Up-date:
03/09/2011
It has now come
to light that Robert committed suicide
I have
just had an email from Anita Schultz
nee Luxton who is a Great Granddaughter
of Robert Luxton (1838) and Emily
Goodall.
She has mentioned that Emily Goodall
could have been of gipsy background and Robert
followed his heart and left home to marry his
sweetheart.
Robert was said to have developed a taste for
alcohol and sadly took his own life (age 63)
after an unknown illness - by placing himself
on the railway line at reading - More to
come.
Robert Luxton was born
at Moor End, Brushford on February 16, 1838,
and baptised in the parish church on April 4,
1838. His grand daughter, the late Gladys
Mary Luxton writes "as a young boy
he was kicked by one of Squire Quicke's'
horses and was lamed for life. The Squire then
had him educated with his own son, but when
he grew up he left Devon and made his way to
Henley where he worked for a local Nurseryman,
(possibly he was skilled at making wreathes
and Bouquets). Later he must have come to Reading
and I think was married in St Giles Church".
Robert was a 14 year old servant in 1881 to
Mr Osmond at Hayne Barton, Newton St Cyres.
He married Emily Goodall in St Marys' Church,
Reading on June 29, 1868. The St Giles, reading
census 1881 records Robert Luxton a 44 year
old gardner living at 61 Rupert Street with
his wife Emily and their children.
In 1891 the family were settled at 9 Gladstone
Terrace, Henley, Oxfordshire but later returned
to Reading where they lived at 65 Carnarvon
Road. Robert Luxton age 64, was killed on November
3, 1901 near Sonning Cutting on the railway
line from Reading to Waterloo. His widow, died
aged 87 in the summer of 1931.
(Age 3)
1841: Census - Little Brushford, Brushford,
Devon
Robert Luxton - aged 30 - Ag Lab - born
Devon
Rebecca Luxton - aged 25 - born Devon
Mary Luxton - aged 5 - born Devon
Robert Luxton -
aged 3 - born Devon
William Luxton - aged 1 - born Devon
(Age 14)
1851: Census - Hayne Barton, Newton
St Cyres, Crediton, Devon -
PRO Reference: HO/107/1887 Folio: 264 Page:
9 FHL Film: 0221037
Edward Osmond - Head - age 54 - Farmer
200 Acres 10 Labs - born Newton St Cyres-Dev
Sarah Osmond - Wife - age 50 - born Newton
St Cyres-Dev
Edward Osmond - Son - age 26 - Land Agent
- born Newton St Cyres-Dev
John Osmond - Son - age 22 - born Newton
St Cyres-Dev
Emma Osmond - Daur - age 21 born Newton
St Cyres-Dev
Caroline Osmond - Daur - age 11 - Scholar
- born Newton St Cyres-Dev
Sally Herring - Vist - age 45 - born
Newton St Cyres-Dev
Eleanor Cann - Vist - age 38 - Dressmaker
- born Broadwood-Kelly-Dev
Jane Robins - Serv - age 18 - Serv-In
- born Upton Pyne-Dev
James Cockram - Serv - age 21 - Serv-In
- born Newton St Cyre-Dev
Robert Luxton
- Serv - age 14 - Serv-In - born Coleridge (old
spelling) - Devon
This appears to be our Robert, I found him on
the 1851 census just 2 records on from his parents
cottage (Fishes Cottage) working as a live in
Servant. On this census return Robert had stated
that he was born at Coleridge or Coldridge as
it is know today. Was he actually born in Coldridge
or did he just think he was like his elder sister
Mary Ann Luxton, as she is on record as having
Coldridge as her birth place
(Age 22)
1861: Census - Pauls Terrace, Exeter
Fanny James - Head - age 39 - Laundress
- born Zeal Monachorum
