Welcome back to the life of, Alice Southwell.  
Before we begin, let’s have a little recap of her life so far.
Or you can read part 1 here and part 2 here.

Alice was born at, East Wellow, on Thursday the 19th of December 1861. 
From the age of 9, Alice worked for her maternal uncle, William Reeves, at the Angel Inn, in Romsey, Hampshire, England .  
At the age of 19 Alice got engaged to, Edward Taylor aka Teddy. Their marriage banns were called but Alice decided not to go through with the marriage due to his obsessive drinking and violent nature towards her. 
Alice moved to, Southampton, to work and live at the, Hope and Anchor Beer House, where she fell in love with the Publican, Charles House. She fell pregnant and give birth to her illegitimate son, Herbert Southwell, on Thursday the 12th of March 1885, at Number 30, Cross Street, Southampton, Hampshire, England.  
Alice married, Charles House, on Sunday the 15th of May 1887, at The Parish Church Of Freemantle, Christ Church, Freemantle, Southampton, Hampshire, England.  
They welcomed their baby girl, Winifred House, into their hearts, family and home, on Tuesday the 9th April 1889.  
Heartbreakingly married life was short lived as her husband Charles House, died on Friday the 12th of April 1889, from Epilepsy and Pneumonia.
Alice found love again and married 27 year old, Bachelor, Samuel Lucas, a Baker, in The Parish Church of Freemantle, Southampton, Hampshire, England, on Sunday the 30th of March 1890, when she was 28 years old. 
Their Son, Samuel Lucus, was born on Sunday the 24th April 1892, at their home, Number 4, Cement Terrace, Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Alice, Samuel and their bairns, moved to The Royal Oak, Evens Street, Southampton and became Landlady/landlord.
On Saturday the 5th of May 1894, at Number 5, York Street, Southampton, Hampshire, England, she gave birth to a baby girl, whom they named Ellen Lucas.
Their Daughter, Annie Lucas, was born on Friday the 1st of May 1896 at, Number 5, York Street, Houndwell, Southampton, Hampshire. 
On Wednesday the 7th of March 1900, Alice’s life was once again, thrown into mayhem, when her beloved husband, Samuel, licensed victualler of The Royal Oak, had an Epilepsy attack of some sort and died, at their home, The Royal Oak, York Street, Houndwell, upper district, Southampton, Hampshire.
His death made us all a little suspicious, as both her Husbands, Charles and Samuel both died from Epilepsy. Do we have our first murderess in the family?

We are all caught up, so let’s see what happened next.

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Welcome back to the year 1901 in the United Kingdom. The year that marked the transition from the Victorian to the Edwardian era, with the death of the 81-year-old Queen and the accession of her 59-year-old son, Edward VII .
Queen Victoria  was on the throne until her death on January 22nd, and then King Edward VII.
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Coalition) was Prime Minster.
The United Kingdom’s went in to moarning as the nation lined the streets for The funeral of Queen Victoria with took place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. She was buried at The Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore. 
The first UK Fingerprint Bureau was established at Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police headquarters in London, by Edward Henry.
The Factory and Workshop Act raises the minimum working age to twelve years and extends legislation regarding the education of working of children, employee’s meal times, and provision of fire escapes.
The Woolston train station signal box was built in 1901 to the London & South Western Railway. It was built to the east of the main station building, with the locking room constructed within the depth of the ‘down’ platform. 
Competition with road traffic and the introduction of ‘block’ goods trains resulted in the closure of the goods yard during the early 1970s and the signal box was closed in 1980. Today the station is still open to passenger traffic and the main station building is listed Grade II.

The 21st Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, left Southampton Docks to fight in the Boer War, 1899-1902),

The Norman-style drinking fountain was erected in Southampton, in July 1901 in memory of Mary Rogers, stewardess of the Stella. The 46-year old mother of two was one of a crew of 13 who lost their lives at sea. She gave up her life-belt to save another and stayed with her ship, the Stella, which collided with rocks and sank in the Channel in March 1899. 

The memorial’s inscription, was composed by Frances Power Cobbe:-

“In Memory of The Heroic Death of
MARY ANNE ROGERS
Stewardess of the “Stella”
Who, Amid the confusion and terror of shipwreck,
Aided all the passengers under her charge
To quit the vessel in safety;
Giving her own lifebelt to one who was unprotected
Summoned in her turn to make good her escape
She refused;
Lest she might endanger the heavily-laden boat. 
Cheering the departing crew With the friendly cry of 
“Good-bye! Good-bye!”
She was seen a few months later, As the ” Stella” went down, Lifting her arms upwards with prayer,
“GOD HAVE ME”.
Then sank in the water with the sinking ship

And of course we all know, that on the eve of Sunday the 7th April 1901, the The 1901 UK Census was held, which shows, Alice, residing at, Number 6, York Street, St Mary, Southampton, Hampshire, England, with her children, Samuel, Ellen and Annie, her niece Rose Long, daughter of, Walter Long and Martha Long nee Southwell, William Viking, their stableman, and boarders, John Bartender, a  Ships painter and Henry King, a Fish Monger.
Alice was working as the Landlady of a Licensed house and her niece, Rose Long was working as a barmaid.

