Person:Martha Heather (1)

Watchers
Martha Heather
m. 20 Nov 1880
Facts and Events
Name Martha Heather
Gender Female
Christening[2] 27 May 1855 Donnington, Sussex, England
Census[3] 7 Apr 1861 Donnington, Sussex, England
Census[4] 2 Apr 1871 Pagham, Sussex, EnglandSouth Mundham
Marriage 20 Nov 1880 Hunston, Sussex, Englandto Alfred Edwards
Census[5] 3 Apr 1881 Sidlesham, Sussex, EnglandHighleigh
Census[6] 5 Apr 1891 Sidlesham, Sussex, EnglandHighleigh
Census[7] 31 Mar 1901 West Wittering, Sussex, EnglandItchenor Road
Census[8] 2 Apr 1911 West Wittering, Sussex, EnglandItchenor Green
Burial[10] 2 Apr 1948 Littlehampton, Sussex, EnglandLittlehampton Cemetery

Martha Heather was baptised on 27th May 1855 at Donnington in Sussex, daughter of Ann Heather, formerly Beach, and her husband William Heather, an agricultural labourer. Martha's mother died in 1856 when Martha was only one year old. The 1861 census finds Martha living at Donnington with her father and older siblings. By 1871 Martha was working as a domestic servant for a farmer and his family at South Mundham in the parish of Pagham.

On 20th November 1880, aged 25, Martha was married at nearby Hunston to Alfred Edwards, an agricultural labourer who was twelve years her senior. They settled at Highleigh in the parish of Sidlesham, where they appear in both the 1881 and 1891 censuses. They do not appear to have had any children.

Alfred was died in 1895, aged 51. He and Martha had been married for fourteen years. Martha was left a widow at the age of 39. She went back into domestic service, working for a family named Bowers who lived at Itchenor Road and Itchenor Green in West Wittering. She appears with them as their housekeeper in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses.

Martha lived to be 92 years old, and was a widow for 53 years. She died at Littlehampton and was buried there on 2nd April 1948.

References
  1.   Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    b. Martha HEATHER, June Quarter 1855, Westhampnett Registration District, Volume 2b, page 281, mother's maiden name Beach

  2. Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Donnington (Sussex). Parish registers, 1559-1900. (Chichester: West Sussex County Council).
    BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Donnington in the County of Sussex in the Year 1855
    No.When BaptizedChild's Christian NameParents' NameAbodeQuality, Trade, or ProfessionBy whom the Ceremony was performed
    ChristianSurname
    304May 27MarthaWilliam & AnnHeatherDonningtonLabourerJ. Kenrick, Curate

    This baptism has been linked to the Martha Heather who married Alfred Edwards on the basis that on their marriage certificate her father's name is given as William Heather, and in the censuses after their marriage she gave an age and place of birth suggesting she was born in Donnington around 1855.

  3. England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG9; Piece 618; Folio 35; Page 6, 7 Apr 1861.

    Address: Donnington, Sussex
    William Heather, head, widower, male, 52 [1808/9], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Appledram, Sussex
    Ann Heather, daughter, unmarried, female, 21 [1839/40], b. Donnington, Sussex
    Thomas Heather, son, unmarried, male, 19 [1841/2], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Donnington, Sussex
    Martha Heather, daughter, female, 5 [1855/6], Scholar, b. Donnington, Sussex

  4. England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG10; Piece 1112; Folio 86; Page 4, 2 Apr 1871.

    Address: Southmundham, Pagham, Sussex
    Henry R. Strange, head, married, male, 39 [1831/2], Farmer 180 acres 7 Labourers 2 Boys, b. Hilton, Dorset
    Catherine A.P. Strange, wife, married, female, 35 [1835/6], Farmers Wife, b. Birdham, Sussex
    Flora F. Strange, daughter, female, 4 [1866/7], b. Pagham, Sussex
    Henry S. Strange, son, male, 2 [1868/9], Farmers Son, b. Pagham, Sussex
    Honoria K. Strange, niece, unmarried, 15 [1855/6], b. Lyndlinch, Dorset
    Mary A. Poor, servant, unmarried, female, 21 [1849/50], General Serv[ant], b. Donnington, Sussex
    Martha Heather, servant, unmarried, female, 15 [1855/6], Domestic, b. Donnington, Sussex
    George Norris, servant, unmarried, 54 [1816/17], Farm Serv[ant], b. Pagham, Sussex

  5. England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG11; Piece 1122; Folio 52; Page 8, 3 Apr 1881.

    Address: Highleigh, Sidlesham, Sussex
    Alfred Edwards, head, married, male, 36 [1844/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Mundham, Sussex
    Martha Edwards, wife, married, female, 25 [1855/6], b. Donnington, Sussex

  6. England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG12; Piece 840; Folio 48; Page 4, 5 Apr 1891.

    Address: Highleigh, Sidlesham, Sussex
    Alfred Edwards, head, married, male, 46 [1844/5], Agricultural laborer, employed, b. North Mundham, Sussex
    Martha Edwards, wife, married, female, 35 [1855/6], b. Donnington, Sussex

  7. England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG13; Piece 967; Folio 95; Page 13, 31 Mar 1901.

    Address: Ichinor Road, West Wittering, Sussex
    James Bowers, head, widower, male, 72 [1828/9], Farm labourer, worker, b. West Itchinor, Sussex
    George Bowers, son, single, male, 45 [1855/6], Coal Porter, worker, b. Birdham, Sussex
    Martha Edwards, servant, widow, female, 45 [1855/6], House keeper, b. Donnington, Sussex
    George Hughes, grandson, male, 12 [1888/9], School boy, b. Clymping, Sussex

  8. England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG14; Piece 5389; Schedule 132, 2 Apr 1911.

    Address: Itchenor Green, West Wittering, Sussex
    5 rooms occupied
    James Bowers, aged, male, 81 [1829/30], widowed, Labored on Roads - District Council, b. Itchenor, Sussex
    George Bowers, son, male, 55 [1855/6], Gardener Domestic, b. Birdham, Sussex
    Martha Edwards, House keeper, female, 55 [1855/6], Widow, b. Donnington, Sussex

  9.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    d. Martha EDWARDS, March Quarter 1948, Worthing Registration District, Volume 5h, page 657, aged 92 [1855/6]

  10. Littlehampton Cemetery registers, in England & Scotland, Select Cemetery Registers, 1800-2016 (Ancestry.co.uk).

    No. 7445
    Name of person buried: Martha Edwards
    Description of person buried: Widow of Alfred Edwards
    Age: 92 [1855/6]
    Place where Death occurred: Littlehampton
    Date of Burial: 1948 2nd Apr[il]