Richard Webster was the fifth known child of John Webster & Elizabeth Compton Hearne born June 30th, 1809 at Burnham.
Richard married Mary Ann Cross on April 27th, 1841 at the parish church Taplow, Bucks. Mary was the daughter of Ann & John Cross a farmer of Taplow, born c1815 at Winkfield, Berks. Witnesses at the wedding were George Robert Cross & Elizabeth Mary Hook.
At the time of the 1841 census Richard & Mary were living at Hill Farm, Hitcham, Bucks where Richard was a farmer. Visiting them was niece Emma Webster (15), daughter of Richard’s half brother Charles Webster.
In 1851 Richard & Mary were still living at Hill Farm, & Richard was a farmer of 280 acres employing 7 labourers. They had 4 children – Richard (8), John (7), George (5) & Emily Ann (1). Living with them was a nursemaid & 2 agricultural labourers.
Richard benefited substantially from his father’s will proved in 1850. According to his great grandson Percy John Greaves, Richard devoted his life to spending his inheritance on good living & sporting pursuits, chiefly hunting & shooting. Richard & Mary were still living at Hill Farm at the time of the 1861 census & the farm had grown to 960 acres employing 30 men & 20 boys. Children at home were Richard, John, George & Emily Ann. They had a servant, a groom & a cow boy listed with them.
By 1871 Hill Farm was 420 acres employing 12 men & 5 boys. Richard & sons John & George were at home at the time of the census, but Mary was visiting her daughter Emily, now married to farmer Charles Headington, at Remenham, Berks. They had 2 domestic servants & 2 farm labourers.
In 1881 Richard & Mary were still at Hill Farm. Son John (36) was still at home, as was George (35) who had married Mary Emma Webster, the daughter of Richard’s brother William Webster [we.12] & Elizabeth Winder, & therefore his cousin! George, whose occupation was a coal merchant & farmer, & Mary Emma had a 3 month old son John Richard. There was also a cook & a housemaid.
Mary Ann died aged 67 just after the census, her death being registered at Eton in July-September 1881.
In 1891 widower Richard was now retired but still living at Hill Farm with his son John who had taken over the farm. Son George, a coal merchant, & wife Mary Emma were still living at the farm & they now had a daughter Kathleen Mary, aged 2, but John Richard was not listed in the census. They had 3 servants & a groom.
Richard died aged 85 in July-September 1894, the death being registered at Eton.
The children of Richard Webster & Mary Ann Cross were:
we.9.1 Richard Webster born July-September
1842 at Hitcham, Bucks
we.9.2 John Webster christened January
9th, 1844 at Hitcham, Bucks
we.9.3 George Webster christened
September 21st, 1845 at Hitcham, Bucks
we.9.4 Emily Ann Webster christened
December 23rd, 1849 at Hitcham, Bucks