Biography

EDITH BIRCHALL

Burial register ID: 13993
Surname: BIRCHALL
First name: EDITH
Middle names:
Gender: Female
Age: 39 Years
Cause of death: Accident
Burial type:
Date of death: 10-Jul-1923
Date of burial: 12-Jul-1923

Block: 53
Plot: 18
Inscription:

Loving Memory

of

Agnes

Beloved Daughter of

Josiah – 8 May Birchall

of Bardslay Lancashire

England

Died Feb 15 1905

Aged 21 years

Though lost to sight to memory dear

Also

William Birchall

Died May 28th 1926 aged 26

And his Wife Sarah

Died Oct 8th 1940 aged 92

And their Children

Alfred Urmson

Killed in France Mar 28th 1918

Aged 33

Edith

Died July 10th 1933 aged 39

Bio contributor:

Edith Birchall, born 20 May 1883 at Castle Street, Dunedin, was the third child of William and Sarah Birchall (ne’e Palmer). She had two half-sisters, Hannah and Nellie Carnell.

After finishing her education at North East Valley School, she worked as a machinest for Hallenstein Bros. At about 1907 she left their employ and joined the staff of E Stoke & Son, (tailors) of 95 Princes Street, Dunedin.

When she started work she would have travelled by horse tram, and after December 1903 would have become a regular passenger on the new electric trams. Travelling from the Valley to near the Oval would have meant an early start each day. The cost was 1d a section.

Edie, as she was called by her friends, seems to have been very popular and there are many old postcards to Edie suggesting various outings. On a visit to relatives in Stdney one outing was to Manly beach which had mixed bathing all day, not allowed in New Zealand at this time.

Agnes Birchall had come to Dunedin from Lancashire to stay with the Birchalls in 1903 to regain her health in the clean air of New Zealand. Sadly in 1905 Agnes died in Dunedin. Her brother Will was granted leave from his Regiment in 1907 to travel to New Zealand to visit his sister’s grave.
The visit of Will was to alter the life of Edith and her brotherWalter. Edith and Will had corresponded and in 1911 Edith decided to go to England to marry him. Walter was her chaperon and they sailed on R.M.S. ‘Otway’ on 13 March 1912.

They married on 4 June 1912. Will was a builder and part-time soldier. Their first child, Alfred William, was born 27 May, 1913 and their daughter Edith Ella was born 2 September 1914 at Bardsley.

War broke out on 4 August, 1914 and her brother, Walter, retuned to New Zealand to join the armed forces. Will was in one of the first battalions to be shipped to Egypt. Later Will’s Battalion was transferred to France where, in 1917, he was badly wounded in the leg and died.

Edith returned to New Zealand with her children, joining a troop ship.

She died of peritonitis at Dunedin Hospital on 10 July 1923 aged 40 years.

Ref: The End of the World – The Birchall – Palmer Link by Elsie M Birchall, Auckland 1996.
Edith Birchall 1915
Source: Family


Edith sailed to England on RMS Otway
Source: Family

There are 4 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
BIRCHALL AGNES 21 Years 15-Feb-1905 17-Feb-1905
BIRCHALL EDITH 39 Years 10-Jul-1923 12-Jul-1923
BIRCHALL SARAH 93 Years 08-Oct-1940 10-Oct-1940
BIRCHALL WILLIAM 75 Years 29-May-1926 30-May-1926