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Miss Elizabeth Charlotte DURELL (1831–1918)
Her sister Miss Emily Vavasor DURELL (1835–1863)
St Michael section: Row 8, Grave C45

This is one of a pair of matching vault lids: their parents are also buried in this double plot

Elizabeth Charlotte Durell and her sister Emily Vavasor Durell were both born at New Inn Hall Street, Oxford and baptised at St Michael’s Church on 2 March 1831 and 30 April 1835 respectively. They were two of the four unmarried daughters of David Vavasor Durell, chairman of the Oxford Canal Company, and his wife Maria Le Breton.

For more on their parents, see separate grave.

The 1841 census shows the girls living at New Inn Hall Street with their parents and siblings, a governess, and there were also eight other servants.

They were still living with their parents in 1861. Two years later Emily died:

† Miss Emily Vavasor Durell died at New Inn Hall Street at the age of 28 on 14 August 1863 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 19 August (burial recorded in the parish register of St Michael’s Church).

Her effects at death came to £202, and her executor was her brother, the Revd John Vavasor Durell.

Her sister Elizabeth continued to live with their parents. In 1865 her father died, and in 1867 the Revd Durell became the leaseholder of Springfield (later numbered 33 Banbury Road, and demolished to make way for St Anne's College) and his mother and sisters Elizabeth and Jane moved in: they can be seen living there in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.

Elizabeth’s mother died in 1886. Her older sister Jane Louisa Durell then became the head of the household, and Elizabeth continued to live at 33 Banbury Road with her. The two women were looked after by five servants (a cook, lady’s maid, parlourmaid, housemaid, and kitchenmaid).

At the time of the 1911 census Elizabeth was not at home with her sister Jane (81) and her single brother James (69) at 33 Banbury Road, but was presumably still living there, as she died there in 1918.

† Miss Elizabeth Charlotte Durell died at Springfield, 33 Banbury Road at the age of 87 on 17 November 1918 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 20 November (burial recorded in the parish register of St Michael’s Church).

Her effects at death came to £39,115 5s. 1d. Her executors were her nephew James Philip Durell, Esq. and her solicitors.

Miss Jane Louisa Durell, the eldest daughter of David Vavasour Durell and his wife Maria, and her unmarried brother James continued to live at 33 Banbury Road. James Philip Durell died there on 26 April 1923 at the age of 81, and his burial on 30 April is recorded in the parish register of St Michael's Church, suggesting that he too is buried in St Sepulchre's Cemetery.

Similarly Jane Louisa Durell, who died at 33 Banbury Road at the age of 94 on 24 January 1924, has her burial on 30 January recorded in the St Michael's register. Her effects came to £29,813 1s. 5d., and her executors were her solicitors and her nephews Colonel Arthur James Vavasor Durell and the Revd Canon John Carlyon Vavasor Durell.