Conway Stidston Broadbent JP was born on 22 April 1850 in Devon, England, and lived a distinguished life marked by family legacy, business success, and civic duty. He was the son of Samuel Stidston and Catherine Munford Conway and grew up in various parts of Devon, including Exeter and Plymouth. In 1873, he married Elizabeth Florence Martin, with whom he had six children: Mabel, Herbert, Edgar, Ida, Reginald ("Rex"), and Wilfred. Over the years, Conway established himself as a prominent draper and later a company director, living in locations across Devon, London, and the northwest of England. His son Wilfred served as a lieutenant and was tragically killed in action during World War I in 1917. Conway Broadbent held the title of Justice of the Peace (JP), indicating his involvement in public service. He spent his final years in Grange-over-Sands, Lancashire, where he passed away on 15 September 1919, shortly after the death of his wife. His life reflects a blend of entrepreneurial spirit, public service, and family devotion during a transformative period in British history.
Reverend Samuel Stidston was born on 7 April 1853 in Plymouth, Devon, into a well-established family, the son of Samuel Stidston and Catherine Munford Conway. He grew up alongside his siblings, including Conway Stidston Broadbent, and experienced early loss with the death of his younger sister, Rhoda Alice, in 1858. Samuel married Isabella Westfield Popkiss in 1878, and together they raised several children: Richard, Catherine, William, Ursula, and Percy. Initially working as a master tailor and outfitter in Plymouth, Samuel later followed a religious calling and became a clergyman ("Clerk in Holy Orders"), eventually residing in Petrockstow and later Shaugh Prior in Devon. Samuel was buried in Shaugh Prior, reflecting his lifelong ties to the Devon community. His life was marked by professional transformation, family devotion, and service to both commerce and the Church.
Kate Conway Stidston was born on 11 December 1854 in Plymouth, Devon, the daughter of Samuel Stidston and Catherine Munford Conway. She married William Alvey Plumbe in 1875, and together they had a large family, raising at least ten children across Nottinghamshire. Tragically, they lost two children young—Samuel Douglas in infancy and Edith Kathleen at just two years old. Kate spent most of her married life in Mansfield, where her husband worked, and later became a widow in 1911. Following the death of her husband, she remained active, listed in 1921 as the head of her household and a managing director of a printing company. She also traveled abroad, including a recorded arrival in New York. Kate passed away on 8 May 1931 at Widdecombe, Totley Rise, in Derbyshire. Her life reflects resilience, adaptability, and a strong connection to both family and business during a time of great societal change in England.
Rhoda Alice Stidston was born in October 1856 in Plymouth, Devon, to Samuel Stidston and Catherine Munford Conway. Sadly, her life was very short—she passed away in March 1858 in Devonshire at just over one year old. Rhoda was the youngest of the Stidston siblings at the time, and her brief life is a poignant reminder of the high infant mortality rates during the Victorian era. Though she did not live long, her memory is preserved alongside her family in historical records.
4o