I’m sure life would have been extremely busy and hard work. Being a single mother is no joke but add to that, the running of a licensed bar and finding time to grieve. 
It’s no surprise that Alice found comfort in the arms of a man named, Mr. Ernest Burden, a 35 year old, Ship joiner, son of Mr. George Burden.
Did they meet over the bar of the Royal Oak? 
However they met, I’m pleased she may actually of found some peace in his arms.

It wasn’t long before Ernest had a engagement ring on her finger, and on the 5th May 1901, when she was 37 years old, Alice and Ernest tied the knot, at St. Mary’s Church, St Mary’s, Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Their witnesses were, George Burden and Rosa Long.
Both Alice and Ernest were residing at The Rotal Oak, York Street, Southampton, at the time of their marriage.
They gave their fathers names a George Southwell, a Farmer (deceased) and George Burden, a Master mariner.

Christ Church, Freemantle is a Victorian church which was consecrated in 1865. It was designed by the architect William White who was also responsible for St Michael and All Angels Church in Lyndhurst and St Marks Church in Woolston. The church is one of the oldest buildings in the parish of Freemantle, mainly because it came into being in response to Freemantle being created. Until the 1850s the area was part of a large privately owned estate. When the estate was sold and broken up a large number of houses were built and the population grew. Miss Charlotte Hewett, sister of the previous owner of the land, was responsible for starting off the appeal for money to establish a place of worship in the area and the first services were held in a temporary building in 1856.

A short while after, Alice found herself in the family way and gave birth to a son on the 10th February 1902, in Southampton, Hampshire, England. Alice named him, Ernest Burden.

I’m unsure if Ernest went on to marry but he died on the 29th February 1952 and was buried at Southampton Old Cemetery, Hill Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, on the 5th March 1952.

On 07 March 1903, Alice or Ernest, placed an advertisement in the Bournemouth Daily Echo

And on the  21st May 1903, Alice or Ernest placed two advertisement in the Bournemouth Daily Echo.

And another on the 11 November 1903 in the  Bournemouth Daily Echo 

Unfortunately life likes to throw spanners in the works, when life seems to be going well and poor Alice has had her fair share so far in her life. 

It was once again time for Alice’s happiness to be snatched away from her, when her Mum, Sarah Southwell nee Reeves, passed away on the 7th November 1905, at Dullens Farm, East Wellow, Romsey, Hampshire, England.
Sarah, died from Cerebral Haemorrhage (1 day), a hemorrhage is a type of stroke. It’s caused by an artery in the brain bursting and causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This bleeding kills brain cells and Left Hemiplegia, a condition caused by brain damage or spinal cord injury that leads to paralysis on one side of the body.
Alice’s brother, George Southwell, was present and registered her death on the 9th November 1905, in Romsey, Hampshire.

Alice and family, laid Sarah Southwell, to rest at St Margaret of Antioch Churchyard, East Wellow, Romsey, Hampshire, England. Sarah was interred with her husband George Southwell.

Life was just about to throw it cruelest hand yet, as on Sunday the 18th  November 1906 at 10.30 in the morning she sent one of her young daughters, to call her son Samuel, and their lodger, Richard Price. 
Her daughrer came back and said to her mum, that she could smell of gas.
Alice rushed up, and found Samuel and Richard, in separate beds. The gas tap was turned nearly up. She turned off the gas and sent for a doctor. 
On arrival of the doctor both, Samuel and Richard were declared dead.

Samuels death certificate confirms he died on, Saturday the 18th of November 1906, at The Royal Oak, Evans Street, Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Samuels cause of death was, from being accidentally asphyxiated by coal gas throughout the top of the gas bracket being accidentally left turned partly on.
His certificate was received from, William Coswell, Coroner for Southampton on the 27th November 1906.
A post mortem took place and a inquest was held on the 19th November 1906.

Samuel was laid to rest with his father Samuel, at Southampton Old Cemetery, Hill Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, England in Row N, Block 150, Number 201, on the 22nd November 1906.

May their souls rest in peace.

Their Headstone reads, 

In Loving Memory Of
Samuel 
The beloved Husband Of Alice Lucas
Who Died March 7th 1900
Aged 36
Also Samuel the dearly loved son 
of the above 
who fall asleep November 18th 1906 
aged 14 years and 7 months

On the 24th of November 1906, The Hampshire Advertiser  reported the following article.

