Haskings, Mrs Frances

Also known as: Mrs Haskyns

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1904

Area: Devon

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Mrs (Frances) Haskings at Rackenford, North Devon (1832-1913): age 72, 6 songs in 2 visits 13 Sept 1904 & 6 Jan 1905: Sharp wrote ‘Mrs Haskyns’ but there was no-one of that surname. It is likely to be Mrs Haskings - her surname was consistently spelled that way in all censuses. There was only one family in Rackenford with that surname.

Mrs Frances Haskings was born Frances Webber c1832, 7th and youngest child of William Webber, farmer of 196 acres in Rackenford, and his wife Ann. In 1851 they had 3 servants and lived at Lower Thorne Farm in Rackenford. In April 1851 Frances married John Haskings, a wheelwright, also of Rackenford. They had 8 children. In 1901 John was listed as ‘retired’ and living at Myrtle Cottage, Rackenford (RG13/2140 f28 p7). He died in June 1905 and Frances died on 24/2/1913, leaving £522 to her son William.

Note: Mrs Haskyn's song FT422 has been interpreted as 'North Taunton' but it is definitely 'North Tawton', a village 18 miles S of Rackenford.