Sandford, Mabel

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1905

Area: Somerset - Langport surrounds

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Mabel Sandford (1884-?): age 21, 1 song 'My parents and I could never agree' (FT644) on 8 Sept 1905: Mabel was the illegitimate child of Rosa (Rose) Woodland of Westport. Rose (b1864) was sister to Mary Jane (Ree) and Lizzie (Welch), so Mabel was their niece.

Mabel was baptised Lotty Mabel Woodland in Hambridge church on 16/11/1884. Six weeks later her mother Rose, 20, married John Meare, 22, both of Drayton in Drayton church (30/12/1884). Neither could sign their name. In the 1891 census Mabel was with her uncle Henry Meare in Drayton and in 1901 she was back with John & Rose Meare and 4 siblings. Mabel was then 17, a collar worker at a factory. On 15/8/1904 Lottie Mabel Woodland (otherwise Meare), 20, married Thomas Charles Sandford, age 29 a carter. She signed herself Mabel Meare. She was therefore a newly married woman aged 21 when she met Sharp in Drayton in Sept 1905.