Elizabeth James - Daughter - age 17 -
Laundress - born Morchard Bishop
Henry James - Son - age 15 - Silversmith
Apprentice - born Morchard Bishop
John James - Son - age 12 - Scholar -
born Morchard Bishop
William Thonis - Lodger - age 22 - Blacksmith
Journeyman - born Barnstable
Robert Luxon -
Lodger - age 22 - Labourer in Nursery - born
Brushford
John Luxon - Lodger - age 18 - Labourer
in Iron Foundry - born Newton St Cryes
- (Robert's brother)
William Partridge - Lodger - age 19 -
Masons Labourer - born Tiverton
John Ingham - Lodger - age 24 - Bricklayer
Jounyman - born *** Oakham
(Age
30)
1868: June 29. Marriage
at The Parish Church in the Parish of St Mary,
Reading:
Robert Luxton age 30, Bachelor, a Gardener
of 5 Eton Place
Emily Goodall age 24, Spinster of Caversham,
Oxon
Father: Robert Luxton a Labour
Father: Richard Goodall a Brewer
Witnesses: Albert Goodall and Amelia
Goodall
Entry 228
- information from
file certificate
(Age 33)
1871: Census - Leopard Terrace, St
Giles, Reading
Robert Luxton -
Head - age 33 - Gardener Unemployed - born Brushford
Emily Luxton - Wife -age 27 - born Reading,
Berkshire
Emily A. Luxton - Daughter - age 1 -
born Reading, Berkshire
Florence E. Luxton - Daughter - age 6
months - born Reading, Berkshire
(Age 44)
1881: Census - 61 Rupert Street, Reading
St Giles
Robert Luxton
- Head - age 44 - Head Gardner - born Brushford,
Devon
Emily Luxton - Wife - age 38 - Gardner's
wife - born Reading, Berkshire
Florence Ellen Luxton - Daughter - age
10 - Scholar born Reading, Berkshire
Robert Charles Luxton - Son - age 7 -
Scholar - born Sulhamstead, Berkshire
Albert Edward Luxton - Son - age 6 -
Scholar - born Reading, Berkshire
Frederick William Luxton - Son - age
4 - born Reading, Berkshire
Sydney Herbert Luxton - Son - age 2 -
born Reading, Berkshire
(Age 54)
1891: Census -Piece: RG12/1157 Place:
Henley -Oxfordshire Enumeration District: 13
Civil Parish: Rotherfield Greys Ecclesiastical
Parish: Holy Trinity - Folio: 40 Page: 15 Schedule:
91
Address: 9 Gladstone Terrace
Robert Luxton
- Head - age 54 - Gardener(Em'ee) born Brushford,
Devon
Emily Luxton - Wife - age 47 - born Reading,
Berkshire
Robert C Luxton - Son - age 17 - Gardener(Em'ee)
- born Sulhampstead, Berkshire
Frederick W Luxton - Son - age 14 - Gardeners
Assistant(Em'ee) - born Reading, Berkshire
Sidney H Luxton - Son - age 12 - Scholar
- born Reading, Berkshire
1901: Census
- 48 Carnarvon Road, Reading
Robert Luxton
- Head - age 64 - Gardener - born Brushford,
Devon
Emily Luxton - Wife - age 58 - born Reading
Albert E. Luxton - Son - age 26 - Single
- Seedsman Shop Assistant - born Reading
Frederick W. Luxton - Son - age 24 -
Single - House decorator - born Reading
Sidney H. Luxton - Son - age 21 - Single
- Biscuit machine worker - born Reading
(Age 64)
1901: November 3, Death of Robert
Luxton age 64, Gardener at Great Western
Railway Bridge, Kennelsmouth Road.
Cause of death: Placed himself in front of a
train during temporary insanity.
Certificate received from William Weedon Coroner
for East Berks. Inquest held on November 5th
1901
Registered November 1901
Entry 109 -
information from file certificate.
I have contacted
Berkshire Records Office they have said that
the Inquest Report has not survived, so below
is a newspaper cutting of the inquest - Beware
it makes grizzly reading.
