Birth28 Sep 1871, Kelvington House, St Mary's Cray, Kent-
Death9 Jul 1960, The Cedars, Bere Regis, Dorset
General1st dau. dsp. m. (1) in 1920, Henry Pitt Tozer, (2) in 1931, William Bedford.
Spouses
1Henry Pitt Tozer [3, Birth, Q4 of 1864, Blandford dist, vol 5A, p. 237], [3, Marriage, Q4 of 1920, Bromley dist, vol 2A, p. 1356], [3, Death, Q3 of 1928, Wareham dist, vol 5A, p. 269]
2William Bedford [3, Marriage, Q2 of 1931, Wareham, vol 5A, p. 709], [3, Death, Q2 of 1936, Wareham dist, vol 5A, p. 302]
Notes for Maud Catherine Berens
Her birth index:
Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
BERENS, MAUD CATHERINE PARK
GRO Reference: 1871 D Quarter in BROMLEY UNION Volume 02A Page 337
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In 1911 she was the eldest child, at 39, still living with her parents who were still at Kevington Mansion. Her brother Edward, aged 37 was the only other sibling there so the family of four had 11 servants waiting on them.
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In 1920 a Maud C Berens m. a Henry P Tozer in the Bromley district. This could be her, though at a geriatric 48.
But there was no Taxer in the 1939 Register apart from one Joyce K Taxer. I suppose they could have gone abroad.
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I have ordered her mother’s will of 1924 in the hope that it might give a clue to what happened to Maud.
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In fact her husband died after a mere eight years, in 1928 in Wareham district, Dorset and his probate named as the first Executor one Maud Catherine Tozer widow. Bingo! The marriage was here so it can be entered up.
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In 1939, giving her birth date, she was at The Cedars West Street, Owermoigne, Wareham and Purbeck R.D., Dorset and with only a cook in the house:
First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number
Maud C Bedford 28 Sep 1871 Female Private Means Widowed 82 1
Alice G Oliver (Brown) 04 Jun 1907 Female Cook General Single 82 2
1939 Ref: RG101/6963A/010/13
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After her second marriage, her death index:
First name(s) Maud C
Last name Bedford
Gender Female
Birth year 1872
Age 88
Death quarter 3
Death year 1960
District Poole
County Dorset
Volume 7C
Page 566
Country England
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
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Will notes for Maud Catherine Berens
Her probate index:
1960
BEDFORD Maud Clayton of The Cedars Bere Regis Dorset widow died 9 July 1960 Probate London 12 September to Arthur Essex Clayton chartered accountant and Richard William Loxley Waring stock jobber.
Effects £25045 18s. 4d.
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Arthur Essex Clayton was executor for her first husband.
Richard William Loxley Waring was her nephew by her sister Violet Frances Berens who married a Waring.
I have ordered her will as childless widows are good for listing relatives.
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And indeed she gave go goodly list.
her will was dated 11th September 1950 with a codicil dated 29 January 1958. The executors she appointed both joined in the probate. She listed:
1. Her late husband Henry Pitt Tozer,
2, Her sister-in-law Freda Dorothy Berens
2. Her brother Atherton Berens, husband to the previous Freda Dorothy,
4. Her nephew Thomas Roderick Loxley Waring
5. Her maid Florence Jessie Woolfries
6. Her nephew Richard William Luxley Waring
7. Her niece and god-daughter Lorna Dorothy Arbon Swaffield < not identified
8. Her nephew and godson Michael Frederick Johnson < not identified
9. Her niece and god-daughter Benita Dorothy Barham
10. Her cousin and god-daughter Marjorie Nora Harrington
11. Her niece Barbara Joyce Pepler
12. Her niece Bridget Mary Berens
13. Griselda Mary Loxley Waring, the wife of Richard William Loxley Waring
Now to check the relations…
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Issue hunting:
There is a Lorna Dorothy Arbon Gillen Mahony who died on 23 Dec 1994 of Bath, Avon. This looks like it must be her. lets see if we can find a marriage of her with a Mahony.
There was but one such marriage in England and Wales, of a Lorna Lucas who married a Thomas I Mahony in 1949 in West Hartlepoo. And a Lorna Lucas was born in Hartlepool in 1927 which fits with that marriage. But I don’t think this is her. Though widening it to FindMyPast’s ‘World’ search makes no difference.
There are nearly a dozen born with initial of Lorna D A but no surname relates to anything in this database.
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Now for Michael Frederick Johnson: Therfe are a hundred and odd births with the name Michael F Johnson and I cannot get inspired in that. So hve given up.
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Notes for Henry Pitt & Maud Catherine (Family)
Their marriage index:
First name(s) Henry P
Last name Tozer
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1920
MarriageFinder Henry P Tozer married one of these people
Maud C Berens
Spouse's last name Berens
District Bromley
County Kent
Country England
Volume 2A
Page number 1356
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
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Notes for William & Maud Catherine (Family)
Their marriage index:
First name(s) Maud C
Last name Tozer
Marriage quarter 2
Marriage year 1931
MarriageFinder Maud C Tozer married one of these people
William Bedford
Spouse's last name Bedford
District Wareham
County Dorset
Country England
Volume 5A
Page number 709
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
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