Ash, Mrs Mary Anne

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1906

Area: Somerset - Bridgwater Surrounds

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Mrs Mary Ann(e) Ash of Cannington (1834-1914): age 74, 2 songs 7 Aug 1906: Her two songs were versions of ‘Henry Martin’ and ‘William Taylor’ (FT967,968). She was born on 22/7/1834 and baptised the following year (4/10/1835) at Cannington church as Mary Anne Hayman, daughter of James Hayman, labourer and his wife Mary. Subsequent censuses spelled her middle name without an ‘e’ and that applied to her wedding record, when on 4/7/1857 she married George Ash, son of William & Mary Ash. Neither could sign their name. They had 6 children but George died in 1880.

Mary Ann had three older sons (all working) and she herself was a charwoman 1881-1901 to keep the family together. For 30 years the family lived in Frog Street, very near to both William Bailey and Edwin Davey (1901 ref RG13/2280 f42 p10). By 1911 Mary Ann had moved into the almshouses in the village and she died in March qr 1914 (ref 5c 471).