Person:Mary Cain (48)

Mary Ann Cain was born in 1844 at Whitwell in the parish of St Paul's Walden in Hertfordshire. She was the daughter of a straw plaiter and charwoman named Mary Cain. Mary Ann's father is not recorded on her baptism. When Mary Ann was still a baby her mother married a labourer named William Smith, who thus became Mary's stepfather, and for the rest of her childhood she appears to have been known as Mary Ann Smith.

In 1861, Mary Ann was still living in Luton, but with a couple named William and Mary Brown, to whom she had no obvious connection. She was working as a straw bonnet sewer.

The following year, aged about 18, she married James Richard Mitchell. She married as Mary Ann Cain.^[11] They went on to have eleven children together between 1862 and 1884, although five died young. Each census from 1871 to 1901 finds the family living in the southern suburbs of Luton, mostly in Chase Street. Mary worked as a straw hat sewer, whilst James worked variously as an agricultural labourer, general labourer and bricklayer. Mary's mother died in 1878.

In May 1905, Mary took ill. She spent two months in the infirmary, coming out in July, seemingly better. However, she suddenly deteriorated at the end of September, and died at home early in the morning of Monday 2nd October 1905, with James present when she died. She was 61. James survived her by nearly twenty years.

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

   b. Mary CAIN, September Quarter 1844, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 6, page 513, mother's maiden name blank

2. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. St Paul's Walden Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of St Pauls Walden in the County of Hertford in the Year 1844
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   186	Nov[embe]r 1st	Mary Ann	Mary	Cain	Whitewell	-	Char[le]s Hardy, Vicar

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 748; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: New Town (Bailey Field), Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, married, male, 27 [1823/4], Farm Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Smith, wife, married, female, 25 [1825/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Whitewell, Hertfordshire
   Mary Ann Smith, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], At Home, b. Whitewell, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Smith, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], At Home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Smith, daughter, female, 1mo [1851], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ 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 1012; Folio 83; Page 12, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 87 Albert Road (Private House), Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Brown, head, married, male, 45 [1815/6], Ag[ricultural] Labourer, b. Kings Walden, Hertfordshire
   Mary Brown, wife, married, female, 43 [1817/8], Ag[ricultural] Labourer Wife, b. Wheathamstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Ann Smith, lodger, female, 17 [1843/4], Straw Bonnet Sewer, b. Whitwell, Hertfordshire
   Emma Dellar, niece, female, 10 [1850/1], Scholar, b. Lilley, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1571; Folio 75; Page 7, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Cottages Back New Town Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Mitchell, head, married, male, 26 [1844/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Mitchell, wife, female, 27 [1843/4], Sewer, b. Whitwell, Hertfordshire
   Henery Mitchell, son, male, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Mitchell, son, male, 5 [1865/6], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Mitchell, daughter, female, 2 [1868/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1651; Folio 84; Page 31, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 9 Chase Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Mitchell, head, married, male, 35 [1845/6], Bricklayers Laborer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Mitchell, wife, married, female, 37 [1843/4], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Whitwell, Hertfordshire
   James Mitchell, son, male, 15 [1865/6], Bricklayer's Laborer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Mitchell, daughter, female, 12 [1868/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Mitchell, son, male, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Samuel Mitchell, son, male, 2 [1878/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ 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 1273; Folio 98; Page 33, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 39 Chase Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Mitchel, head, married, male, 46 [1844/5],General Labourer, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Mitchel, wife, married, female, 48 [1842/3], Domestic, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Mitchel, son, single, male, 16 [1874/5], General Labourer, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Samuel Mitchel, son, single, male, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Mitchel, son, single, male, 9 [1881/2], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ 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 1517; Folio 15; Page 21, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 15 Chase Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   James Mitchell, head, married, male, 55 [1845/6], Agricultural Labourer, worker, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Mary A. Mitchell, wife, married, female, 59 [1841/2], Straw Hat Sewer, worker, b. Whitwell, Hertfordshire
   John Mitchell, son, single, male, 19 [1881/2], Road Labourer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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

   d. Mary Ann MITCHELL, December Quarter 1905, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 233, aged 66 [1838/9]

10. ↑ Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 3, Friday 6 Oct 1905.

    Sudden Death at Luton.
    On Monday the death took place suddenly at Park-place, Luton, of Mary Ann Mitchell, aged 66 years, wife of James Mitchell, a labourer. It appears that the deceased had been unwell for some months suffering from dropsy. She had been an inmate of the Infirmary for some time, but seemed better on leaving that institution in July last. However, she became worse, and death took place as stated. A Coroner's inquiry was held at the Bull Inn on Monday afternoon, by the Deputy-Coroner, Mr. J.G.M. Whyley.
    The following comprised the jury:-Messrs. J. Spratley (foreman), F.J. Lemmon, A. Rhodes, G. Peck, junr., R. Sears, W. Bryant, J. Else, G. Muncey, G. Burgess, H. Daws, E.W. Simpson, S. Richardson, and F. Kilby.
    The husband, James Mitchell, identified the body of the deceased as that of his wife. She enjoyed fairly good health up to last May, when she was taken ill. Dr. Lewis, who said deceased suffered from dropsy, then order her removal to the Infirmary, where she remained about two months. For a few weeks she appeared to be better, but again dropsy supervened. On Saturday night she went out shopping, and retuned home about 6.30. About 8 o'clock on Sunday morning she asked him to fetch some brandy, and he did so. He gave her some weak brandy and water, and she then seemed to be a little easier. He called in a neighbour and she stayed with deceased until 1.30 on Monday morning, when she returned to her own house, as his wife told her she felt very much better. Deceased, however, gradually became worse, and died suddenly about 2.30 in witness's presence. Deceased had not been attended by a doctor since she left the Infirmary, and did not complain until Thursday.
    Emma Newings, residing at 18, Park-place, deposed to visiting deceased on Sunday evening, when she complained of pain in the chest, and witness put a linseed poultice on her chest, and gave her some ginger-ale to drink, as she complained of thirst, but she only had two-spoonfuls. Witness remained until 1.30 on Monday morning, when deceased said she felt much better. About 2.30 Mr. Mitchell again called her in, and she then found that death had taken place.
    Dr. C.D. Rose stated that on examining the body at 3.30 a.m. that morning, he found no marks or violence thereon. Death was due to syncope, following valvular disease of the heart.
    Verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.
    
    [On page 8 of same newspaper:]
    DEATHS.
    Oct. 2, at 4, Park-place, Luton, Mary Ann Mitchell, aged 66 years.

11. ↑ On her marriage register she gave her father's name as William Cain, which is quite likely a fiction using her surname and her stepfather's first name. Had William Smith actually been her father, presumably she would have married under the name Smith rather than Cain. Of her eleven children, nine of their births give her maiden name as Cain, and two as Smith.