Introduction

Mary Harrison was a farmer’s widow who lived with her sister, Ann Read, at Partway House, Hardington, from the 1870s until about 1892. Following her husband’s death, Mary had a modest fixed income, which compelled her to live with family. She lived into her nineties and returned to East Coker only during her final illness.

Early life

Mary was born at Hardington on 21 September 1800, the third of five children born to John and Anne Swaffield.[1] In 1830, she and her sisters inherited equal shares in one-third of their grandfather’s estate.[2]

Married life

On 19 March 1839, at Yetminster, Mary married William Harrison, a yeoman of East Coker. Mary was 38, and William was 37. Mary’s brother, John Swaffield, signed the marriage register as one of the witnesses.

In June 1841, William was a farmer at Marl Close in Yeovil. By March 1851, he had become a farmer of 50 acres at Oxen Furlong Farm, also in Yeovil. In April 1861, he was farming 177 acres at Hummer Farm, Trent.

William and Mary had one daughter, Ann, who was born at Yeovil in 1839. On 6 November 1860, Ann married John Woolmington, a farmer of East Coker, at Trent.

William retired from farming in 1867, holding his farm sale at Hummer Farm on 23 October.[3] Following the sale, he and Mary moved in with their daughter, Ann, at East Coker.

William died at East Coker on 10 March 1870, at the age of 68, leaving an estate valued at “under £4,000.” He instructed his executors to invest £1,700 and pay the income to Mary for her lifetime.[4]

Widowhood

Following William’s death, Mary continued to live with Ann for a few years. However, in the 1870s, John Woolmington downsized from a 120-acre farm at Up Coker to Marsh Mead Cottage, Coker Marsh, where he farmed only 50 acres. Although John and Ann had no children, Mary may have felt the time was right to move out. Consequently, she joined her sister, Ann Read, at Hardington. She was there by April 1881 and remained until at least April 1891.

Death

Mary died intestate on 10 April 1892, at the age of 91, probably at the home of her daughter, leaving an estate valued at £488-19s-4d.

References

[1] Hardington baptism register.

[2] The will of John Swaffield, dated 28 August 1828, proved at Wells on 28 May 1828.

[3] Western Gazette, 18 October 1867, p.4.

[4] The will of William Harrison, dated 30 January 1867, proved at the Principal Registry on 5 July 1870.