Charles Everard

1847-1907

One of the past tenants of Cawthorpe House was Charles Everard, a staunch churchman who opened a parish room in the village for services on Sunday evenings. He was a wealthy man who made his fortune from the distribution of coal, and was eventually managing director for the Peterborough-based firm of Ellis and Everard Limited.

Born at Groby, Leicestershire, in 1847, he moved to live at Cawthorpe in the late 19th century, becoming increasingly, though usually anonymously, involved in community work and with a high regard for his religion, and soon had a wide circle of friends.

He and his wife, Emily Sarah Everard, were in the habit of taking a holiday at the spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire which is where he died after falling in the street during a fainting fit and sustaining serious injuries and a great loss of blood. He lingered for several days and there were encouraging reports of a recovery but he eventually succumbed to a relapse and died on Tuesday 12th March 1907 at the age of 60.

His body was brought back to Bourne by train for the funeral the following Saturday when the blinds of houses on the way to the church and cemetery were drawn and businesses closed when the cortege passed as a mark of respect. Directors of the firm, employees, agents and workmen joined friends and relatives at the Abbey Church for the service and that evening, a muffled peal was rung on the bells, while the curate, the Rev R B Paine, made a special mention of the sad event before delivering his sermon from the pulpit on Sunday morning and special music was played on the dead man’s behalf while the congregation remained standing.

The family were deeply moved by the way in which Bourne received the news of his death and issued as notice in the Stamford Mercury saying: “Mrs Everard and the family desire to record their warmth and heartfelt appreciation of the tributes paid to her husband’s memory by the consideration and respect so widely manifested in the district; and in particular they wish it to be known that they especially valued the thoughtful action of the residents and tradesmen of Bourne in suspending the ordinary business of the town.”

His wife, Emily Sarah, survived him by nine years and died at Cawthorpe House on Sunday 6th September 1914, aged 65. She was the daughter of Mr William Miskin of Dartford, Kent, and her death came as a great shock to residents in the district where she had become known for her many acts of generosity and kindness.

The Stamford Mercury reported: "She had been in indifferent health for some weeks but the end was most unexpected, for latterly her progress had been hopeful and on Saturday evening she seemed very cheerful. The loss to the hamlet of Cawthorpe will be particularly severely felt for Mrs Everard was a lavish benefactress to the place. She was a member of the general committee of the Butterfield Hospital and identified herself with any movement for the uplifting and advancement of the town and district. Much sympathy is felt with the members of the family in their sudden bereavement."

The funeral was held at the Abbey Church and afterwards, Mrs Everard was buried in the town cemetery where there was a large and sympathetic gathering at the graveside.

The grave of Charles and Emily Everard which has one of the grandest memorials in the town cemetery.