When A Jackson Met A Henley
Genealogy
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Jeffrey Jackson married Mary Henley on the 14th April 1884 at St Mary’s Eaton Bray. It was a relationship that was to last 63 years. They started married life at 155 The Rye in one of four small terraced cottages and produced 8 children.
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Elizabeth born 1886 worked as a nanny travelling the world and after marriage settled in Oakley near Bedford.
Cecil born 1890 was looking for more than Eaton Bray could offer. One day in about 1911 he jumped on his bike and rode to Southampton. He got a job on the liner Olympic and sailed to Belfast where he signed on to her sister ship the Titanic. Returning to Southampton he signed on again as “Assistant boots “ for the princely sum of £3 15 shillings per month for the maiden voyage to New York. On the 14th April 1912 Cecil was one of 1496 people who lost their life. His body, if recovered was never identified.
Twins Hetty and Ethel born 1894. Hetty married Francis Bowley in 1925 and lived in Leicester while Ethel became a dressmaker and later became a companion to Lady Rhoda Birley the wife of Royal Portrait Painter Sir Oswald Birley. Ethel returned to the village on her retirement.
Arthur born 1896 volunteered in September 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. He fought at Loos and The Somme and while at Arras on the 23rd April 1917 was killed in action. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial (Bay 5).
Gertrude born 1901 married Gordon Sear and lived in Dunstable. She was keen to keep the Henley name in the family and named her children "Henley Sear" as she had been given Henley as a middle name.
More twins Alec and Eric born 1904. Alec married Grace Bleeny who unfortunately died. He married again to Vera Rudland and worked as foreman of the water tower at Wallace Nursery. He moved to Shefford in 1948 and set up a green house business.
Eric qualified as an electrician and lived in Stewartby. He worked as foreman for the London Brick Company until his retirement.
In the 1920s Jeffrey and Mary moved to 38 High Street where Jeffrey ran a Green Grocers business from the back yard. He would also sell his stock from a pony and cart that went around the village.
Mary died in 1947 and is buried in Bower Lane. On her grave the inscription reads:
Mary Jackson wife of Jeffrey… Cecil Jackson Titanic 1912...Arthur Jackson Arras 1917.
After Mary’s death Jeffrey went to live with daughter Elizabeth in Oakley.He died in 1954 aged 92 and is buried in Oakley church yard.
With thanks to Arthur Bowley (son of Hetty) and to Peter Mayne.