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Marriage and the In-Laws
(1791–1844)
Something that almost always comes along with a marriage are the in-laws. For William George Nixey, this was to be the Pitt family. His wife to be, Charlotte Pitt, was born at Slough on 14th February 1820. She was the second of four children of John Pitt, a carpenter and the landlord of the Pied Horse public house at Slough, and his wife Elizabeth née Goodman, who had been married on 18th March 1817 at St. George Hanover Square in London.
John Pitt was baptised at St. Lawrence’s, Upton-cum-Chalvey on 1st April 1793, the son of William and Mary. It’s likely that Elizabeth was the daughter of Francis and Mary Goodman, who was born on 2nd June 1791, and baptised on 14th June the same year at St. Anne’s, Westminster, London.
John and Elizabeth Pitt’s children were all born at Slough and baptised at St. Lawrence’s church, Upton-cum-Chalvey, Elizabeth on 29th April 1818, Charlotte on 19th March 1820, Augusta on 21st October 1821, and William Francis on 29th June 1823.
In the Windsor and Eton Express of Saturday 17th July 1824, a large reward was offered for the return of a horse belonging to John Pitt that had been stolen:
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Fifteen Guineas reward. Stolen early this morning, from a field in Upton Lane, near Slough, Bucks, a Black Horse, with bald face, and white off-hind leg: the property of Mr john Pitt, of Slough aforesaid:– whoever will give such information as shall lead to the conviction of the offender or offenders shall receive the above reward – that is to say, Five Guineas of Mr Pitt, and Ten Guineas of E Williams, Eton, Treasurer to the Society. |
The Society referred to was the Salt-Hill Society, which was instituted in 1783 for the protection of persons and property from felons and thieves. Interestingly, one of the original members of the Society was John Pitt (1723–1786), a wealthy London merchant, whose widow Mary née Baldwin married the renowned astronomer William Herschel in 1788. Salt Hill was a village located adjacent to the Western-most extremity of Slough, being shared between the parishes of Farnham Royal and Stoke Poges.
John Pitt appeared in the Pigots Directory for 1830, his address being given as the Pied Horse. Very sadly, their daughter Augusta died early the same year, and was buried at St. Lawrence’s on 17th March. Before the end of that year, John wrote his last will and testament dated 27th December. It reads:
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Will of John Pitt, carpenter of Upton cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire. John Pitt Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Pitt the testator as and for his last Will and Testament (contained in two sheets of paper that is his name signed to the first sheet and his name signed and seal affixed to this last sheet) in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names at witnesses thereto Geo. Adams Surgeon Colnbrook Henry Lovegrove Slough Thomas Nixey Slough. Proved at London on 14th April 1831 before the worshipful Jesse Addams, Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oaths of Jacob William Blincoe and John Ashton the executors to whom administration was granted having been first sworn duly to administer. |
John Pitt died less than two months after writing his will. He was 38 years old, and was buried at St. Lawrence’s on 18th February 1831. The Reading Mercury of March 7th that year printed the following announcement:
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Elizabeth Pitt: Impressed with gratitude for the favours so long a period conferred on her late husband, John Pitt, Carpenter, Joiner, and Undertaker, feels it her duty to return her sincere thanks to her numerous friends, and to inform them that assisted by the Foreman, who for more than 30 years has been with her family, it is her intention to continue the BUSINESS in all its branches, for the benefit of herself and family, and to assure them that every attention will be paid to their future orders. |
The following announcement appeared in the Windsor & Eton Express in its issue dated Saturday 23rd April 1831:
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NOTICE TO DEBTORS AND CREDITORS |
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“Wednesday night the hen house of Mrs. E. Pitt, of the Pied Horse, Slough, was entered, and eight fowls and a rabbit were stolen.”–Windsor Herald, Friday 1st June 1832 “On Thursday evening a clothes line and other articles, were stolen from the back premises of the Pied Horse, Slough, the property of the landlady, Mrs. Pitt.”–Reading Mercury, Monday 26th December 1836 “William Coldwell was convicted in the penalty of 2s. 6d. and costs for breaking a window at the Pied Horse, Slough.”–Bucks Herald, Saturday 2nd September 1837 “STEALING FOWLS. – On the night of Tuesday last, or early the following morning, some person or persons stole from the fowl-house of Mr. Henry Luff, of the Pied Horse Inn, at Slough, seven black hens and two cocks. A reward has been offered for the apprehension and conviction of the thieves.”–Windsor and Eton Express, Saturday 1st August 1840 |
Elizabeth Pitt née Goodman married her second husband, a widower and wine merchant named Henry Luff, on 25th July 1837 at St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, London. The witnesses to their marriage were William George Nixey’s brother and sister-in-law, Edward Nixey and Eliza née Silver.
