Mary Ann Cole

  General Notes:

This is the Mary Wilding that lived in Marks Road Romford in 1901 and after. Her husband William was mort by this time. She brought the children up by herself, including Robert - my grandfather - who I remember well.
They moved around Marks Road for the next seventy years! Not Mary (obviously).
I now have the 1861 census, and this shows her as aged 7 in Raydon, living at Woodlands.
Ten years later, in 1871, the rest of the family are still in Raydon, whilst Mary Ann is a maid and general servant in Ipswich, at 2 Potter Street. The houshold is the Meeking family, the head of the household is Thomas Meeking, a retired farmer. Also in the house is a Cook, a Sarah Ann Simons from Essex.
Next door, is another servant from Raydon, a Sarah Ann Ransom, aged 17.
In 1911, Mary is aged 56, living at 61 Marks Road with her three sons and two lodgers - Matilda Poole, and Charles Smith.
The census shows that during her life, she had twelve children of whom eight had survived. It also states that she was married for 36 years, which is not entirely correct, but relates back to her original marriage year.
In 1941, an 85 year old widow Mary Ann Wilding, is buried in Crow Lane cemetary, when is living in Wood Street, Chelmsford, and I think this is my Mary and would explain why she is buried in Romford.

Mary married William Wilding, son of Robert Wilding and Caroline Death, on 10 Apr 1875 in Raydon, Samford. (William Wilding was born in 1851 in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, christened on 20 Apr 1851 in Kettlebaston, Suffolk and died in 1895 in Billericay district.)

  Marriage Notes:

In presnce of Mary Wilding, who signs her name and the mark of John Wilding. Both fathers are shown as Labourers.