Generation 8

Children of William Richard Cornell (1840-1924) & Ann Clark

William Frederick Cornell (1863-1922)

Born: May 2, 1863, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Baptized August 30, 1863 at Cambridge, St. Paul's.  His occupation was that of Carpenter/Joiner.
Married: Marguerite Annie Douglas on August 4, 1888 in a civil ceremony in Ramsgate, Kent. Marguerite - or Annie as she was known - was born in 1862 in Scotland. It was common practice for British families to send their daughters overseas, often as servants to prosperous or upper class families.  It is believed that Annie was sent to India under these conditions.  Being associated with a prosperous family made Annie become more socially ambitious and put her in contact with British officers.  Annie married an officer named Douglas but he was killed in a riding accident.  Annie returned to England with a bit of money.   She was a strong Church of England member, did volunteer work for the church and had some social expectations. There were seven children of  her marriage to William Frederick Cornell, the first three were born in Horley, the next two in Clayton, a tiny village on the Sussex Downs, in the house beside the church, and the last two in Keymer, Sussex.

For some time there was living with the family a retired Church of England parson, by the name of Charles Whittle. Charles Whittle was in the relationship of guardian to Annie, and was always treated with the greatest respect by the Cornell children. Whittle had had arguments of his own with the establishment, and some of his detractors related "that he was seen in public on friendly terms with persons of a low class" (this in a letter from Rural Dean to Archbishop Tait, 14 October 1871). This may mean that he was not bound by all the prejudices of his time, but was a thinking, sensitive man of democratic sympathies or, most likely, a Liberal, supporter of Radical causes. Charles Whittle died in 1897.

In 1891 William Frederick and Annie lived at 251 Victoria Road, Horley, Surrey, with their two eldest children, Annie's cousin, Ruth Pulham, and Charles Whittle as a boarder. The family moved in about 1895 to Keymer. Keymer was a town of about 1,000 people at the time. They lived in fairly grand style, in Asia House. This house had at least two reception rooms, one with a marble chip floor. Local government was developing in new directions in England at this time. The Keymer Parish Council first met in 1894, and regular meetings followed every two or three months. In March 1896, William Frederick Cornell was nominated for the parish council. He did not win election at that time, but joined the council at the next meeting. He is on record from his first meeting, proposing most of the resolutions to come before the council. He became thoroughly involved in this parish council, and continued so for the rest of his life. He was an ardent radical, who spoke for the working man and small businessmen such as himself. He served several terms of office as chairman of the parish council, the first in 1903. He served on many committees, including the fire brigade, and lighting, and allotments (these are plots of ground rented out to people who want to raise extra flowers and vegetables for themselves), and evening school. The minutes of all the council meetings were (up to at least 1981) still kept In the Keymer Parish Council offices, in the far corner of the Adastra Gardens, where they may be read. There were many evenings when the Cornell children were kept sitting long at the meal table, or went late to bed, because they were involved in heated discussions with their father on political issues.

About 1902, the family moved from Asia House to a smaller house, The Cottage, Parkland Road. The Cottage was built by William Frederick, and was intended to be one of a row of houses, but the rest were never built. A footpath runs in front of the house, right across the garden, and is called 'the lane'. The garden is about 70 by 150 feet, and grew many vegetables, such as beans, potatoes and cabbages, and small fruit bushes of red currents, black currants, gooseberries and raspberries. Annie also kept hens. The Cottage was extended over the years, first by a shed to hold some tools, then by a greenhouse adjoining the shed, where grapes and tomatoes were grown.

Meanwhile, their family was growing up.   Daisy became a lady's maid and companion. Lucy went to America in 1906 as a companion or nursemaid. Fred joined the navy, and became a signalman. Alexander was apprenticed to a butcher, but volunteered for the navy in 1912, and became a gunnery and torpedo man. During the First World War, John lied about his age and joined the army. Stella volunteered for the Red Cross as soon as she was old enough, and helped in the pantry of the Australian Hospital at Harefield from February 1918, then went to Weybridge. All three boys came home safely from the war, although John lost an eye. In army service in 1919. Stella went to Ramsgate Hospital as a probationer nurse in 1919.

After World War 1, William Frederick was Chairman of the Clayton and Keymer Peace Celebration Committee, which held a Welcome Dinner for members of His Majesty's Forces who served in the War.

Most unexpectedly, at age 58 William Frederick died on February 28, 1922 in Keymer, from the complications following pneumonia. Annie lived on in The Cottage, and much of the time several sons continued to use it as their home address too. Fred was a naval petty officer, Alex a post office linesman and John the bailiff.  During the Second World War, there was need for accomodation in the towns and villages for families evacuated from London. A Cockney family was billeted on Annie. She was going on 78 years old and was not about to endure this indignity. She walked out. When the "townies" had gone, and not before, she returned home, and was most distressed to find all her chickens dead of starvation, and no eggs.  Annie died, 17 January 1944 in Keymer, aged 82.  She is fondly remembered by her grandson, Bill Harrington, as a very loving and friendly woman.