A DOUBLE CALAMITY.
Southampton was on Sunday startled by news of another tragedy, which  if less ghastly in character, was nevertheless most distressing. There were two victims, a lad of 14, named Samuel Lucas, step-son of Mr. Ernest Burden, landlord of the Royal Oak, Evens-street, and Richard Lewis, a shore steward, 35 years of age, who lodged at the home. Lewis and young Lucas shared a double-bedroom, and retired together on Saturday night. On Sunday morning,  about half-past ten, as they had not made an appearance, Mrs Burden went to call them. She knocked at the bedroom door, and, receiving no answer, opened it. The room was full of gas fumes, and there, on their beds, lay the inanimate forms of the two occupants. They had the appearance of being peacefully sleeping, but it was obvious that they were unconscious.
An inquest was held at the Southampton Coroner’s Court, on Monday, by Mr. W. Crowell, Borough Coroner.
In detailing the circumstances, the Coroner said it would be necessary  inquire whether the house has passed the Borough Engineer, as there were no means of ventilation, and he would, if necessary, adjourn the inquiry to see whether the Borough Engineer had anything to say about it.
Alice Burden, wife of Ernest Burden, landlord of the Royal Oak beerhouse, Evans-street, stated that Samuel Lucas was her son. On Saturday night at eleven o’clock he retired to bed with a lodger named Richard Price, both sleeping in the same room. On Sunday morning at 10.30 she sent her little girl to call the deceased, and she came back and said “What a smell of gas.” Witness rushed up, and found the deceased in separate beds. The gas tap was turned nearly up. She turned off the gas and sent for a doctor. There was no fireplace in the room, but it was ventilated by two windows, both of which were shut. The house had been built six years, and it belonged toMessrs. Cooper and Co. She was not aware that either of the deceased had been ill in the night, or that the gas bracket leaked, and had been coated with candle ‘grease. Price was a ship’s steward, and had lodged with her three or four years, and when he went to bed he was not so bad as she had seen him.
Henry Boucher, gasfitter, of Broad-street, stated that the gas bracket produced leaked at the joint, and tap worked very easily, so that it was easy to turn.
Dr. W. P. O’Meara stated that he was called to the Royal Oak, where he found the bodies of the deceased, that of Price being quite cold, while the boy’s was warm. The room smelt of gas, and he pressed gas out of the lungs of both. He had since made a post-mortem examination, and the cause of death was asphyxiation, caused by coal gas poisoning. Price had been dead an hour or so, and the boy not long.
The coroner, in summing up, said he could not understand there being no ventilation other than the windows, which could be closed, and he thought the local authorities should insist on  proper ventilation in all such  houses.
Councillor H. Blanch said the old bye-laws did not secure this; but the existing bye-laws insisted on proper ventilation.
The jury returned a verdict that death was due to asphyxia, through the accidental turning of the tap of the gas bracket, and expresses sympathy with the mother of Lucas, in which Mr. Biatch desired to associate the directors of the Gas Company, for whom he watched the case.

Over the week following Samuels and Richard Prices deaths, their tragic story was printed in many different newspapers.

Here are a few we have found.

My heart sincerely bleeds for Alice, how much more sorrow can one person endure. To loose two husbands and then your son, must have been the hardest grief to overcome.  How does one come back from that?
How do you even begin to carry on?
Surely life would never be the same, how could it be?
How did she find the strength to tell her other children?
Would her punters have stayed away, in fear of finding the right words of comfort. Would her business of suffered?
Would grief have affected her marriage?
Was the light in her eyes, the window to our souls be gone forever?
Did tongues wag and suspicion of fail play arise?
Did she find an unknown strength to solider on?
I really hope so.

Jumping forward to the year 1911, George V was on the throne, H. H. Asquith (Liberal) was Prime Minster, it was the 30th parliament.
The Siege of Sidney Street, the Metropolitan Police and the Scots Guards engage in a shootout with a criminal gang of Latvian anarchists holed up in a building in the East End. The Home Secretary, Winston Churchill, attends in person. They launched the ocean liner RMS Titanic in Belfast, and her sister RMS Olympic sails for Liverpool the same day to take up transatlantic service. Unfortunately the new liner RMS Olympic, collided with Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hawke off Southampton, there is no loss of life or serious injury. The White Star Dock, later known as Ocean Dock, opened?
And the 1911 Census was taken on the Eve of Sunday the 2nd of April, which shows, Alice, her children, Ellen Lucas also known as Nellie, Annie Lucas and Ernest Burden, her niece Rose Long and nephew Frederick Harold Herbert, were residing at the Royal Oak, 5 York Square, St Mary, Southampton, Hampshire, England, a 10 room dwelling.
Alice was still working as a publican and Frederick is working as a Ironmonger’s labourer. Alice states she has been married 10 years and has 1 child (Ernest Burden) with her husband and he is still living.

