Henry Bath (1849-1924), Gardener
Henry Bath was born in Southampton during the first quarter of 1849 and baptised on 25 March of that year at St Mary’s Parish Church. His parents were William, a ‘labourer’, who was aged 37 at the time of Henry’s baptism, and Elizabeth, 36. The 1851 census return shows Henry, aged 2, living at 7 Craven Street, in St Mary’s parish, with his parents and six siblings (three brothers and three sisters). Ten years later, now described as a ‘scholar’, he was still living at the same address with his parents and three of his siblings (three brothers). His father’s occupation at this point is shown in the 1861 census as ‘garden labourer’. By 1871 the family had moved to 10 Lower Bannister Street in the parish of All Saints, where Henry and two brothers were still living with their parents. Henry’s occupation listed in the 1871 census, like that of his father, was ‘garden labourer’.
On 13 July 1873, Henry married Emma Maria Lawrence, who had been born in Salisbury, at St Luke’s Parish Church. Initially they lived at 28 Bevois Place moving to 42 Bevois Place in 1875/6. By 1881 they had three children one girl and three boys and at the time of the census were still living at 42 Bevois Place in St Mary’s parish. Henry’s occupation is shown as ‘hort(cultural) labourer gardener’ in the census return. Between 1881 and 1891 Henry, Emma and the children moved to 35 Bevois Valley Road in the civil parish of South Stoneham. By now they had another son and a daughter. Henry’s occupation in the 1891 census return was recorded simply as ‘gardener’. By the time of the 1901 census, Emma had died in 1900 and a housekeeper, Maria Kate Devonshire, was in residence. Henry, three of his children and Maria were living at 5 Mount Pleasant Road in Portswood and his occupation was ‘gardener jobbing’. In the third quarter of 1903 Henry married his housekeeper. Sadly, however, Maria died two years later. By that time they had moved to 140 Earls Road.
On 13 July 1873, Henry married Emma Maria Lawrence, who had been born in Salisbury, at St Luke’s Parish Church. Initially they lived at 28 Bevois Place moving to 42 Bevois Place in 1875/6. By 1881 they had three children one girl and three boys and at the time of the census were still living at 42 Bevois Place in St Mary’s parish. Henry’s occupation is shown as ‘hort(cultural) labourer gardener’ in the census return. Between 1881 and 1891 Henry, Emma and the children moved to 35 Bevois Valley Road in the civil parish of South Stoneham. By now they had another son and a daughter. Henry’s occupation in the 1891 census return was recorded simply as ‘gardener’. By the time of the 1901 census, Emma had died in 1900 and a housekeeper, Maria Kate Devonshire, was in residence. Henry, three of his children and Maria were living at 5 Mount Pleasant Road in Portswood and his occupation was ‘gardener jobbing’. In the third quarter of 1903 Henry married his housekeeper. Sadly, however, Maria died two years later. By that time they had moved to 140 Earls Road.
Once again a widower, Henry married for the third time in the second quarter of 1908. On this occasion his bride was Alice Jane Simpson, a spinster aged 49, who had been born in Portsmouth. In 1908/09 Henry’s address is still 140 Earls Road. However, by 1909/10 Henry and Alice had moved to 45 Grove Road and his occupation in Kelly’s Directory is shown as that of ‘grocer’. A year later, 1910/11 they had moved again, this time to 127 Dukes Road, which was situated next to the railway bridge, with Henry shown as ‘shopkeeper’. The 1911 census confirms Henry and Alice as living at 127 Dukes Road. However, this records Henry’s occupation as ‘jobbing gardener’ with Alice as the ‘shopkeeper’ working on her ‘own account’ at home, so presumably they literally ‘lived over the shop’, the income from which supplemented the money Henry earned from his gardening work. The only other person in residence was Henry’s daughter Jessica Emma, who appears to have assisted in the shop. Whether or not Henry made any contribution to the running of the shop is not known. Since he was now in his sixties, it is likely that over time his gardening jobs declined and his shopkeeping role increased. Later directories for 1916/17, 1918/19 and 1920 show him still in residence at 127 Dukes Road and his occupation as that of ‘shopkeeper.’ In 1921/22 the shop was sold to Norman Porter and Henry and Alice moved to 10 Wilton Avenue.
