Annoyingly we discover that she was not the "First Mayoress of Shoreditch" in the sense that we would take that now. No, she was married to the first mayor Henry Edward Kershaw. Henry (1864-1928) died suddenly at a council meeting.
Unsurprisingly we could find no photo of Mrs Kershaw (nor her first name) but here is a photo of their great-grandson giving their Mayoral scroll to the borough.
No sooner had we published this memorial than Andrew Behan was on the case. He writes: I've done a bit of research on the Kershaw's. As you rightly say, Henry Edward Kershaw was the first Mayor of Shoreditch and he died in 1928.
Find a Grave informs us that Henry Edward Kershaw was buried in West Norwood Cemetery & Crematorium and his gravestone shows his wife to be a Sarah Ellen Kershaw. Find a Grave shows her as the First Mayoress of Shoreditch and that she was born in 1861 and died on 1 March 1925. It would seem that they were quite proud of the fact that were the first Mayor and Mayoress of Shoreditch.
Probate records for Henry Edward Kershaw gives his address when he died on 2 May 1928 as Mead Bank, Runnymead Road, Egham, Surrey and that he died at the District Council Chambers, Egham. His effects totalled £2,333-1s-1d. It would seem that he was keen to be in local government and didn't confine his activities to Shoreditch.
However, back to Mrs Kershaw, who is the subject on the foundation stone. I have done some research on the lady and despite the gravestone showing her as born in 1861, this is incorrect. She was born a year earlier.
Sarah Ellen Hammond was born on 1 June 1860 in Southwark, the eldest daughter of James Charles Hammond and Esther Hammond née Crabb. Her father was a Boiler Maker. She was baptised on 12 August 1860 at the Grove Wesleyan Mission, Great Guildford Street, Southwark and the family address was 87 High Street, Southwark. The 1861 census shows the family living at Queens Head Inn Yard, High Street, Southwark. In 1871 the census shows their address as 40 St. Margaret Court, Southwark and in 1881 the census records them living at 65 Deverill Street, Newington, Southwark, with her occupation being given as a Milliner. On 5 May 1888 she married Henry Edward Kershaw at St. Pauls Church, Newington, Southwark and they were living at 32 Edward Street, Southwark. He was a French Polisher. They had three sons, Henry Cecil Kershaw, born 1892; Leslie Howard Kershaw, born 1895 and Eric Morton Kershaw, born 1897. The 1901 census shows them living at 'Viewfield', Riddlesdown Park Road, Cousldon, Surrey and her husband is recorded as Polish and Varnish Manufacturer. The 1911 census records them as had having four children, but that only two were still alive, Henry and Eric. (I have been unable to find the name of the fourth child). The address was now 21 Crowstone Road, Westcliffe-on-Sea, Essex and her husband gave his occupation as a Shellac & Gum Dealer. She died on 1 March 1925 her death being recorded in Tendring, Essex.
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