Person:Mary Clayton (61)

Story from Malcolm Spiers malcolm_spiers@hotmail.com

After the death of her first husband Frederick, Mary became the landlady of The Bull Hotel in Long Melford Suffolk. Subsequently Mr. Whittle who owned the Mat Factory married Mary Achurch, because she "thought he had some money" (Mrs. F. L. Ruse) The marriage was not a success. Mr. Whittle drank too much. They first lived at Babergh Hall, Acton, then Pound Hall, Long Melford. After Mr. Whittle's death she moved to Tye Gwyn, and reverted to the name of Mary Achurch. Her daughter Florence Ruse used to visit her most evenings. Florence Chapman used to accompany her,(she was her cousin), She came over from Bedford to look after her, as she suffered from heart trouble. F.L. Chapman said that Mrs. Clayton was a kind person, but of a rather frightening appearance.

There is also a rumour that she insisted that George change his Will in her favour on the way to the Church ! She is know in the family as the "Black Widow ", my mother always said that she inherited the family fortune but never new her name--it was great fun find her and solving the mystery--apparently she moved in with George as his housekeeper then married him in 1896--she was 54 and he was 64. In the 1901 they were living together in Pound Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk with Alfred Achurch and Edith Achurch.