Brown, Miss Doveton

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1904

Area: Somerset - North West inc Clevedon

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Miss Annie Doveton-Brown at Clevedon (1868-1951): age 35, 1 song 11 Sept 1904 + 1 on 9 Jan 1906: The 1911 census lists Miss Annie Doveton Brown, spinster 42 living with her mother Anna, 80, widow, at Belvedere Cottage, Park Rd Clevedon (RG14/14803 schedule 261). Miss Annie Lucy Josephine (Doveton) Brown was baptised on 19/10/1868 at Kirkham Lancs, where her father Rev George Brown was the vicar. In fact the Doveton prefix to the double-barrelled surname is an affectation. She was just baptised Annie Brown but the family adopted the Doveton prefix after the death of Rev Brown in 1875 (to bring back her mother’s maiden name).

This is pertinent to the folksong collecting only because Sharp specifically adds notes to the Lord Rendal song (FW545: click vwml link) that Annie had learned the song from her mother, who in turn had learned it from her grandmother. This can now be confirmed as follows: Annie’s mother was born (in Madras) Anna Louisa Paget Doveton, daughter of Frederick Brickdale Doveton, a Captain in the Indian Army, and his wife Harriet Eliza. Frederick Doveton retired from the Army in 1839 at age of 34 and set up home in Taunton (1861 census), hence the Somerset connection. Frederick’s father Rev John Doveton (bp Halse 7/10/1778) married Elizabeth Crossman 28/7/1803 West Monkton church, Somerset. Elizabeth was thus the instigator of the Lord Rendal song. She was born 4/10/1784, daughter of Rev George Crossman, rector of West Monkton. Sharp was therefore most accurate in his note-taking. Annie Doveton-Brown died at Belvedere Cottage 22/11/1951 (probate at Bristol).