• Excerpt from the  Pulham Kent Argus, 12 May 1888 - Pleasant Evenlngs For the People
• On Monday evening, the concluding meeting of the season was held in the Old bethel, under presidency of Capt. P.S.Emmett; there was a large attendance. The proceedings were of a bright and happy character. Various members of the choir gave solos, duets, etc., in good style, and were loudly applauded by the audiences. Miss Carpenter gave a recitation entitled "Our Jim" with good effect. Mr Dugwell gave some selections on the dulcimer. Ethel Butler, a little Band of Hope girl sang "Cash, hard cash", the people joining in the chorus. In some remarks made by the chairman he said he had a very pleasant duty to perform. They knew how earnestly Mrs. Douglas had worked in connection with the choir to give them pleasant evenings. It was thought that her services should In some way be recognised. He felt sure her efforts had been appreciated, which appreciation now assumed a tangible form. He was pleased to ask her acceptance of a silver inkstand as a small token of their esteem and thanks for the efficient help she had given during the past winter. The following inscription was engraved upon it: "Presented to Mrs. Douglas by members and friends of Snug Harbour Lodge, No 801, May 7th 1888.  Mr. Whitmore gave a resume of the work which bad been done during the past winter, showing that 28 meetings had been held, 85 pledges taken, and a great number of friends had assisted to make the meetings effective and attractive. All were thanked and a hope expressed that they might meet again another season. The singing of the Doxology and the pronouncing of the Benediction brought the meeting to a close.
  
• Excerpt from from the Pulham Kent Argus, 13 October 1888 - Pleasant Evenings For The People
• On Monday evening these pleasant entertainments were commenced for the winter under very cheerful auspices by holding a social tea In the Sailors' Bethel, to which about 90 persons sat down. The tables were well spread with good things, which were heartily partaken of by all present.  A very excellent progamme had been prepared under the guidance of Mrs. Cornell, consisting of solos, recitations and readings, which were efficiently rendered by the choir and friends. These meetings will be continued through the winter every Monday evening at half past seven.

Born: About 1865, Nina died in 1866.

Lucy Cornell (1869-1878)

Born: 1869 Croydon District.
Died: 1878 Camberwell District, at the age of 9.

Eleanor (Nellie) Edith Cornell (1873-1954)

Born: June 1873, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.
Married: Charles Henry Brown June 11, 1901 in Cuckfield, Sussex.  Charles was born about 1874, the son of George Brown, a saddler, and he was an upholsterer living in Hurstpierpoint at the time of their marriage.  Eleanor and Charles had three children.
Charles died in 1951 in Cuckfield, Sussex, and Eleanor died in 1954.

Edwin Philip Cornell (1876-1956)

Born: December 22, 1876, at 7 Upland Road, East Dulwich, Surrey.
Married: Ethel Louise Templar on March 17, 1901, at Denbigh Road Wesleyan Chapel, Kensington, London.  Ethel was born November 12, 1878 in Kensington, London, daughter of John Templar and Elizabeth Harradance.

Edwin Philip progressed from being a carpenter to Master Builder.  He built houses in various places in Southern England and the family moved quite frequently.  During WW1, when they were living at Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey, he joined the Royal Flying Corp.  After training as a pilot/mechanic he was posted to an airfield at Lympne, near Hythe, Kent, living under canvas.  The aircraft came by rail, in packages, and had to be assembled on the airfield, then air-tested.  During one of the test flights, Edwin's plane crashed due to a faulty component and he suffered a fractured skull and other broken bones.  After months in hospital he was discharged from the Royal Flying Corp on medical grounds.  He attempted to resume his building work for a while but never fully recovered and had to give up work completely in 1924.  The family had been living at Stanford, near Hythe, Kent, since 1917, and in the early 1920's they moved to Pevensey Bay, Sussex, living in a terraced house facing the sea.  In the early 1930's, all the children having left home, Edwin and Ethel moved to a cottage at Upper Willingdon, near Eastbourne.

Edwin died in 1956, age 79, at Eastbourne.  Ethel died in December 1961, age 83, at Gravesend, Kent.

Emily Woollard Cornell (1873-1936)

Born: June 1873 in Thetford, Norfolk, and christened December 28, 1873 in Cambridge St. Paul's, Cambridgeshire.  In 1881, Emily and her mother were living in Mundford, Norfolk.
Married: Frederick Wyrley Bardell on March 25, 1896 in Walsingham, Norfolk, England.  Frederick was born on September 20, 1867 at Hollow End, Middleton, Norfolk, the son of John Cross Bardell and Maria Back.  Frederick and Emily met in Mundford where he worked at the windmill and she taught at the school next door.  They had six children.
Emily died on February 15, 1936, in Ipswich, Suffolk, and Frederick died September 1, 1941.  Both are buried in Ipswich Cemetery.