were also baptised at St Peter-in-the-East: Hannah Elizabeth (1819), Charles Robert (1821), and Francis (1823). His father Charles Walklett died at the age of 42 at St Bernard’s Road (then called St John’s Road) on 19 February 1831 and was buried at St Giles’s churchyard on 25 February. It seems likely that the Harriet Walklett who died at the age of 32 at St Bernard’s Road on 26 April 1831 and was buried in St Giles’s churchyard on 1 May was John’s mother Hannah Walklett.

At the time of the 1851 census John Walklett (25) was a college servant at Wadham College, living at 29 Peer’s Row, St Giles with his older brother Francis (27) who was a painter, and Francis’s wife Sarah Jane (daughter of James Bliss and his second wife Sarah Walklett) and their baby. Also living with them was John’s other brother Charles Walklett (29), who was a college servant at Queen’s

Mary Bliss was born at Broad Street, Oxford in 1827 and baptised at St Mary Magdalen Church on 23 December. She was the daughter of James Bliss and his first wife Elizabeth Walklett. For more on her parents and siblings, see their grave.

On 8 January 1856 at St Mary's Church, Lambeth, John Walklett married Mary Bliss, who was described as then being of Lambeth. They had two sons:

• John George Walklett (born at Peer’s Row, Oxford in 1857 and baptised at St Giles’s Church on 27 September)
• Walter Henry Walklett (born at St Giles, Road, Oxford in 1859 and baptised at St Giles’s Church on 4 May).

At the time of the 1861 census John (35), who was still working as a college servant, was living at 12 St Giles Terrace with his wife Mary (32) and their children John (3) and Walter (1).

John Walklett died at the south end of the Woodstock Road (then called St Giles Road west) in 1868:

† John Walklett died at St Giles Road West at the age of 43 on 25 August 1868 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 31 August (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles’s Church).

At the time of the 1871 census his widow Mrs Mary Walklett (42) was a lodging house keeper at 42 Holywell Street, living there with her sons John George (13) and Walter (11).

She was still there in 1881 and her son John (23) was an unemployed bookseller and Walter (21), a gilder. A clergyman lodged with them.

Both her sons were married in 1882:

• On 18 April 1882 at St Peter-le-Bailey Church, Oxford, John George Walklett, described as a bookseller of 42 Holywell Street, married Mary Ann Jordan of New Inn Hall, the daughter of the farm bailiff James Jordan;
• On 26 June 1882 at Asthall, Oxfordshire, Walter Henry Walklett (24), described as a carver & gilder of St Mary Magdalen parish, married Paulina Shayler (24) of Asthall, the daughter of the boot & shoe maker David Shayler.

In 1884 Mrs Mary Walklett would have had to move, as her house was one of those demolished to make way for the Indian Institute.

Her son Walter’s wife Mrs Paulina Walklett died at the age of 27 shortly after giving birth to their daughter Florence Daisy Walklett, known as Daisy. Her burial on 26 October 1885 is recorded in the register of Ss Philip & James's Church, which suggests that she may be buried in another grave in St Sepulchre's Cemetery.

At the time of the 1891 census Mrs Mary Walklett (62) was a lodging house keeper at 19 New Inn Hall Street (now 8 St Michael's Street). Her son Walter (30), had come to live with her with his daughter Daisy (6). He was now working as a painter.

Mary Walklett died in 1899:

† Mrs Mary Walklett née Bliss died at St Michael’s Street at the age of 70 in March 1899 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 1 April (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles’s Church).

Her granddaughter Daisy Walklett was adopted by Mrs Hannah Draper, a widow of 1 Chalfont Road, but was described as her servant by 1911.

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Children of John & Mary Walklett

• John George Walklett (born 1857) was a railway foreman in 1891, living at 12 Plantation Road with his wife Mary and their children Eva (8), Lillah (6), Francis (4), and Elsie (three months). By 1901 he was a house decorator living at 2 Bath Place, Holywell, and had two more children: Olive (7) and Marjorie (3). In 1911 the family was living at 5 Bath Place, Holywell: John was a verger, and his wife was a lodging house keeper. John George Walklett died in Oxford at the age of 75 in 1933 (reg. third quarter).
• Walter Henry Walklett (born 1859) was a college servant boarding in Paradise Square in 1901, and a labourer boarding in Little Clarendon Street in 1911. He died in Oxford at the age of 84 (but recorded as being 88) in 1944; his daughter Daisy, who never married, died in St Albans at the age of 84 in 1968.