Person:Mary Davis (491)

Mary Davis was baptised on 27th October 1793 at Luton in Bedfordshire, daughter of Susannah Davis, formerly Outridge, and her husband William Davis. The family lived at Biscot, then a rural hamlet to the north of the town itself.

Mary's next sighting is on 19th September 1813, aged about 20, when she married James Young, a wool stapler. They appear to have gone on to have at least six children together, and possibly more, as there are significant gaps between some of the children. They appear to have moved around various places in southern Bedfordshire, living at different times at Luton, Kensworth, Whipsnade, and Barton in the Clay before settling back in Luton. Mary's father died in 1820, and her mother died the following year.

The 1841 census finds James and Mary and two teenage children also called Young living on what was then called Stockwood Road, which appears to have been the road later called Farley Hill leading out of Luton to the south-west. James was described as a wool stapler at this time.

Both the 1851 and 1861 censuses find James and Mary living on New Street, a turning off Farley Hill. Mary was described as a dressmaker in 1851, whilst James was a wool sorter. In each of these censuses they had a house servant, indicating a degree of affluence.

James died at New Street on 11th February 1864, aged 72. He left a will, which was administered by his widow Mary and two others. It would appear that James owned four houses in New Street and two in nearby Albert Road, which were managed by trustees after his death, presumably so as to provide an income for Mary in her widowhood. She survived him by about seven years, dying early in 1871, aged 77. After her death the trustees sold the houses.

1. ↑ Bedfordshire Family History Society. Luton Parish Register Transcript. (Bedford).

   ch. 27 Oct 1793: Mary d Wm & Susnh Davis, Biscot

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 4; Book 21; Folio 18; Page 31, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: North west side of Stockwood Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Young, male, 49 [1791/2], Wool stapler, born in county
   Mary Young, female, 48 [1792/3], born in county
   Emma Young, female, 18 [1822/3], born in county
   John Young, male, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   Sarah [surname illegible], female, 18 [1822/3], [occupation illegible], not 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 1757; Folio 475; Page 19, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: New Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Young, head, married, male, 58 [1792/3], Woolsorter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Mary Young, wife, married, female, 57 [1793/4], Dressmaker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Barrett, servant, unmarried, female, 11 [1839/40], House Servant, b. Buckingham, Buckinghamshire

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 1013; Folio 121; Page 39, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 7 New Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Young, head, married, male, 68 [1792/3], Wool sorter, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Mary Young, wife, married, female, 67 [1793/4], Wool sorters Wife, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Billield, servant, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], Servant of all work, b. Nassington, Northamptonshire

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

   d. Mary YOUNG, March Quarter 1871, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 317 aged 77 [1793/4]