William Henry Higgs (1852 – 1913) 

William Henry Higgs was born in 1852 in Newbury the son of Thomas and Mary, nee Garlick, Higgs. 

In the 1861 census William was recorded with his parents and six siblings in Cheap Street in Newbury, his father Thomas was a general dealer. Subsequently in the 1871 census William was still living with his parents and now seven siblings at 3 Cheap Street. William was a shopman to a stationer, as were his brothers Thomas and John while his father was a stationer. His sister Elizabeth Ann was a dressmaker.

Ten years later in the 1881 census William was living with his parents Thomas and Mary at 33/34 Cheap Street with three brothers John, Arthur and Brice Edward along with sister Elizabeth Ann. Thomas senior was a stationer and general dealer, John and William were assistants to the general dealer, Elizabeth Ann an assistant to the stationer, while Arthur was a draper’s assistant. Brice was still at school and a scholar.

William married Sarah Marie Westcombe on 6 October 1889 at St Nicolas in Newbury. Sarah was born on 20 March 1858 in Newbury, the daughter of George and Sarah, nee Bradfield, Westcombe. She was recorded with her parents and 9 brothers in Bartholomew Street in Newbury in the 1861 census, her father was a brewer and malster. In 1871 and 1881 she was living with her widowed mother and siblings in Bartholomew Street in Newbury.

 In the 1891 census William and Sarah along with their son William Cecil aged 8 months and a domestic servant were recorded at 33 Cheap Street in Newbury. William senior was a general dealer.  

In the Newbury Weekly News dated 9 August 1900 there was an announcement that the partnership of William Henry Higgs, Thomas Farr Higgs and John Higgs who had been running the stationers and general dealer’s business at 33 Cheap Street was being dissolved. The business was going to be carried on by a new partnership of William Henry Higgs and John Higgs.

The following year in the 1901 census William and Sarah with their son William were living at 33 Cheap Street in Newbury and William was a general shopkeeper.

By the time of the 1911 census William and Sarah along with their son William Cecil were living at 2 Holme Villas in Greenham. William senior was a hardware shopkeeper. Sarah and William junior were assisting in the business.

William died on 23 June 1913 aged 62 at his home in Newtown Road and he was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 25 June.  

Sarah moved to Swan Street in Kingsclere soon after William’s death. She was recorded in Kingsclere with her son William in both the 1921 census and the September 1939 registrar. In 1921 she was a miller while William was a cook. Sarah died in 1949 and William in 1943, both in Kingsclere.

William’s parents Thomas and Mary Higgs were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 23 June 1887 and 7 December 1887 respectively. In addition, his brothers Frederick, John, Walter, Brice Edward, Herbert, Thomas Farr and Arthur and sister Elizabeth Ann were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 10 January 1893, 23 December 1902, 29 November 1904, 15 April 1913, 25 June 1913, 8 January 1915, 10 July 1919, 1 April 1924 and 1 February 1936 respectively.

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