Person:Ann Odell (4)

Ann Odell was born in 1849 at Luton in Bedfordshire, daughter of a bonnet sewer named Emma Odell, formerly Garratt, and her husband Thomas Odell, an agricultural labourer. She appears in the 1851 census living with her parents and siblings at Old Bedford Road in Luton. At the time of the 1861 census Ann was staying with two of her aunts (her father's sisters) at 5 Old Bedford Road, a few doors down from where her parents were living.

In the early 1870s Ann had a son named Arthur, who was said to have been born in Wolverhampton, although no birth or baptism record has yet been found for him. She then returned to Luton, where she had a daughter named Mary Jane in 1876. Later that year she married a William John Linney. (Whilst he might have been Mary Jane's father this is considered unlikely on the basis that when Mary Jane married in 1898 she gave her surname as Odell rather than Linney). William was nine years Ann's junior; when they married he was 18 and she was 27. William and Ann had a daughter named Caroline in 1879, but she died the following year. They do not appear to have had any further children.

The 1881 census finds Ann, William and her two children living at 47 Hitchin Road in Luton. By this time, William was working as a bricklayer. Some time between 1881 and 1891 the family moved into London, living at Hampstead in the northern suburbs.

Neither Ann nor William has yet been found in the 1901 census. Ann died in 1905 at her daughter's home in Luton, aged 55. Her death was sudden, so an inquest was held. The report of that inquest tells us that Ann and William had been living apart for some time, with Ann having been living in London with her son until about a month before her death when she moved back to Luton to live with her daughter.

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

   b. Ann ODELL, September Quarter 1849, Luton Registration District, Volume 6, page 104, mother's maiden name Garratt

2. ↑ 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 545; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Old Bedford Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Thomas O'Dell, head, married, male, 23 [1827/8], Ag Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emma O'Dell, wife, married, female, 22 [1828/9], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Hannah O'Dell, daughter, unmarried, female, 2 [1848/9], At Home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sophia O'Dell, daughter, unmarried, female, 6mo [1850], At Home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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 1014; Folio 28; Page 11, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 5 Old Bedford Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Hannah Wright, head, widow, female, 46 [1814/5], Bonnet Sewer, b. Langford, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Odell, sister, unmarried, female, 33 [1827/8], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Odell, nephew, unmarried, male, 9 [1851/2], Ag Lab, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   George Odell, nephew, unmarried, male, 5 [1855/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary Odell, niece, unmarried, female, 10mos [1860], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ann Odell, niece, unmarried, female, 12 [1848/9], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Mary A. Maddox, lodger, unmarried, female, 12 [1848/9], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

   Ann's parents were a short distance away at 12 Old Bedford Road. When Ann's parents married in 1848 her father said he was son of Thomas Odell. The head of this household, Hannah Wright (formerly Odell) had married Thomas Wright in 1839, when she also gave her father's name as Thomas Odell. This shows that Ann was indeed Hannah's (and also Sarah's) niece.

4. ↑ 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 1650; Folio 91; Page 18, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 47 Hitchin Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William John Linney, head, married, male, 24 [1856/7], Bricklayer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Linney, wife, married, female, 32 [1848/9], Straw Plait Sewer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Linney, son, male, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
   Mary Jane Linney, daughter, female, 5 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 112; Folio 10; Page 13, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 13 Lowfield Road, Hampstead, London
   2 rooms occupied
   William Lenney, head, married, male, 32 [1858/9], Bricklayer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Lenney, wife, married, female, 44 [1846/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Lenney, son, male, 20 [1870/1], Bricklayers Laborer, b. Wolverhampton

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

   d. Annie LINNEY, December Quarter 1905, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 235, aged 55 [1849/50]

7. ↑ Luton Times and Advertiser
   Friday 20 Oct 1905.

   Aged Woman's Sudden Death at Luton.
   The death of an aged woman named Annie Linney, living with her daughter at No. 44, Burr-street, was reported to the police on Thursday week. There was nothing unusual in the circumstances, but as a doctor had not been in attendance previous to death, the matter had to be reported to the Coroner.
   The inquest was held at the Old English Gentleman, Hitchin-road, on Saturday afternoon by Mr. G.J.M. Whyley (Deputy Coroner), the following constituting the jury Messrs. J. Dockrill (foreman), G. Burgess, T. Hebbes, C. Chandler, G. Rayment, J. Plummer, C. Ward, D. Dockrill, S. Room, A. Underwood, F. King, E.W. Simpson, and G. Halfhead.
   Mary Jane Smith, wife of Walter Smith, a moulder, living at 44, Burr-street, stated that the deceased was her mother, who was 65 years of age. Deceased was married, her husband being William Linney, but deceased lived apart from him. Mrs. Linney had stayed for a time with a son in London, and returned to Luton a month ago. Deceased had suffered from cancer for years on and off, but had never been in a hospital. Apart from that, complainant had been fairly well, and was able to get about. Deceased complained this week about her foot, and witness sent for a doctor. On Thursday morning she appeared to be much better, and witness took her breakfast up at 7.30. Deceased had nothing else during the morning, and about about 10.30 witness sent for Dr. Smithson, but they were told he would not be in until the afternoon. The doctor came about 7, but deceased had died a short time before that. They did not think deceased was so seriously ill, and that was the reason why they waited until Dr. Smithson came home.
   Emily Goodman deposed that she was the wife of John Goodman, a chimney sweep, living at 48, Burr-street. On Monday witness went to the house of the last witness and spoke to the deceased. She afterwards called to see Mrs. Linney. On Thursday witness advised Mrs. Smith to send for the doctor to look at the deceased's foot. Deceased had been a "poor creature," but not so bad that she had to keep her bed. Once deceased complained on Thursday afternoon, and they put a hot flannel to her chest. Deceased shut her eyes, and when witness went upstairs again she was dead. The did not expect that death would take place so soon.
   Dr. Smithson stated that when he was sent for he was on his round in the country. The messenger said it would do if witness called when he came back. The message was not an urgent one, and the person was told if it was an urgent case they had better send for some one else. The messenger came again about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, but witness had not returned. Shortly afterwards the messenger came again, and said that the poor woman had died. Witness went up in the evening. He found no marks of violence. The body was thin and wasted. He found several sores, due to tuberculous glands. There was also varicose ulceration. In witness's opinion death was due to senile decay.
   The Foreman said he was satisfied. He had thought there was something in the doctor arriving so late, but Dr. Smithson's explanation was entirely satisfactory. The messenger was told at the surgery that the doctor would not be at home until late, and that if it was an urgent case they had better see some other medical gentleman. The fact was, the friends did no think the case was as serious as it happened to be. Mrs. Smith had been kind to the deceased.
   A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.