Maria Pope

c1823-1878

Maria Perris was born in Hoe Benham Berkshire the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Perris (nee Bayley) who were married on the 12^th August 1822 in Hungerford Berkshire (possibly St Mary’s Church Great Shefford)

Maria’s family and early life:

Maria’s father Thomas was an Agricultural Labourer, he was born c1790 in Welford Berkshire he died aged 72 in 1862 and was buried on the 15^th October at St Gregory Welford.

Her mother was born c1790 in West Shefford Berkshire she died aged 82 in 1874 and was buried on the 15^th February at St Mary Kintbury

Other known children of Thomas and Sarah were:

William c1827, Harriet c1831, Thomas c1835, George c1838, James c1840, Mark c1843

In 1841 Maria (18) was living in Wickham with her parents and siblings.

(Maria’s parents were recorded living in Welford in 1851 and Wickham in 1861. In 1871 Sarah was living in the High Street Kintbury with her married daughter Harriet Cox and her family)

Maria:

Maria married Thomas Pope on the 8^th June 1847 in Thatcham Berkshire. (Thomas was born c1821 in Welford the son of Charles (a Cordwainer) and Elizabeth Pope (nee Trayhorn), who were married in Wickham in 1804)  Maria and Thomas didn’t have any children.

In 1851 Maria (29) and Thomas (30) were living in Northcroft Lane Newbury, Thomas was working as a Baker’s Labourer,

The 1861 census records Thomas (40) as a Gardener, living in the Rose & Thistle Yard Newbury with Maria (38), also living with them was Thomas’s nephew Reuben Albert Pope aged 9.(mistakenly recorded as Rebecca Albert. Reuben was the illegitimate son of Thomas’s sister Ann, who died in 1857).

Thomas was recorded in the 1869 Kelly’s Directory as a Beer Retailer at the Rose and Thistle Yard Newbury.

He died aged 48 on the 30^th December 1869 he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 4^th January 1870.

In 1871 Maria (47) was recorded as a Beer House Keeper she was still living in the Rose and Thistle Yard Newbury, also living with her was her nephew John Pope (30), occupation, Porter and a lodger.

Maria died aged 55 on the 28^th June 1878 she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 1^{st July}

Sources: as above