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A History of Preston in Hertfordshire
The Briggs of Sadleirs End, Chequers Lane (1952 to 1963c)
Harold Fawssett Briggs with his wife Monica Pare nee Baker
above, at Sadleirs End, Chequers Lane.
Childhood
Harold Fawssett Briggs was born at Louth, Lincolnshire on
24 September 1881. His father was David Grant Briggs (right) who was
born in 1845 in Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire. He married Elizabeth
Fawssett (below, right) on 2 July 1872 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
They had eight children.
Calnthorpe Manor, Lincs
Mr Briggs was an auctioneer and land agent. When he died in December 1906 at Scarborough, he
left an estate of £1,758. His widow died in November 1909, leaving £6,110.
Additionally, on 10 February 1911, Harold joined the Free-masons of
United Dooars Lodge, Jalpaiguri, Bengal.
By 1914, he had signed up with the North Bengal Mounted BengaL
Rifles and was a sergeant. He received a medal in that year (shown
right):
Three years later, in 1924, there was a newspaper announcement of his engagement to
Monica Pare Baker:
Harold was the third of four sons and, aged around eighteen years, he emigrated to India seeking his
fortune. There is a brief record of the first few years of his life there in Bengal:
And so to India, aged eighteen…
Harold was among those present for the visit of the Governor
General, Lord Ronaldshay, to Gopalpur Factory (See below: he is
fourth from the right, having grown a small moustache):
The Karbala Tea Estate in Bengal
From top left: Harold F Briggs, Peggy Rooke, Old man Rooke, Olave Baker, John Baker, Monica
Briggs, Ethel Baker, Jerry Harper. Sitting from left: Connie Baker, Edith Rooke, Anna Stubbs.
Children: Iris and Harold Briggs
Karbala Tea Garden village is situated in
Dhupguri Subdivision, within the Jalpaiguri
district of West Bengal, India.
Harold enjoyed driving and was one of the first to have a car in India. He and his family had returned
to England by 1938 because he was fined 10/- for obstructing Bedford streets with a motor car that
April. He and his family were living at ‘Long Acre’, 67 Patnoe Lane Bedford in 1939, when he was a
commercial fruit producer.
While in India, Harold and Elizabeth had at least three children: Harold Pace Briggs, Dennis Arthur
Briggs, and Shirley Monica Briggs.
These photographs were taken at ‘Long Acre’, Bedford:
16 April 1954
22 January 1954
24 February 1956
Harold and Elizabeth in 1958
Harold and Elizabeth moved to Sadleirs End during 1952. Their daughter, Shirley, married at
St Martins, Preston on 29 May 1954 (see photograph. below right):
At Sadleirs End, Chequers Lane, Preston 1952 to 1962c
Harold and Elizabeth moved from Preston to Sussex
in around 1962. Harold died on 14 July 1968, and
Monica on 7 April 1979.
They were buried at St Simon and St Jude,
East Dean, Sussex (see right):
