Hester Mary Begadon 1907-1992
Hester Mary BEGADON is my great grandmother. She was born in Waterford, Ireland on 14 December 1907. Her parents are Patrick Joseph BEGADON and Hester Ellen BUTLER BRYAN.
1911 Census
In 1911, Hester Mary BEGADON was living at 17 Foxcroft Lane, Portarlington, Laois, Ireland with her parents and siblings Catherine and John1.
| Name and Surname | Relation to Head of Family | Religious Profession | Education | Age | Rank, Profession or Occupation | Particulars as to Marriage | Where Born |
| Patrick BEGADON | Head | Roman Catholic | Read & write | 28 | Journalist | Married | America |
| Vestor BEGADON | Wife | Roman Catholic | Read & write | 27 | Married 4 years. 3 children, 3 living | Co. Westmeath | |
| Vestor BEGADON | Daughter | Roman Catholic | Cannot read | 3 | SIngle | Kings Co. | |
| Catherine BEGADON | Daughter | Roman Catholic | Cannot read | 1 | Single | Co. Westmeath | |
| John BEGADON | Son | Roman Catholic | Cannot read | 5 months | Single | Queens Co. |
1939 Register
In 1939 William and Helen (Hester) GREAVES were living at 73 Blyth Road, Hammersmith, Middlesex2. They had 3 children who were born during the 1930s, but none of them were living with their parents when the register was taken on 29 September 1939. This ties in with the story that when my grandfather was a child he was a refugee during WWII. The 1939 census also says that William and Helen were married, but really they weren’t…..!!
| Surnames and Other Names | M or F | Birth Day and Year | S, M, W or D | Personal Occupation |
| William GREAVES | M | 15 August 1895 | M | Painter |
| Helen GREAVES | F | 14 December 1908 | M | Domestic duties |
Marriage
William Charles Stanley GREAVES and Helen (Hester) Mary BEGADON were married on 30 January 1961 at The Register Office, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire3.
William Charles Stanley GREAVES was married to Alice Maud READER4 before he met Hester BEGADON so he was not able to marry Hester while he was still married. Hester was raised Irish Catholic and didn’t like the gossip about them being unwed – so they registered her children under the name GREAVES (instead of BEGADON, which would have been required by law at that time), and told everyone that they were married. Then, as soon as they were able to, they married in the Registry Office in secret.
| When Married | Name and Surname | Age | Condition | Rank or Profession | Residence | Father’s Name and Surname | Rank or Profession of Father |
| 30 January 1961 | William Charles Stanley GREAVES | 65 years | Previous marriage dissolved | Painter | 1 Elm Road, Booker, High Wycombe | Harry GREAVES (deceased) | Painter |
| Helen GREAVES formerly known as BEGADON | 52 years | Spinster | Domestic worker | 1 Elm Road, Booker, High Wycombe | Patrick Joseph BEGADON (deceased) | Journalist |
Death
Hester Mary BEGADON (Helen GREAVES) died on 31 May 1992 at General Hospital in Amersham5. She was cremated at Chilterns Crematorium, Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
| Date and Place of Death: | 31 May 1992. General Hospital, Amersham |
| Name and Surname: | Helen GREAVES formerly known as Esther Mary GREAVES |
| Maiden Name: | BEGADON |
| Sex: | Female |
| Date and Place of Birth: | 14 December 1908 – Republic of Ireland |
| Occupation and Usual Address: | Widow of William Charles Stanley GREAVES – Painter and decorator (retired). 8 Sycamore Road, Booker, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
| Name of Informant: | Ronald Henry GREAVES |
| Qualification: | Son. Present at the death. 6 Bay Tree Rise, Calcot, Reading, Berkshire |
| Cause of death: | 1a. Acute Myocardial Infarct. 2. Cerebrovascular Disease. Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. |
| Date of Registration: | 01 June 1992 |
Family Members:
| Husband: | William Charles Stanley GREAVES 1895-1981 |
| Father: | Patrick Joseph BEGADON 1882-1954 |
| Mother: | Hester Ellen BUTLER BRYAN 1879-1944 |
Please note that all content on this site is copyright protected. The information is shared on this site to assist with family history research, but the text and images remain the property of the author and are not to be used without permission.
Sources:
- Census Records. Ireland. Portarlington South. Queen’s Co. 02 April 1911. BEGADON, Patrick (head). Household 17. http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie : accessed 19 October 2020
- 1939 Register. England & Wales. Hammersmith. London. GREAVES, William C.S. 29 September 1939. RG 101 223E. National Archives (Great Britain), Kew, England. Collection: 1939 Register. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 19 October 2020
- Marriages (CR) England. Wycombe. Buckinghamshire. 30 January 1961. GREAVES, William Charles Stanley and BEGADON, Helen. Entry No. 47.
- Marriage Index (CR) England. Hackney. London. 2nd Q., 1924. GREAVES, William C S. and READER, Alice. Vol 1b. Page 957. Collection: England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 19 October 2020
- Deaths (CR) England. Amersham, Buckinghamshire. 31 May 1992. GREAVES, Helen. Entry No. 247.
3 Comments