Thanks to Alba for the Christmas artwork

The Budd Mausoleum St Matthews Brixton

There seems to be a great deal of confusion as to who the Budd family actually were.

A popular belief was that it commemorated Dr Richard Budd and one of his sons, the Rev.Henry Budd, Chaplain to Bridewell Hospital.

This is not correct. Dr Richard Budd died in Sept 2 1821 and was buried at Speen near Newbury although he had died at Battersea Rise which has helped cause the confusion.

The Mausoleum actually was commissioned by Henry Budd of 35 Russell Square Londn for his father Richard Budd, Gentleman of the same address. They had originally lived at 10 Chatham Place Blackfriars, interestingly a few houses away from Dr Richard Budd and his Family.

The mausoleum contains an underground vault and is located in the northern corner of St Matthew’s Grave Yard Brixton. The early engraved view above shows both the church and monument. The 1895 map below shows the relative positions between both.


1824 Death of Richard Budd

Richard Budd died 8th July 1824 and was buried (see above) at St Botolph Bishopsgate. However, his son decided to erect the family mausoleum in Brixton, the birthplace of his father. He commissioned the sculptor Day of Camberwell to design and build the monument which we believe was finished by September 1826 which is the date Richard Budd was exhumed and reburied in his new mausoleum.


1830 Death of Henry Budd’s son Richard Budd

Richard Budd’s son Henry Budd was born in 1787 and married Charlotte Swain in Brighton in 1805. Their first child Richard died aged 24 in Brighton in 1830 and was buried in the family vault at Brixton Feb 11th. The Budd’s had purchased several properties in Brighton after Richards Budd’s death.

They also purchased the Mansion and pleasure grounds named Twickenham Park in the late 1830’s.


1848 death of Henry Budd’s wife Charlotte

Charlotte Budd died aged 60 and was buried in the family vault 17th Feb 1848, The families main London home being 35 Russell Square,they stll retained their country Mansion at Twickenham and properties at Brighton.


1851 & 1854 Death of Henry Budd’s Daughters

Emmeline and Charlotte

Henry Budd’s daughter Emmeline died aged 25 at the family home in Russell Square and was buried in the family vault in May 1851. Her sister Charlotte died 3 years later and was buried 7th Oct 1854.


1862 death of Henry Budd

Henry Budd died aged 75 at 54 Piccadilly London and was buried in the family vault 17th Jan 1862. One of the conditions of his Will was that the family mausoleum at Brixton was to be maintained by his 2 surviving sons, William and Edward at their own expense throughout their lifetime.

Photographed around 1907 and below present day.

Henry Budd

William Budd