Henry Luff’s first wife was Eliza Berry, who he married at St. Andrew’s, Holborn, London on 30th July 1833. They had just one child, a son named Charles, who was baptised at St. Lawrence’s Upton-cum-Chalvey on 7th February 1836. Very sadly, both Charles and Eliza died within months of each other. They were both buried at Stoke Poges in 1836, Charles on 31st March and Eliza on 24th May. Henry’s second marriage was also to be short-lived, as Elizabeth died on 27th September 1840 aged 48, and was buried on 5th October at St. Lawrence’s.
In the 1839 edition of Robsons Directory, Henry Luff was recorded at the Pied Horse. Wen the 1841 census was taken on the night of 6th June, his occupation was recorded as a Carpenter, and he was again found at the Pied Horse. With him were his three Pitt step-children, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and William Francis, as well as Edward and Eliza Nixey (Ref: HO107 piece 61 book 11 folio 4 page 13).
On Wednesday 21st February 1844 , William George Nixey married Charlotte Pitt at Christ Church (Greyfriars), Newgate Street, London. The witnesses to their wedding were Charlotte’s sister and step-father, Elizabeth Pitt and Henry Luff. As both of Charlotte’s parents had died some years previous, William George Nixey didn’t literally have a father-in-law or a mother-in-law, but it’s apparent the families had known each other well, given that they had been neighbours in Slough for quite a few years.
A brief announcement of their recent marriage appeared in the February 25th 1844 issue of Lloyds Weekly Newspaper:
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Marriages – On Wednesday the 21st, at Christchurch, Newgate Street, Mr W G Nixey, of Moor Street, Soho, to Charlotte, youngest daughter of the late John Pitt, Esq, of Slough, Bucks. |
No one could have imagined what was to happen less than three months later, but it no doubt sent shock waves through the parish, and was particularly traumatic for the newly-weds. This is how it was reported on in the Reading Mercury dated 15th June 1844:
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Fatal Accident.–On Saturday, a fatal accident occurred to Mr. Luff, carpenter, and landlord of the Pied Horse, Slough. He was dragging a gun from his counting house (it is supposed, unconscious of its being loaded), when the trigger caught and the gun exploded, the whole contents passing through his body, and killing him on the spot. The accident was witnessed by two of his workmen, and his death was so instantaneous that he never spoke after the accident occurred. |
The Bucks Herald of Saturday 6th July 1844 printed the following announcement regarding the license of the Pied Horse public house:
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The license of the Pied Horse, at Slough, lately kept by Mr. Henry Luff, who met with his death a short time ago in consequence of an accident with a gun, was transferred by indorsement to William Pitt, son-in-law of the deceased landlord. |
References
Probate, Wills, and Death Duty Registers:
John Pitt, 1830/1: National Archives, PROB 11/1784, folio 312.
Unless otherwise stated, all newspaper articles can be found at the British Newspaper Archive.
Credits
The pen and ink image of Christ Church (Greyfriars) Newgate, London appeared in the 22nd March 1845 issue of The Illustrated London News. It was found at Wikipedia, and was uploaded by Writer128.