Wiltshire, Mrs

Singer

Collection date: Jun 1914

Area: Oxfordshire

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Mrs (Charlotte) Wiltshire at Bampton (1871-1962): age 31, 1 song ‘May Garland’ song FT2943 on 1 June 1914: Sharp noted that Mrs Wiltshire was the grand-daughter-in-law of singer Shadrach Hayden and that she had learned this May song at Langford, her native place. This is completely accurate. Mrs Wiltshire and her young family were living at Weald, a hamlet just outside Bampton, when Sharp came to call. Shadrach Hayden was aged 88 by that time and living with them.

Charlotte Ellen Simpson was baptised at Langford (4 miles W of Bampton) on 15/1/1871, 6th child of George Simpson, shepherd and his wife Rachel. She married Harry Wiltshire on 22/1/1898 at Bampton and they had 6 children. Harry Wiltshire was the son of Annie Hayden (Shadrach’s daughter). She had married Henry Wiltshire in 1874 but he died in 1880, leaving her with 3 little children and she went back to her father Shadrach. When Annie was then remarried to labourer George Brown in 1881, she set up home just doors away from her young son Harry, who continued to live with his grandfather Shadrach. There was obviously a close bond there.

Charlotte Wiltshire died January qr 1962 aged 91 (6b 1391).