Ann Marshall

She was born in 1839 in Chaddleworth, the daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Powell) Sawyer.  Her father was a woodman.  Her brother William was born 2 years later in 1841. 

She was 11 years old in the 1851 census living at Bottom Farm with her parents and siblings William (age 10); John (7); Ruth (4); Isaac (2) and 3-month old Jabez. Her mother’s brother, James Powell, a farm labourer, was lodging with them.

By the 1861 census she had travelled to Swindon where she had found employment as a nurse at The Vicarage, Dammas Lane, Swindon.  Head of the household is Henry George Baily, Vicar of Swindon. Together with his wife Elizabeth, they have ten children from the age of 1 year to 16 years, and employing a governess teacher, a cook, a laundrymaid and a housemaid.

On 24 April 1869, at St. Mary Church, Speen, she married John Marshall, a gardener.  The record confirms that John’s father is Joseph Marshall and Ann’s father is Thomas Sawyer. Both were of full age and lived in the parish of Speen.  George and Mary Marshall were witnesses.  The 1871 census records they are living in Bagnor near the Blackbird beer house.

Before their daughter, Catherine, was born on 8 June 1877, they had moved to The Lawn, Cookham, where John continued his work as a gardener.  In the 1881 census, Ann’s niece, Anne Elizabeth Street, aged 9 years, is staying with them. She is the daughter of her sister, Ruth Sawyer, who married William Street in 1871. He died 2 years later in 1873, leaving Ruth a widow with 2 children, a daughter Anne Elizabeth, and a son William who was being looked after by his grandfather, Thomas Sawyer.

There are 2 separate 1891 census records.  Ann is staying with her widowed father at Lower End, Chaddleworth, together with two of his grandchildren - Annie Street (age 20) and William Street (age 18), now a blacksmith.  John is living at Radenshaws, Bracknell Road, Easthampstead, looking after their daughter Catherine and working as a gardener.

By 1901 Ann and John, now together, have moved to Newbury and are living at 6 Albert Terrace, Newbury. He is still working as a domestic gardener and she is a domestic cook.  John died at home in September 1907, aged 67 years, and he was buried in the Cemetery on 23 September.  Ann then went to live with her married daughter and son-in-law, Catherine and Lawrence Bernard Isles, at Falkland Villa, Andover Road. 

She died at home in February 1915, aged 75 years, and she was buried on 6 February.

No Mrs. P. Code

Sources: Her parents’ Marriage Index 4Q 1838; Birth Index 3Q 1839;  Berkshire Marriages Index dated 24/4/1869; 1841 to 1911 census; Death Index 1Q 1815 and Berkshire Burial Index.

Author: Deirdre Duff
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