Mary Ann Beckett 1851-1881

     Mary Ann Beckett, born 8th April 1851, (Bapt.St. Nicholas Church,  2nd March 1859) Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.   Probably the child of William Rising Beckett and Jane Snelling Calver.  However Mary Ann Beckett may have been a Calver when she was born just after the 1851 census. She was either the illigit child of Jane who said that she was her mother on her death certificate in January 1881 or she might have been the daughter of one of her siblings and taken in or adopted, possibly by William and Jane, after their first child William died.  

Mary married William Townsend (b.c.1850).   It is not yet known when Mary and William married.    Mary shows up in the 1861 census as a 10 year old and named Mary Ann Beckett.   She was not living with her mother and James Clarke in the 1871 census but she would be 20 by then and probably married to William Townsend.  When she died in 1881 the address was the same as for William Townsend in March when the census was again taken.  There were 3 children living with William age now 42, 12 years older than his deceased wife, William age 14, Edith 10 and Mary Ann 3.   Both Edith and Mary Ann were registered by Mary Ann who gave her name as Mary Ann Townsend, formerly Calver.

If Mary Ann were to be the mother of young William she would have only been 16 at the birth which leads to the fact,  that William was previously married and Mary Ann got involved through caring for a young child and then marrying the father although, so far, no  record of the marriage has yet been located. 

     However there does appear to be a child to this union born c.1874 at Yarmouth, Norfolk.   At the census of 1881 this child, Gertrude Townsend, is residing with her Grandmother, at Upper Westwick St, Norwich, Norfolk.  

At the time of registration of the birth of Gertrude Townsend born 8th December 1874,  registered by her father, with the mother's name as Mary Ann Townsend, formerly Beckett and registered at Yarmouth 30th December 1874 to parents William and Mary Townsend 

(Source entry No 1891 page 237 in the Yarmouth Parish Register).  

Fathers occupation was given as General Labourer? and the family were residing at Row 140, Pigeon Row, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Gertrude married Peter Paton McLaughton age 27 a cooper on 10 November 1895 Gt. Yarmouth Parish Church witnessed by James and Mary A. Bloomfield number 352 in the 1895 parish records.   Peter's father, also Peter and a cooper who came from Scotland and was no doubt connected with the herring fishing industry.  His mother was Isabelle Paton and they appear to have all come from Aberdeen.

   Last update was : December 30, 2009

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