Laban Sweeting
Laban Sweeting was born at
Burnham on Crouch in November 1796 to Oyster Merchant, John Sweeting
and his wife Elizabeth.
The Sweetings were a family
who had been connected with Burnham on Crouch for many generations.
On 28 October 1813 Laban
married Mary Cobham at Thaxted. Mary was then aged 26 but with
Laban still only 20 he had to received his father’s approval for the
marriage to take place.
The marriage was to bring two
children – a son John and a daughter Mary. Mary married a young
clergyman George Augustus Addison, son of Burnham surgeon Dr James
Addison and the couple moved to Jamaica where Rev Addison was a
Chaplain. Soon after giving birth to a son Spencer Addison,
Mary died and Rev Addison remarried. Spencer was sent home where he
was raised by Laban and Mary.
Laban ran the family Oyster
beds at Shelford Creek and took an active role within the Burnham
Oyster Industry. The business was quite extensive with a large
workforce based at Burnham on Crouch.
He was the founder and main
driver of the Burnham branch of the Essex Provident Society and was
superintendent of the Church Sunday Schools.
Mary died after 52 years of
marriage on 29 June 1865 at the age of 78.
Laban felt unwell on 19th
November 1876 in his home in High Street, Burnham on Crouch and
despite the efforts of Dr May of Maldon he died a few days later on
22 November 1876.
The report in the Essex
Newsman described him as ‘His
kindness of heart was proverbial and in the exercise of public and
private benevolence he was unremitting. Those who were in adversity
found in him a sympathising and a generous friend. By his death the
poor especially have sustained a great loss To those in his employ
he was most considerate particularly his old servants, several of
whom had worked for him for nearly half a century. His memory will
be revered by all classes for many years to come. ’.
His funeral was held on
Saturday 25 November 1876 at St Mary’s Parish Church, Burnham on
Crouch. The shops in Burnham were closed, with blinds drawn, for the
duration of the service and the funeral cortege was followed from
High Street to the church by a large procession of Sweeting
employees which were swelled by a large number of other inhabitants
of Burnham to form a very large gathering at the church.
After his death a small
committee was established to arrange a memorial to Laban and there
was such a swell of support that funds were raised to enable to
construction of a Clock Tower in High Street next to the town
schools.
