In April 1891, Robert Burt, aged, was a railway platelayer living in Farm Lane, Hardington Marsh.

Birth

Robert was born at Pendomer on 14 March 1866, probably at Kithill Railway Cottages.

Father

Robert’s father, Walter, was a railway platelayer for over thirty years and lived at Kithill for most, if not all, of that time.

Mother

Robert’s mother, Caroline, was the daughter of George Young, a sailcloth weaver and later coal carrier of East Coker. In 1854, Caroline had an illegitimate son, George Robert Young, whom she raised with the help of her father. When she married Walter Burt in 1862, she left her son with her father at East Coker. These circumstances help explain why Caroline was about thirty when she married while her husband was eight years younger.

First occupation

In April 1881, Robert was a farm labourer.

The turbulent years of 1889 and 1890

During the summer of 1889, Robert discovered that Emily Bartlett of Hardington was carrying his child. Rather than marrying her, he married someone else.

On 25 November 1889, he married Mary Jane Neville at Pendomer.

On 14 March 1890, Emily Bartlett gave birth to her daughter, Sarah Jane. In August 1890, she applied to the Yeovil magistrates for an affiliation order against Robert. However, they dismissed her claim because they considered her evidence against Robert insufficient.^[1] The fact that Robert was married to someone else with a child on the way probably influenced their judgement.

Emily Bartlett was left to raise her daughter without Robert’s financial support. However, in 1895, she married Joseph Purchase, a local farm labourer, which would have given her more security.

First wife

Mary Jane Neville’s early years were similar to Robert’s mother’s. She was the illegitimate daughter of Sarah Neville of East Coker and was raised by her grandparents after her mother married.

When she married Robert, Mary Jane was a domestic servant in Kensington.

Railway platelayer

By April 1891, Robert was a railway platelayer. He, his wife, and their four-month-old son, Sydney, lived in Farm Lane, Hardington Marsh. Five months later, another son, Henry, was born.

Move to London

Mary Jane’s knowledge of London played a crucial role in shaping the rest of Robert’s life.

Robert and his family moved to London and on 25 April 1892, he joined the Metropolitan Police [2]

Mary Jane’s death

After only about five years in London, Mary Jane died in October 1896, aged 34.

Residence

The St Pancras burial register recorded Mary Jane’s address as 22 Eton Street, where Robert remained for the rest of his life. The road is now called Edis Street.

Second marriage

On 15 August 1897, Robert married Mary Ann Giles at St Mary Magdalene Church, Paddington. The marriage register shows them living at 4 Chichester Street, which may have been a temporary address.

Second wife

Mary Ann Giles was the daughter of John Giles, a thatcher of East Coker. She left home as a young woman but is not recorded on the censuses of 1881 or 1891. She may have been living in London well before she married Robert.

Children

Robert and Mary Ann had two sons: Reginald Frank on 6 October 1899 and Walter in 1902.

Retirement

Robert retired from the Metropolitan Police on 22 September 1919.

Death

Mary Ann died intestate on 23 February 1929, aged 70, leaving an estate valued at £139-12s-5d.

Robert and Mary Ann’s son, Walter, died in February 1933, aged 31.

Robert died on 6 January 1935, aged 68, at the Archway Hospital, Archway Road, Highgate. He bequeathed his estate, valued at £275-15s-4d, equally to his three sons, Sydney, Harry, and Reginald. Although he omitted to name an executor, the probate registry accepted the will’s validity and granted probate to his son, Sydney.[3]

References

[1] Western Gazette 8 August 1890 p. 6; Western Gazette 5 September 1890 p. 6.

[2] Metropolitan Police Pension Registers.

[3] The will of Robert Burt, dated 22 April 1933, proved at London on 18 February 1935.