Person:Hannah Pratt (35)

Childhood

Hannah Pratt was baptised on 16th September 1804 at Willian in Hertfordshire, daughter of Elizabeth Pratt, formerly Copps, and her husband John Pratt, a labourer. Hannah had one older surviving sibling, although her parents had also had twins who had died as babies the year before Hannah was born. Hannah's parents went on to have another seven children after Hannah, although two of those died young. Of the seven children who survived infancy, Hannah was the only girl. All were baptised at Willian.

In 1824 Hannah witnessed her older brother James's marriage at Willian. In 1826, when Hannah was 22 years old, her father John died, aged 56.

Adulthood

Less than a year after her father's death, Hannah was married to William Moles. He had not been born at Willian, but his family had moved to Willian before he was three years old. Hannah and William were very similar in age and therefore had probably known each other since childhood. The Pratt and Moles families clearly knew each other well; William's sister Ann married Hannah's brother John in 1829 (when Hannah was one of the witnesses), then William's sister Mary married Hannah's brother Joseph in 1833.

William and Hannah stayed in Willian, having seven children (five girls and two boys) baptised there between 1828 and 1848, although one of their daughters, Hannah, died aged one. William worked as an agricultural labourer, and Hannah was a straw plaiter. Hannah's mother died in Willian in 1839.

Hannah died in 1857, and was buried on 23rd July 1857 at Willian where she had lived her whole life. At the time of her death, the couple's surviving children ranged in age from 28 down to just eight years old. She had lived to see at least four grandchildren born in her lifetime, although some of them had died young. William outlived her by 24 years.

1. ↑ Church of England. Willian Parish Registers.

   Baptized Anno D[omi]ni 1804 / Hannah Pratt, Daughter of John & Elisabeth Pratt, Sep[tember] 16

   This baptism has been linked to the Hannah Pratt who married William Moles on the basis of the 1851 census suggesting Hannah was born in Willian in about 1804, and the fact that after her marriage Hannah Moles was one of the witnesses to the marriage of John Pratt, brother of the Hannah Pratt baptised in 1804.

2. ↑ England. 1841 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 HO107; Piece 437; Book 11; Folio 4; Page 1, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Willian, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Moles, male, 60 [1776-81], Lab[ourer], not born in county
   Thomas Moles jun[io]r, male, 13 [1827/8], Lab[ourer], born in county
   Mary Ann Moles, female, 59 [1781/2], not born in county
   Eliza Moles, female, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   ~ next house ~
   W[illia]m Moles, male, 35 [1801-6], Lab[ourer], not born in county
   George Moles, male, 10 [1830/1], Lab[ourer], born in county
   Eliza Moles, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Thomas Moles, male, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   Hanah Moles, female, 35 [1801-6], born in county
   Maria Moles, female, 13 [1827/8], born in county
   W[illia]m Pratt, male, 20 [1816-21], Lab[ourer], born in county

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 1709; Folio 137; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Village, Willian, Hertfordshire
   William Moles, head, married, male, 47 [1803/4], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Stotfold, Bedfordshire
   Hanah Moles, wife, married, female, 46 [1804/5], Platting, b. Willian, Hertfordshire
   Elizar Moles, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1832/3], Platting, b. Willian, Hertfordshire
   Betsy Moles, daughter, unmarried, female, 9 [1841/2], Platting, b. Willian, Hertfordshire
   Hannah Moles, daughter, female, 2 [1848/9], b. Willian, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Moles, son, unmarried, male, 12 [1838/9], b. Willian, Hertfordshire

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

   d. Hannah MOULES [apparently mistranscribed as MONKS on modern re-index], September Quarter 1857, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 3a, page 155, aged 52 [1804/5]

5. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Willian Parish Registers.

   No. 249
   When buried: 23 Jul 1857
   Name: Hannah Moules
   Abode: Willian
   Age: 52 [1804/5]