Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries. The singular term is a taphophile.
Monument to Ann Green, All Saints Churchyard, Bisham Berkshire.
"In Memory of Ann Green. For many yeard the faithful housekepper at Temple House. Who departed this life the 4th of February 1862 aged 106 years."
Ann Green was born in Ireland around 1756 which makes researching her ealry life very difficult. She appears on the 1861 Bisham cenus aged 105 as a widow boaring with Thomas and Maragret Smith near Temple Lodge, Bisham Berkshire. As I don't have a maiden name for Ann and I haven't been able to find her on the 1841 and 1851 census returns, my research has hit a brick wall.
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| Temple House, Bisham |
Temple house was a large manor house built by Samuel Wyatt for the mill owner Thomas Williams in the late 18th century. The Williams were a very important family in Bisham with many of the men entering into politics. It seems that they were very fond of Ann, making sure she had a beautiful marker for her final resting place.
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Annoying, isn't it, when research hits a wall. This is such a juicy tit-bit of a memorial stone. But, as you say, 1756 is a very big ask ...
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately her birth place of Ireland makes it much more difficult as Irish records are not available online.
DeleteI'm sure she lead and interesting life.
Love the photo!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteShe must have been very high up as a housekeeper. Makes you wonder just how many years and where was she living when she died - surly not still at Temple House? But then again, maybe...
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the 1861 census only gives her address as Bisham, but the property previously listed is Temple House. So I suspect she was still living within the manors grounds. Possibly a workers cottage. They must have held her in high regard. If only the stones could talk.
DeleteHi. Have u got facebook page. Lily
DeleteHi Lily, there is a Facebook Badge on the sidebar to the right that should take you straight to Beneath Thy Feet's facebook page.
Delete106 years old! in that time! as a housekeeper! amazing...
ReplyDeletei wonder until what age she held that job...
very interesting find.
It would have been interesting to find out. But I couldn't find any records available online and I doubt the local library would hold such information. One of those frustrating finds where you wish you could find out more.
DeleteOf course it could be possible that Ann simply lied about her age.