No specific information about Henry’s occupation as a jobbing gardening has been found. Maps show a number of nurseries in the area where he lived and it is possible that for some of the time he found employment there.
Henry died on 30 June 1924 leaving £493 7s 2d to his widow Alice Jane. In today’s terms this was worth between £20,000 and £30,000. So despite having a relatively humble job he was fairly well off although this was probably due, at least in part, to their shopkeeping business. To what extent he was ‘upwardly mobile’ is difficult to assess but it seems likely that as he got older his economic circumstances improved and he and his wife was able to live in reasonable comfort.
Roger Ottewill
September 2019
Henry died on 30 June 1924 leaving £493 7s 2d to his widow Alice Jane. In today’s terms this was worth between £20,000 and £30,000. So despite having a relatively humble job he was fairly well off although this was probably due, at least in part, to their shopkeeping business. To what extent he was ‘upwardly mobile’ is difficult to assess but it seems likely that as he got older his economic circumstances improved and he and his wife was able to live in reasonable comfort.
Roger Ottewill
September 2019
Listings for Henry Bath
Directory Year(s). Address, Occupation. Pages
Tucker 1874, 28 Bevois Place, gardener, 43, 130
Hants Ind 1876, 42 Bevois Place, gardener, 7, 43
Hants Ind 1 878, 42 Bevois Place, gardener, 8, 67
Hants Ind 1880, 42 Bevois Place, gardener, 9, 83
Census 1881, 42 Bevois Place, hort gardener labourer
Foster & R 1883, 41 Bevois Place, gardener, 10, 83
Stevens 1884, not listed
Kelly 1886, not listed
Kelly 1887 . 35 Bevois Valley Road, gardener, 45, 184
Stevens 1887, 35 Bevois Valley Road, gardener, 134, 336
Kelly 1888/89, 35 Bevois Valley Road, not listed, 44, 128
Kelly 1890/91, 35 Bevois Valley Road, not listed, 50, 155
Census 1891, 35 Bevois Valley Road, gardener
Stevens 1891 ,35 Bevois Valley Road, gardener, 135, 380
Kelly 1892, 35 Bevois Valley Road, not listed, 52, 163
Kelly 1894, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 112
Stevens 1895, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 172
Kelly 1897, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 169
Kelly 1898, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 182
Kelly 1899, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 169
Kelly 1900, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 199
Census 1901, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, jobbing gardener
Kelly 1902, 5 Mount Pleasant Road, not listed, 165
Kelly 1903, not listed
Kelly 1904, not listed
Kelly 1905, 140 Earls Road, not listed, 121, 252
Kelly 1907, 140 Earls Road, not listed, n.k., 258
Kelly 1908/09, 140 Earls Road, not listed, 126, 268
Kelly 1909/10, 45 Grove Street, grocer, 143, 275
Kelly 1910/11, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 131, 458 , 741
Census 1911, 127 Dukes Road, jobbing gardener
Kelly 1912/13, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 138, 477 , 786
Kelly 1915/16, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 137, 439 , 813
Kelly 1916/17, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 127, 484, 797
Kelly 1918/19, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 115, 476 , 783
Kelly 1920, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 116, 482 , 794
Kelly 1921, 127 Dukes Road, shopkeeper, 130, 536 , 787
Kelly 1922, 10 Wilton Avenue, not listed , (retired?), 244, 266
Kelly 1923, 10 Wilton Avenue, not listed, (retired?), 244, 267
Kelly 1924, 10 Wilton Avenue, not listed, (retired?), 248, 271
Kelly 1925, 10 Wilton Avenue, not listed, 256
Note on directories (other than Kelly and the Census):
Foster & R = Foster & Roud’s Southampton Directory (Southampton: Foster & Roud, 1883)
Hants Ind = The Southampton Directory (Southampton: Hants Independent, 1876, 1878 & 1880)
Stevens = Stevens Directory of Southampton and Neighbourhood (London: Stevens’ Directories, 1884, 1887, 1891 & 1895)
Tucker = Tucker’s Southampton Directory (Southampton: Tucker and Son, 1874)