Acting co-churchwarden at St Saviour's Church, Ealing, 1909.
Alfred Robert Henry Saunders was born on 12 March 1853, in Charterhouse, Middlesex (now Greater London, the seventh of the ten children of the Reverend Augustus Page Saunders (1801-1878) and Emma Frances Saunders née Walford (1815-1882). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1853 in the Holborn Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). His father was at the time the headmaster of Charterhouse School, Charterhouse Square, Smithfield, Middlesex (now Greater London).
His ten siblings were: Emma Isabella Saunders (1842-1900); Caroline Louise Saunders (1843-1924); Oliver Augustus Saunders (1844-1928); Mary Eliza Saunders (1846-1938); Margaret Annie Saunders (1848-1931); Agnes Harriett Saunders (1851-1939); Florence Matilda Saunders (1855-1904); George Keble Saunders (1858-1861) and Ethel Gertrude Saunders (1859-1861).
He is shown in the census that was undertaken on 7 April 1861 as aged 8 years and living within the precincts of Peterborough Minster, Peterborough, Northamptonshire (now Cambridgeshire), with his parents and eight of his siblings: Emma Isabella Saunders; Caroline Louise Saunders; Mary Eliza Saunders; Margaret Annie Saunders; Agnes Harriett Saunders; Florence Matilda Saunders; George Keble Saunders and Ethel Gertrude Saunders. His father was described as the Dean of Peterborough.
In the census that was taken on 2 April 1871, he was shown as aged 18 years and who was one of 20 scholars who were all boarding at 2 Rutland Place, St Botolph Without Aldersgate, City of London, the home of their schoolmaster, Frederick Bynder, M.A., and his family. on 14 October 1871 at University College, Oxford, Oxfordshire, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1876.
He was employed as a solicitor for the Great Western Railway Company at Paddington, Middlesex (now Greater London), from 12 March 1880 at the rate of £225 per annum until the 30 October 1883 when he resigned.
He was described as aged 28 years and solicitor in the census that was conducted on 3 April 1881. He was lodging at 2 Alma Terrace, St Pancras, Middlesex (now Greater London), the home of Frederick Perryman and his family.
On 5 October 1882 he married Annie Paley (1860-1956) in Peterborough and they had two children: Ethel Margaret Saunders (1883-1971) and Helen Beatrice Saunders (1885-1963).
He was shown as aged 38 years in the census that was compiled on 5 April 1891. He was listed as living on his own means in a house in Winchester Road, Chilbolton, Stockbridge, Wiltshire, with his wife, their two children, his sister Agnes Harriett Saunders - a painter, artist, together with a cook, a nurse and a coachman with his wife and their four children.
He was reappointed by the Board of the Great Western Railway on 23 June 1892 as a chief assistant in their Rates and Taxes Office at Paddington. His salary was £250 per annum, increasing to £300 p.a. in August 1894 and to £350 p.a. in May 1899. In June 1899 he became their assistant rating agent and was paid £400 p.a. that was increased to £500 p.a. in 1901 and to £600 p.a. in May 1904.
The 1894 edition of Kelly's Directory of Essex, Hertfordshire and Middlesex shows him listed as residing at 7 Ealing Common, Ealing, Middlesex (now Greater London).
He was shown as aged 48 years and an assistant rating agent for G.W.R. in the census that was undertaken on 31 March 1901. He was still living at 7 Ealing Common, Ealing, with his wife and their two children, together with a cook and a housemaid.
In March 1908 he was promoted to the rating agent at Great Western Railway and his salary was £800 p.a. This increased to £900 p.a. in January 1910.
When he completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 he described himself as aged 58 years and a Great Western Railway rating surveyor. He was living in a twelve roomed property at Heathfield Lodge, Castle Bar Park (now Castlebar Park), Ealing, with his wife and their two daughters, together with a parlourmaid and a housemaid.
He completed his census return form on 19 June 1921 and described himself as aged 68 years, 3 months and a retired GWR inspector of rates and taxes. He was living in a 14 roomed property at 4 Rawlinson Road, Oxford, with his wife and one of their daughters, Ethel Margaret Saunders, together with two female domestic servants.
His death was registered as aged 84 years in the 1st quarter of 1938 in the Oxford Registration District, Oxfordshire. Probate records show that his address had been 4 Rawlinson Road, Oxford and that he had died on 2 February 1938. His in Plot C1/221 in the Wolvercote Cemetery, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 8EE. Probate was granted on 9 March 1938 to his widow and his effects totalled £8,940-2s-1d, but were subsequently resworn as £8,910-6s-8d.
He is shown as 'A•R•H•SAUNDERS' on the foundation stone of St Saviour's Church House, The Grove, London, W5.
Note: We found Heathfield Lodge on this , in the bottom left corner. The house is still there, albeit in multi-occupancy. The address must now be 1 Castlebar Park.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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