The clerk at St James’ Church in Market Deeping gave her the name Lavina Jane.

Her first name is “Lavinah” on the monument in St Oswald’s churchyard.

Just because a name or date is carved in stone, (or set with letters cast in lead), it doesn’t mean the information is correct, but I think Lavinah is the form she preferred. It is offered in other sources, though some latter day transcriber/digitizers who can’t believe their eyes have gone for “Lavinia”. What does it matter? The three versions all spring from the same Latin root. In Roman mythology, Lavinia is the last wife of Aeneas. Her name means “Woman of Rome”.

A local newspaperannounced that the marriage of “Lavina Jane” to Alfred SAWDEN, a Liverpool chemist, had taken place at the Bishop Street Chapel, Leicester on 8 September 1880. We know from Thursday’s post that Alfred had been born in Sherburn in Hartford Lythe and so, roughly calculated, his journey to the altar had been one of at least 210 crow-flown miles. Lavinah had not travelled as far. It is about 35 aerial miles from Deeping St James to Leicester but, for a fair comparison, one must add double the distance from Leicester to Uttoxeter, giving a total of 105 miles. In the 1871 Census, “Lavinah Jane Hainsworth” is listed as a 27-year-old servant in the household of Edwin Peter MINORS, a Uttoxeter Silk Mercer and Draper. Lavinah was working for him as a “Milliner Assistant”.

As is always the case, I would like to know the circumstances of her first meeting with Alfred.

After the Leicester wedding, the couple set up home in Lark Lane, Toxteth Park, and they owned a property there to the end of their lives. They do not appear to have had children but in 1891 Harry Edward, Alfred’s youngest brother, is in residence, working as an apprentice pharmacist. (The enumerator has changed Alfred’s given name to Andrew. RG12 2940 f98 p8.) Ten years later Alfred’s assistant is Percy W. BOUGHEN (RG13 3441 f110 p6).

Alfred died at 28 Lark Lane in February 1910, aged 58. By this time, the Sawdens had purchased a second home in Filey and Arthur was brought to St Oswald’s for burial. Probate was granted to Lavinah and her brother in law Arthur Jabez.

The current value of Alfred’s effects is about one and a quarter million pounds.

Lavinah died six years later at the Filey house, leaving effects valued now at around £109,000 for her nephew to deal with.

To the ever dear memory of ALFRED SAWDEN, died February 9th 1910, aged 58 years.

Also LAVINAH JANE, wife of ALFRED SAWDEN, died January 5th 1916, aged 73 years

‘The memory of the just is blessed’

I searched newspapers for reports of Arthur and Lavinah’s exploits but didn’t find anything noteworthy. There was however, this sad event in 1885.

Tree 55 · Church Ravine

“A close up of a tree.” Google gets it right this time. (I think it is a beech.)