Newspaper
cutting
Fatality on the GWR, near the "Dreadnought"
- The inquest
The inquest was held by Mr. W Weedon, coroner
for East Berks, at the "Dreadnought"
Thames-side, on Tuesday, on the body of Robert
Luxton, a gardener, age 64 of 65 Carnarvon-road,
Reading, who committed suicide on Sunday afternoon
by placing himself in the way of a Great Western
Railway train. Inspectors Thomas and G. Box
represented The Great Western Railway. Evidence
was given as follows:-
Robert Charles Luxton, a son of the deceased,
living in Hosier-street, Reading, identified
the body as that of his father. Deceased left
home on August 29th without saying were he was
going or what he was going to do, and before
he went he sold some of the furniture. Deceased
had gone off that way several times before,
but the longest time he had stayed away was
five weeks. Witnesses mother was to unwell to
attend the inquest. Deceased often got very
despondent, chiefly because he had been unable
to get employment on account of wounds in his
legs. When deceased was in that state he wound
take to drink. Deceased had a very comfortable
home, and at the time of his leaving he had
his wife and three sons at home. Witness last
saw his father alive on Sunday week, when he
came to witnesses house in Hosier-street. Deceased
told him his leg was better and talked of going
to get work. Witness asked him where he had
been since he left home, and he informed him
that he had been in the Reading Infirmary. He
seemed then better than usual. Deceased suffered
from pains in his head giddiness; he was on
a sick club. Witness had never known deceased
threaten of attempt suicide. The pocket book,
produced was deceased's property, and the words
"Mrs Luxton, good-bye. God bless you. I
hope I might . . . . . . . . 65 Carnarvon-road,
Reading were in his hand writing. Two or three
prayers to God which were in the book, were
written by deceased.
William Taylor, a foreman platelayer in the
employ of the Great Western Railway Company,
stated on sunday afternoon about 4.35 o'clock,
he was walking on the down line towards Kennet
Bridge, when he noticed the head of a man on
the line. Witness went on down the line searching
for a body but could only find the hat. He met
inspector Box and they returned, and found the
body about 15 yards from the head, in the four-foot
way on the down relief line. There was no level-crossing
or thoroughfare there. The head had been cut
clean off, but he could see no blood marks on
the rails, although there was plenty of blood
round the body. The 3.20 train from London had
passed, and was due at Reading at 4.30. The
body was warm when witness discovered it. Inspector
Box went for help while witness remained with
the body, and subsequently a constable came
and together they removed it to the "Dreadnought"
By a Juror: It was very foggy at the time.
Edward Gigg, driver in the employ of the Great
Western Railway Company, deplored that he drove
the 3.20 train Ealing on Sunday, being due in
at Reading at 4.13, but on that occasion he
was six minutes late. As he shut off steam at
Reading, he was on the look -out for the distance
signal when he noticed something small like
a man's head, fly out from under the engine.
He could not see what it was because of the
fog. He did not think anything was wrong and
drove on to Reading. At the station he calls
the fireman to tell the inspector, who was on
the platform of the occurrence.
By Juryman: He could not see the man stand up,
it was too foggy. At Reading he examined the
engine and found flesh and blood on the guard
iron.
The Constable, who helped to remove the body
to the "Dreadnought" said that he
found nothing of importance on the body except
the note-book. Deceased had only one penny on
him.
The foreman of the jury said he met deceased
on Thursday afternoon last in the Cemetery and
had a conversation with him. He seemed very
depressed and wanted to see his wife who was
attending a funeral there. Deceased was rational
in his manner and quite sober. He told the speaker
he had been in the infirmary for some weeks.
Deceased was hard up and he lent him 6d. He
had known the deceased a long time.
A verdict that the deceased committed suicide
whilst temporarily insane was returned.
More on Emily Goodall
1843: Birth
record - Emily Ann Goodall at Henly -
Sep quarter (16 75)
Although Emily has always
stated that she was born at Reading in all the
census returns,
on her marriage certificate she is said to be
of Caversham, Oxon. If
this is the case the above could be her.
However there is also another birth record which
I have included as it could also be her -
Although I would say 1843 would be more likely.
1845: Birth record - Emily
Goodall at Bradfield - Mar quarter
(6 191)
1911:
Census - 65 Carnarvon Road Reading Berkshire
Emily Luxton - Head -
Widow - age 68 (1843) - No Occupation - born
Reading Berks
Sidney Herbert Luxton - Son - Single - age 32
(1879) - Tram - Conductor - born Reading Berks
1931: Death record - Emily
Luxton at Reading - Jun quarter (2c
441) - age 87
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