Not much is known about the next 19 years so lets fast forward to the year 1915.
King George was still monarch and H. H. Asquith was also still prime minister.
The Great War was in full swing.
World War I battleship HMS Formidable, was sunk, off the shore of Lyme Regis, Dorset, by an Imperial German Navy U-boat. 35 officers and 512 men were lost out of a total complement of 780.
German Zeppelins bombed the towns of Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn for the first time, killing more than twenty.
HMS Queen Elizabeth enters service as the Royal Navy‘s first oil-fired battleship.
Southampton held their long held tradition of singing in the dawn for the Mayday celebrations. It was started up around that period by a clergyman from St.Mary’s. The King Edward’s School choir sang in the dawn from the roof of the Bargate.

Troops marched through the Bargate on their way to the docks.

And on the 18th May 1915, Alice draw her last breath and died at her beerhouse, The Royal Oak, Evens Street, Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Alice died from Pneumonia and Congestion of the lungs.
Winifred May House, her daughter, was present and registered her death on the 19th May 1915, in Southampton, Hampshire.

Alice was laid to rest with her 2nd husband, Samuel Lucas, and her Son, Samuel Lucas, at Southampton Old Cemetery, Hill Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, England, in Row N, Block 150, Number 201, on the 22nd May 1915.

Her son Ernest Burden, would later be buried with them.
Their Headstone reads, 

In Loving Memory Of
Samuel 
The beloved Husband Of Alice Lucas
Who Died March 7th 1900
Aged 36
Also Samuel the dearly loved son 
of the above 
who fall asleep November 18th 1906 
aged 14 years and 7 months
Also Alice 
beloved Wife of the above
Who fall asleep May 18th 1915 
aged 53 years 

On the other side of the stone, it reads –

Ernest Burden
Dearly Loved son of Alice
Who Fell Asleep
February 29th 1952
aged 50 

Alice’s death announcement was printed on the 22nd May 1915 in the Hampshire Advertiser Newspaper.

Alice’s probate was granted in Winchester on the 12th May 1915, it reads –

BURDEN Alice of The Royal Oak Evans-street Southampton (wife of Ernest Burden) died 18 May 1915 Probate Winchester 12 June to Winifred May House spinster. Effects £439 10s. 1d.

Sarah, purchased a copy of copy of Alice’s Last will and testament, which was written on the 11th May 1915, from the Hampshire records office, Winchester, Hampshire.

It reads – (where there are …… we cant quite work out the wording, sorry)

This is The last will and only will of Alice burden of the Royal Oak, Evans Street, Southampton Beer-house keeper. I give devise and bequeath all my property of what nature and kind soever unto my ……. hereafter ….. upon trust subject to the powers hereafter given as my licensed premises) to sell and convert the same into money with power to postpone such sale and conversion of the whole or any part such …… as my trustee shall in her sole and controlled discretion think fit upon trust to divide the proceeds of such sale and conversion equally between my dear children Winifred May House, Ellen Lucas, Annie Lucas and Ernest Burden with power during the minority if any child of mine to apply the whole or part of the presumptive share of such child and the interest dividends and profits thereof towards the support maintenance education advancement and putting out in life of such child at the like discretion of my trustee provided always that my trustee may in her sole and uncontrolled discretion carry on my  business of a licensed victualler for the benefit of my estate and employ therein all such parts of my estate as my trustee may think fit and in case my trustee shall incur any liabilities in ……. The  carrying on of the said business which the proceeds of business shall be insufficient to pay my trustee may apply any other part of my estate for the purpose of indemnifying  her against such insufficiency. And I appoint my said dear daughter Winifred May House sole executor and trustee of this will in witness whereof I have here unto subscribed my name this eleventh day of May one thousand nine hundred and fifteen 

Alice Burden

Signed and declared by the test …… as and  for her last Will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Emma Hedges Anchor And Hope, Fremantle licensed victualler 
H A Clark clerk to Mr Arthur H Emanuel, Southampton 
On the Twelfth day of June 1915 Probate on this Will was granted.

Rest In Peace
Alice Burden nee Lucas nee House nee Southwell.
1861-1915
You Will Never Be Forgotten.

Before I say my normal too-da-loo, I have to say that, The Royal Oak, saw a lot of tragedy and death.
While researching the Public house, we came across these articles. 

Until next time, Stay Safe, Stay True, Be You.
To-da-loo for now.

🦋🦋🦋

Sarah and I have brought and paid for all certificates and documents,
Please do not download or use them without my permission. 
All you have to do is ask.
Thank you.