Herbert Dengate
KEY DATES:
Birth: 1866, Sedlescombe, East Sussex
Marriage: 25 April 1893, St James the Great Church, Ewhurst Green, East Sussex
Death: 6 March 1925, Sedlescombe, East Sussex
Burial: 11 March 1925, St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe, East Sussex
BIOGRAPHY:
Herbert Dengate was born to James and Harriet Dengate in 1866 in Sedlescombe, East Sussex. In 1881, Herbert was 15 years old and was working as an apprentice plumber whilst living at home with his parents. He lived almost his entire life in Sedlescombe village, working as a builder, plumber, glazier and carpenter.
In 1891 Herbert Dengate was living in Manor House number 4 as a 24 year old painter with his brother John Dengate and his family.
Manor House Cottages, Sedlescombe, 2002
Herbert Dengate married Hannah Dengate 25 April 1893 in St James the Great Church, Ewhurst Green, East Sussex. Witnesses to the marriage were John Dengate (his brother) and Harriet Alice Dengate (her sister).
St James the Great Church, Ewhurst Green, East Sussex, 2002
Herbert and Hannah had two daughters, Dorothy Harriet Dengate who was baptised 10 June 1894 in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe and Mercy Dengate who was baptised 29 March 1896 in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe.
St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe, 2002
Herbert's sister Naomi Dengate married his wife's brother, James Dengate three years later in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe.
In 1901 Herbert's cousin Ernest Henry Sellens came to work for him as an apprentice for five years doing carpentry and joinery. The below job reference by Herbert Dengate dated 16 October 1906 was used by Ernest upon his arrival in New Zealand to get work as a builder. Ernest saved up £26 of which he spent £17 on a fare to New Zealand. He arrived on the 4 December 1906 aboard the 'Corinthic' and stayed with his brother Frederick William who had already travelled there and settled in Northland, Wellington. The brothers emigrated there to get building work in the fledging country and remained there for the rest of their lives.
When John Catt, the local builder died (also a relation to Herbert), Herbert Dengate, with his brother John Dengate took over his work, continuing to work as a builder at 'Sherralds', but living in 'Ditch's' (which later became Harriet House).
Sherralds (left) and Ditch's (right), both on The Street, Sedlescombe, 2002
Herbert carried out some work for the local land-owner, Hercules Brabazon on Assleton House, "Hercules Brabazon, through Herbert Dengate, the builder, who lived next door at what is now Harriet House, undertook an enlargement of the old house which changed its face for ever. A plan was drawn up, which was recently kindly given to me by Miss Mercy Dengate, the builder's daughter, for a North wing extending to the west, thus making the house L-shaped." 1.
Assleston House, Sedlescombe, 2002
When Hercules Brabazon died 15 May 1896, Herbert Dengate, along with many other locals attended his funeral at St John the Baptist Church in Sedlescombe.2
Herbert Dengate's business card, c.1900
"Ditches the grocer and drapers shop gave way place to that of a builder, the occupier being Mr Herbert Dengate and his family. Ten years later, when Harriett Pratt [the property's owner] was 81, she gave it to her nephew, Samuel Bucknill, of Castlemans and shortly before the First World War, Herbert Dengate, the builder, who had lived in it by then for at least 33 years, bought it from him. When he died in 1925 his wife and daughter continued to live there till Mrs Dengate died and her daughter, Mercy moved to Scotch Down in Brede Lane, selling the old house to two ladies, Miss Brightman and Miss Harding for £1,100. Under the name 'The Workbox', Ditch's became once again something in the way of a draper's shop selling at least some of the articles it had sold a hundred years earlier." 3
Herbert Dengate died 6 March 1925, aged 58 years at his home in Sedlescombe, what is now Harriet House. He was buried 11 March 1925 in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe. His wife Hannah Dengate died 15 November 1946 aged 78 years and was buried with her husband 19 November 1946.
Herbert and Hannah Dengate's grave, St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe, 2002
The grave inscription reads, "In Loving memory of Herbert Dengate of this Parish died 6 March 1925 aged 58 years and his wife Hannah Dengate died 15 November 1946 aged 78 years." Buried next to them are their daughters, Dorothy Harriet and Mercy Dengate. Buried behind them are Herbert's sister Naomi Dengate and her family.
In his will, Herbert Dengate leaves everything to his wife Hannah, his estate being valued at £1683. Witnesses to the will were his brother John Dengate and William Button, a grocer of Sedlescombe.
CENSUS:
1 Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe by Beryl Lucey, p. 131
2 Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe by Beryl Lucey, p. 328
3 Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe by Beryl Lucey, p. 370
Grateful thanks to Ernest Lionel Sellens for the copy of Ernest Henry Sellens' 1906 reference.
© Copyright N. Goodwin MMII