Maria (Mary) Dawes

Born 1805, died 1896
Inmate Nurse at Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse, 1845-1846
Researched by Dauna Coppin

Mary was born as Mary Savage and baptised on 18th August 1805. Her parents William and Elisabeth (née Crane), were married at Wood Rising, near Norwich, on 26th May 1795 when William was already a Widower. Mary had two siblings, Elizabeth and James, born in 1796 and 1798 respectively.

 On 28th September 1838, Mary married William Dawes at Gressenhall. By that time, she had two children, Sarah and Margery, but no births or baptisms have been found for them. A third daughter, Thirza, was born in the June Quarter 1838. Sadly, Mary’s husband, William died shortly afterwards, aged 38, in the September Quarter 1838. Thirza also did not survive, and she died, aged 2, two years later in 1840.

Mary was unable to maintain herself and her children, and they found themselves in the Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse. The 1841 census shows them as pauper inmates. Mary was aged 35 and her children were aged 7 and 5. However, Mary found employment as a Nurse in the Workhouse. Quarterly Financial Reports from the Workhouse Guardians’ Committee from March 1845 until June 1846 show her earning £1 5s each quarter.

Then, in August 1846, Mary’s life was turned around when she was sent into service for Mr Whelan at Haydock Lodge Lunatic Asylum in Lancashire. The Guardian’s Minutes of 24th August 1846 recorded: “Mr Whelan...offered to take some of the inmates of the Workhouse into his service at Haydock Lodge Lunatic Asylum…Agreed that Maria Dawes belonging to the parish of Hardingham…be allowed…at …own requests to go into service and go to the place of… destination via London and that Maria Dawes be allowed the sum of £6…on going to the said Service...to be repaid out of ...wages by Mr Whelan. And further agreed that the said Maria Dawes…after Christmas next, pay out…the sum of £5...by equal quarterly payments for the maintenance of her children”.

She did not remain there for long and, by 1847, Mary was back in Norfolk. The minutes of the Guardians of the Workhouse recorded on 20th December: “Ordered that the Clerk do write to Maria Dawes of Shipdham directing her to appear before the Board on Monday next respecting her neglect to contribute towards the maintenance of her child in the Union Workhouse”. Mary had defaulted on her maintenance for her children, who were still inmates of the Workhouse at that time.

On 24th September 1850, at Shipdham, Mary married for a second time. Her husband was Henry Rowen, a labourer, who was several years younger than her. They had a son, George Daws, who was born in 1847. The 1851 census shows Mary with Henry and George living at Cankerweed Common, Shipdham and Henry is working as an agricultural labourer. Mary’s other two children, Sarah and Margery, still remained living in the Workhouse.

In 1861, living at Watery Lane, Shipdham, Henry is shown to be working as a shepherd and Mary has a job as a charwoman. Her son George was 14-years-old and working on the land, alongside his 26-year-old sister, Sarah. The family were settled and, along with daughter Margery, working as a servant in Prescot, Lancashire, everyone was bringing in money to the household.

In 1871, Mary was found on the census with her husband, listed as Henry and Mary Rowing. She was aged 65 and working as a washerwoman, while Henry, aged 47 was a farm labourer. They lived at Fair Land, Shipdham. Mary’s son George was also working as a farm labourer in Shipdham and her daughter, Margery, was a domestic servant for a household in Chorley, Lancashire. Sarah’s whereabouts is not certain.

By 1881, Mary was living alone as a widow, aged 75 and existing on parish relief. Her surname was still recorded as Rowing and it is not certain when husband, Henry, had died. She was, however, living next door to her son, George, in Market Street, Shipdham.

George had married Emma Stannard in the December Quarter of 1879 and they had a daughter, Mary, born just 2 months before the 1881 census was taken. It is not certain what became of Mary’s other daughters, Sarah and Margery.

Ten years later, Mary, then aged 85 was living with George and his growing family, still in Market Street. She was surrounded by six grandchildren aged from just 4 months to 9 years old. It is believed that Mary died in the December quarter 1896. Her age at death was recorded as 92 years.