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- Gloucestershire Echo, February 12, 1937
Birthday of Oldest Native of Tewkesbury
Mrs. Elizabeth Bassett, the oldest native of Tewkesbury, celebrates her 90th birthday tomorrow.
Mrs. Bassett is the widow of the late Mr. Caleb Bassett. Our reporter found her in fairly good health, dusting her rooms and preparing for her birthday party.
She was all her faculties, and attributes her long life to hard work, a steady life, and her silent companion, her Bible, which she reads daily.
She had really good health until she was 74 years, when she was injured by a motor-car while going to the Post Office to draw her pension.
Mrs. Bassett was born in Tewkesbury on February 13, 1847, being the second daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Grainger. Her father was a foreman tanner and fisherman. He died when she was two years old.
She started school at the Abbey Schools when she was three years old, and began work when she was eleven.
She remembers Canon Davies, vicar of Tewkesbury Abbey, getting married.
Canon Davies baptized Mrs. Bassett, prepared her for confirmation, and also married her to Caleb Bassett, when she was 19, at Tewkesbury Abbey. This was on February 4, 1866. They had their first child when Mrs. Bassett was 21 years old.
Tewkesbury has altered realty in her time. ?It?s a much cleaner town than it used to be, but there is not the amount of work,? she said.
Mrs. Bassett started work as a nurse-maid, but afterwards went to work at the old silk factory for 10d. a week. It was situated where Tewkesbury?s old picture palace afterwards stood.
Mrs. Bassett has only been away from Tewkesbury for four years in her 90 years ? one year at Overbury, one at Winchcome, and two years at Gloucester.
She remembers the Crimean War, when bread rose to 1s. a quarter load and tea was 4d. and 4 ½ d. for half an ounce.
Her husband died 44 years ago last January.
They had nine children, six sons and three daughters. The four eldest ? two sons and two daughters ? are dead. The eldest son, John, was lost through an accident at the Flour Mills a few days before his 20th birthday.
Gloucestershire Echo, October 24, 1938
Tewkesbury?s Oldest Inhabitant Dead
Mrs. E. Bassett Dies in her 92nd Year
Tewkesbury?s oldest native, Mrs. Elizabeth Bassett, of the Almshouses, Tewkesbury, died yesterday in her 92nd year.
Mrs. Bassett was the widow of the late Mr. Caleb Bassett. She was born in Tewkesbury on February 13, 1847, being the second daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Grainger. Her father died when she was two years old.
She started school when she was three years old, and began work when she was 11 as a nursemaid, but afterwards went to work at a silk factory at 10d. a week.
Mrs. Bassett had only been away from Tewkesbury for four years in her 91 years ? one year at Overbury, one at Winchcombe, and two at Gloucester.
She remembered the Crimean War, when bread rose to 1s. a guartern loaf and tea was 4d. and 4 ½ d. per half-ounce. She also remembered the English cholera outbreak in 1855 and 1856.
She was married at Tewkesbury Abbey by the late Canon Daviess, who had baptised her and prepared her for Confirmation. She was 19 when married, the ceremony taking place on February 4, 1866. She was for some years a member of the Guild of St. Mary.
Her husband died in January, 1893. They had nine children ? six sons and three daughters. The four oldest ? two sons and two daughters ? are dead.
Mrs. Bassett was a reader of the ?Echo? and ?Chronicle? even when 90 years old. She then had all her faculties, and attributed her long life to hard work and a steady life.
The funeral takes place on Thursday at Tewkesbury Abbey.
1881 British Census of 20 Barton Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
Caleb Bassett - 34 - M - Head - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - General Labourer
Elizabeth - 34 - F - Wife - Tewkesbury, Gloucester
Lizzie - 11 - F - Daughter - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
John - 9 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Charles - 7 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Harry - 5 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Ellen - 3 - F - Daughter - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
William - 10/12 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester
1891 British Census of 60 Davis's Alley, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
Caleb Bassett - 45 - M - Head - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Corn Porter
Elizabeth - 45 - F - Wife - Tewkesbury, Gloucester
Lizzie Haines - 22 - F - Daughter - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Collar maker
Harry Bassett - 15 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Baker
Willie - 11 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Thomas - 8 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Alfred C. - 5 - M - Son - Tewkesbury, Gloucester - Scholar
Clara Haines - 3 - F - Granddaughter - Tewkesbury, Gloucester
Ethel M. - 1 - F - Granddaughter - Tewkesbury, Gloucester
1901 British Census of 61 Barton Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Bassett (Widow) - 56 - F - Head - Gloucester - Grocer Shopkeeper
Harry - 25 - M - Son - Gloucester - Stoker at Flour Mills
William - 20 - M - Son - Gloucester - Bricklayer
Thomas - 17 - M - Son - Gloucester - Bricklayer's Labourer
Alfred - 15 - M - Son - Gloucester - Errand Boy
Frederick Gregory - 13 - M - Nephew - Gloucester - Errand Boy
Ethel Haines - 11 - F - Granddaughter - Gloucester
Charles - 9 - M - Grandson - Gloucester
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Bassett Family Association Database
Abt 1847 - 