Person:Ann Pratt (14)

Ann Pratt claimed to have been born around 1825 at Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. Her first confirmed sighting is not until her marriage on 7th June 1847 at Leighton Buzzard, when she married James Linney. Ann's father is recorded on her marriage certificate as being William Parrott, with a note saying "illegitimate", which presumably explains why she had a different surname to her father. One of the witnesses to the marriage was Emma Pratt, who was presumably a relative.

Ann and James went on to have six children together between 1847 and 1863. In 1851 they were living in Leighton Buzzard at America,^[9] next door to James's parents. In 1856 Ann had an altercation with James's brother William; he owed her money for bread and flour, and when she asked for it back he threw her out of the house, struck her on the head and knocked her into the road. He was found guilty of assault.

By 1861 Ann and James were living in at Heath Road, with Ann working as a straw plaiter, whilst James was an agricultural labourer. A niece, Elizabeth Pratt, was also living with the family. They had moved again by 1871 to another part of town, called Lamsey.

In 1881 Ann was not at home on census night. She was working as a monthly nurse, supporting the family of the innkeeper of the Golden Bell public house and his wife, who had recently had a baby daughter.

James died in 1890. The following year's census finds Ann living as an inmate in the Leighton Buzzard Union Workhouse. She was still described as a monthly nurse, although this may have been simply recording her last occupation before entering the workhouse, as she was also described as an imbecile, suggesting she had lost the capacity to look after herself. In September 1891 her sons Frederick and Charles had to be pursued by the Board of Guardians to contribute towards the costs of their mother's maintenance.

Ann died towards the end of 1891. She was said to be 66 years old.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 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 1756; Folio 127; Page 13, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: America, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   James Linney, head, married, male, 27 [1823/4], Ag Lab, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Linney, wife, married, female, 26 [1824/5], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Linney, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Hannah Linney, daughter, female, 9mo [1850], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

2. ↑ 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 1005; Folio 105; Page 8, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   James Linney, head, married, male, 36 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Linney, wife, married, female, 36 [1824/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Linney, daughter, unmarried, female, 14 [1846/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Hannah Linney, daughter, female, 10 [1850/1], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Charles Linney, son, male, 8 [1852/3], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Frederick Linney, son, male, 3 [1857/8], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Kate Linney, daughter, female, 1 [1859/60], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Pratt, niece, unmarried, female, 16 [1844/5], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

3. ↑ 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 1561; Folio 74; Page 30, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Lamsey, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   James Linney, head, married, male, 46 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Leighton, Bedfordshire
   Ann Linney, wife, married, female, 45 [1825/6], Plaiter, b. Leighton, Bedfordshire
   Charles Linney, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Leighton, Bedfordshire
   Frederick Linney, son, male, 13 [1857/8], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Leighton, Bedfordshire
   Albert Linney, son, male, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Leighton, Bedfordshire
   Henry Foxley, lodger, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Linslade, Buckinghamshire

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 1642; Folio 6; Page 6, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: The Golden Bell P.H., Church Square, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Ginger, head, married, male, 35 [1845/6], Innkeeper, b. England
   Rosina Ginger, wife, married, female, 27 [1853/4], Innkeeper Wife, b. Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire
   Lizzie Ginger, daughter, female, 1mo [1881], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Colyer, servant, unmarried, female, 19 [1861/2], Servant General, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Linney, servant, married, female, 56 [1824/5], Servant Monthly Nurse, b. Leighton Buzzard, 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 1265; Folio 116; Page 3, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Workhouse, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   [many inmates, including:]
   Ann Linney, inmate, widow, female, 65 [1825/6], Monthly Nurse, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, imbecile

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

   d. Ann LINNEY, December Quarter 1891, Leighton Buzzard Registration District, Volume 3b, page 237, aged 66 [1824/5]

7.   Bucks Herald
   Page 5, 1 Mar 1856.

   ASSAULT.-Wm. Linney, of Leighton Buzzard, was summoned by Ann Linney, his brother's wife, for assaulting her at Leighton, on the 16th of February. Mr. Jones conducted the defence. From the evidence of the complainant, it appeared that the defendant owed her some money for bread and flour. She accordingly went to ask him to pay her all or part of the money, when he took hold of her and turned her out of the house, and then struck her on the head and knocked her into the road. Several witnesses having been examined on both sides, the chairman said the assault was proved, and ordered the defendant to pay a fine of 1s. and 16s. 6d. costs, or fourteen days' imprisonment.

8.   Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette
   Page 5, 15 Sep 1891.

   LEIGHTON BUZZARD
   PETTY SESSIONS - TUESDAY, SEPT. 8TH. - The justices present were A. Macnamara, Esq., chairman; Theodore Harris, Esq., and Dr. Lawford...
   Frederick Linney, railway labourer, of Leighton Buzzard, and Charles Linney, his brother, also a railway operative, living at Derby, were summoned to show cause why orders should not be made upon them to contribute to the maintenance of their mother, Ann Linney, who is chargeable, as an inmate of the workhouse, to the common fund of the Leighton Buzzard Union, her maintenance costing about 4s. 6d. per week. The defendant Frederick Linney only appeared, but a letter was produced, as received from Charles, who admitted therein that a summons had been served upon him and promised to contribute; there was, however, no copy of summons, with declaration of service, returned from the police at Derby, and the case against him had to be adjourned. It appeared that both defendants had contributed, by voluntary arrangement, but had become irregular and got into arrear, and Mr. Collis, relieving officer, now said that the Board of Guardians, without making any claim for arrears, asked for a magisterial order to ensure payment in the future. Frederick Linney said he earned 18s. a week, had a wife and two children, and couldn't afford to pay more than sixpence a week. Mr. Collis said Charles Linney, with four children, had been paying for a time a shilling a week. Frederick Linney said Charles earned more money than he did. The Chairman and Mr. Collis said that many men who earned no more than twelve or thirteen shillings a week and had families contributed as much as a shilling towards the support for their parents. The defendant now present seemed altogether disinclined to have any order made upon him at all, unless one was made also at the same time upon his brother, and he was equally averse to losing another day's work to attend the court again next Bench day, when the necessary proof of service of summons upon his brother will be forthcoming. The magistrates, in the end, made an order upon Frederick Linney to pay a shilling per week; and after his wife had come forward, produced receipts, and disputed the account kept by the relieving officer under the voluntary arrangement, the parties left the court, with some other women, talking excitedly, and apparently anything but satisfied with the decision of the Bench.

9. ↑ America Row has since been redeveloped and the street is now known as Garden Hedge.