Henry Nelson (buried 1927)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Nelson
First name: 
Henry
Other Christian names: 
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Unknown
Burial number: 
1289
Born: 
21/2/1855
Died: 
21/03/1927
Buried: 
24/03/1927
Occupation: 
Civil Engineer
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NWS
Cemetery row: 
9
Cemetery plot: 
13
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/pinks.hype.loyal
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Headstone inscription: 
In ever loving memory of Caroline Louisa Murray born June 28th 1844 died June 26th 1926. Also of Henry Nelson, C.E. IRRG. India born February 21st 1855 died March 21st 1927.

Life story

Life story

Henry was born in Birmingham, the son of David and Ann. His father was a sergeant in the 84th Regiment. Henry was baptised at St Mary's Church, Lancaster on 11th March 1855. His father by then was stationed at Fulwood Barracks. By 1861, David Nelson had been sent to India where most of Henry's siblings were born, either in Fyzabad, Seetapore or Lucknow Bengal. The family minus Henry were back in Britain by 1871 as David had retired from the army. Henry stayed on in India, training as a civil engineer working for the Irrigation Department, Public Works. On 16th October 1903, Henry married Mary Eleanor Caroline Murray in Bombay. She was known as "Ella". Their daughter Mary Ella was born on 30th October 1904 in Simla. By 1907, Henry had retired and returned to England with his family. They settled in Worthing, living at "Rayleigh Mount" in Winchester Road. Henry died on 21st March 1927. Probate granted on 13th April 1927 to Mary Ella Caroline Nelson widow. Effects £2362 10s 7d (approx £108K in 2020). Mary died in London in 1952 and Mary Ella died in Lancing in 1977.

Burial researcher: 
Carol Sullivan

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
21/02/1855
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Mary Eleanor Caroline
Spouse one last name: 
Murray
Marriage one date: 
16/10/1903
Marriage one address: 
Simla, Bengal, India

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
21/03/1927
Age (at time of death): 
72
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
Rayleigh Mount, Winchester Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

Worthing Gazette 30th March 1927

"A Viking Ancestry"

The Late Mr Henry Nelson's Career.

Several local institutions including the District Nursing Association, the Blind Association, the National Citizen's Union, the University Extension Movement and the British-Israel World Federation have lost a keen supporter and active worker by the death of Mr Henry Nelson of Rayleigh Mount, Winchester Road at the age of 72. Mr Nelson had been living here for the last 20 years and during that time, his unfailing courtesy, broad mindedness and generous outlook came to be widely appreciated. A member of an old North Country family claiming descent from a Viking who came to this country as standard bearer for Canute, Mr Nelson entered Thomason College of Engineering in January 1874 and passed out as a qualified engineer in September 1875, being subsequently appointed Assistant Engineer in the Irrigation Branch of the Public Works Department of the old North West Province of India where he was intimately connected with and in charge of many important irrigation works, notably the construction of the Mat branch extension of the Lower Ganges Canal, which he carried out in record time and for which he received the special thanks of the Government. His success in this particular undertaking was largely due to his wonderful handling of the native workers, of whose lives, customs and religions he had made a special study, and of whose language he had a masterly knowledge. Mr Nelson retired from the post of 1st Trade Executive Engineer in 1907 and it was then that he came to live in Worthing.

Personal effects
Probate pounds: 
£2,362

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1901 census: 

13 Cornfield Terrace, Eastbourne

Henry aged 46, engineer, Irrigation Dept. Public Works, India. Staying with his sister Margaret and niece Mary.

 

1911 census: 

Rayleigh Mount, Winchester Road, Worthing.

Henry aged 56, retired public works officer, India. Mary Ella aged 41. Caroline Louisa Murray aged 65, widow, mother-in-law. Mary Ella aged 6.

1921 census: 

Rayleigh Mount, Winchester Road, Worthing, Sussex

First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Sex Birth year Age Birth place Occupation Employer
Henry Nelson Head M 1855 66 Birmingham, Warwickshire Retired Civil Engineer Irrigation Branch P G O Irrigation Branch Of The P W D Of India
Mary Ella Caroline Nelson Wife F 1869 51 St Kilda, Victoria, Australia Home Work -
Caroline Louisa Murray Mother-in-law F 1845 76 Norfolk, England None -
Margaret Anne Rowan Wilson Sister, visitor F 1868 53 Lucknow, India None -
Edith Alice Codd Servant F 1896 25 West Chiltington, Sussex General Domestic Servant Private