Mary Ann Timpson 1820 – 1873 (TE2)
Mary Ann grew up with her sister and brothers and when she was old enough found employment as a servant in nearby Kings Cliffe. We find her there in the 1841 census living in Park Street.
On 1 March 1849 in St Leonards Church, back in Apethorpe she married James Loweth. James was born at Brigstock, Northamptonshire in 1820 and his occupation is given as “Turner” which we know to be a Wood Turner.
We find Mary Ann and James in the 1851 census living at 44 Park Street, Kings Cliffe with their first child Harriet. James occupation is given as Wood Turner. The surname is written as Lowth.
In the 1861 census the family is living at 155 West Street, Kings Cliffe and James occupation is given as Innkeeper.
The Wheel Inn
There are several references including the Kellys Directory which place James Loweth as the licensee of the Wheel Inn in 1854. We can track this continuously until his death on 21 February 1862. Mary Ann his wife then took over the licence of the Wheel Inn.
It would have been at this time that Henry Timpson, (Mary Ann’s brother) and his wife Ann would have helped out at the Wheel Inn public house and in doing so learn the trade.
The Wheel Inn obviously catered for large groups. The following article appeared in the Northampton Mercury on 20 December 1862.
The Allotment Society governed local allotments of land mainly for town’s people to grow vegetables. One can imagine both Henry and Ann working that night at various times. One working while the other minded their one year old daughter, Mary Lizzie.
They were interesting times. The next newspaper article in the Northampton Mercury on 25 August 1866 finds Mary Ann in trouble for allowing dancing in her house!
By the time of the 1871 census the family was living at 146 West Street. Mary Ann is listed as Innkeeper, 14 year old daughter Emma as a Barmaid and 13 year old niece Annie (Ann Elizabeth) Groome as an Assistant.
Mary Ann remained as Innkeeper of the Wheel Inn until her death on 18 October 1873.
Go to Chapter Ten