Benjamin and Ann's is the only surviving marked grave at the chapel and the only box tomb.

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Ann Suffield was born in about 1826 in Boldre to Thomas and Ann (nee White), the second of their four children. She was baptised, aged 17-18, at the Baptist chapel on 20th August 1843.

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Benjamin Biddlecombe was born at Newlands Farm in July 1823, son of James and Ann (nee Seager). He was baptised at Beaulieu church in 1823 and was the 2nd of their 3 children. His father James died in 1826 and his mother Ann married his uncle, also called Benjamin Biddlecombe, in 1828.

 

Aged 17, the 1841 census lists Benjamin Jnr as a servant to James Seager, who was his maternal grandfather. Benjamin was baptised at East Boldre’s Baptist chapel on 9th April 1843 (aged 20). This was before the baptistry had been built (1844) so his baptism may have been at Hatchet Pond.

 

The 1851 census lists him, aged 27, as a widower, and head of a household in Baddesley with a house keeper and two servants. He was a farmer of 90 hectares employing 1 labourer. We have been unable to find records of his 1st wife.

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In 1856, Benjamin married Ann Suffield and was elected a deacon of the Baptist church on 15th September of that year. They had 2 sons, James and Samuel, and twin daughters, Laura and Elizabeth. Benjamin became the miller at Hatchet Mill in the late 1850s and continued until at least 1865.

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According to the chapel's burial register, Benjamin was buried at the chapel by the Rev John Bartlett Burt on 19th May 1870 (seems unusual as that is the same day he died).​

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After Benjamin's death his wife, Ann, took over as both farmer and miller. The 1881 census entry lists her as a Miller which has then been altered to 'Milliner', possibly because the census enumerator did not think being a miller was a likely occupation for a woman. Her 22 year old son James is listed as her assistant.

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By 1889 their son James had taken over the running of Hatchet Mill.

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Ann died 8th Sep 1897 which post dates the surviving burial register so her burial is not formally recorded. According to ​Kelly's directory of 1898 their son Samuel then took over as the miller at Hatchet Mill.