In April 1861, Wilhelmina Anning was a dairymaid at Manor Farm.

Birth in Devon

Wilhelmina was born at Offwell, Devon, in 1840, the fourth of Henry and Jane Anning. Her father was a shoemaker.

By June 1841, Henry and his family lived at Haywells Cottage, Northleigh.

Death of mother

Wilhelmina’s mother died in 1843, aged about 38.

Move to Yeovil

After his wife’s death, Henry and his children moved to Yeovil. Wilhelmina’s brother, Theophilus, died in Yeovil in November 1848, aged 13. Another brother, Cornelius, died in February 1859, aged 25. Her sister, Guljasella, disappears from the records after 1841.

In March 1851, Henry and Wilhelmina lived at Gear Knapp, Yeovil.

Father remarries

In 1852, Henry married Bathia Walls, the daughter of Edwin Walls, a cordwainer who also lived at Goar Knap. She was 23. and he was about twenty years older, although he gave his age as 45. They both signed the register with a cross.

Henry and his new wife remained in Yeovil and had five children. Henry died in 1878.

Dairymaid at Hardington

In April 1861, Wilhelmina was a dairymaid at Hardington, employed by Abraham Genge.

Marriage

In 1870 Wilhelmina married Joseph Brown of Queen Camel.

Queen Camel

Joseph and Wilhelmina lived at Queen Camel for the rest of their lives, residing in England’s Lane until at least 1881 and then Church Lane. Joseph was an ostler in April 1871, a general servant in April 1881 and a farm labourer in April 1891.

Deafness

Wilhelmina was deaf by the age of 40.[1]

Death of husband

Joseph died on 2 February 1899, aged 51.

Later life

Wilhelmina continued living in Church Lane with her son, Joseph.

Wilhelmina died in May 1913 at the age of 72. A memorial stone to her and her husband is in Queen Camel churchyard.

Children

They had three children: Bessie, Mary and Joseph. Bessie and Mary entered domestic service in London. Bessie remained a spinster; Mary married George Lovell Yearworth, a Metropolitan Police Constable, in 1896 and lived in Fulham. Joseph stayed at Queen Camel and died in 1930.

References

[1] RG14, piece 14426.