Person:Mary Thompson (407)

Mary Thompson was baptised on 16th February 1823 at Codicote in Hertfordshire, daughter of an agricultural labourer called John Thompson and his wife Hannah, a plaiter. The 1841 census finds Mary living with her parents and siblings at Gustardwood in the parish of Wheathampstead, a couple of miles south-west of Codicote. By 1851, Mary had left home and was working as a domestic servant for a farmer at King's Walden, a few miles to the north.

In 1854 Mary had a son called Arthur. His baptism record has the name William written where the father's name should go, but this has been crossed out. Later in 1854 Mary went on to marry an agricultural labourer called William Hornet, who therefore may well have been Arthur's father. When Arthur himself married in 1879 he gave his father's name as "William Horten". Mary and William do not appear to have had any further children together.

It is not clear what happened to William. No death record has been found for him, but by 1861 Mary was describing herself as a widow. That said, it is perhaps worth noting that in the 1861 census her marital status was originally written as "married" but then crossed out and "widow" written instead. In 1861 Mary was living with her son and mother at Gustardwood Common, and Mary was working as a straw plaiter.

In 1865 Mary married again. Her second husband was a widower called Francis Catlin, who was also an agricultural labourer. The 1871 census finds Mary and Francis living at Gustardwood with her son Arthur and Francis's two sons from his first marriage. Francis died a couple of months after the 1871 census, aged 48.

Mary appears in the 1881 census living with her stepson William Catlin and her son Arthur, who had reverted to using the name Thompson rather than Hornet. Mary has then yet to be traced after the 1881 census. No obvious death or remarriage in the area has been found for her.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 16 Feb 1823, Codicote, Hertfordshire: Mary daughter of John & Hannah Thompson

   Needs to be confirmed at Hertfordshire Archives.

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 442; Book 8; Folio 30; Page 22, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Gustardwood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   John Thompson, male, 45 [1791-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Hannah Thompson, female, 50 [1786-91], Pl[aiter], born in county
   George Thompson, male, 20 [1816-21], Lab[ourer], born in county
   Mary Thompson, female, 16 [1824/5], born in county
   Charles Thompson, male, 14 [1826/7], born in county
   John Thompson, male, 12 [1828/9], 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 1710; Folio 432; Page 1, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Baileys Farm, Kings Walden, Hertfordshire
   William Bailey, head, married, male, 42 [1808/9], Farmer (100 acres 2 Men 1 boy), b. St Martins, London
   Caroline Bailey, wife, married, female, 44 [1806/7], Farmers Wife, b. Offley, Hertfordshire
   Mary Thomson, servant, unmarried, female, 23 [1847/8], House Servant, b. Codicote, Hertfordshire
   Henry Wilding, servant, unmarried, male, 22 [1848/9], Farm Servant, b. Kings Walden, Hertfordshire
   George Peacock, servant, unmarried, male, 13 [1837/8], Errand boy, b. Kings Walden, Hertfordshire

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 827; Folio 21; Page 6, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Gustardwood Com[mon], Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Hornett, head, widow ["mar" crossed out], female, 34 [1826/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Codicote, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Hornett, son, male, 6 [1854/5], Scholar, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Diana Thompson, mother, widow, female, 74 [1786/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Codicote, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1736; Folio 25; Page 11, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Francis Catlin, head, married, male, 48 [1822/3], Farm Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Catlin, wife, married, female, 40 [1830/1], Straw Plaitter, b. Codicote, Hertfordshire
   William Catlin son, unmarried, male, 23 [1847/8], Farm Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Hornet, son by former husband, unmarried, male, 16 [1854/5], Farm Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Charles Catlin, son, male, 11 [1859/60], Farm Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1429; Folio 27; Page 12, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Catlin, head, widow, female, 55 [1825/6], Straw Plaitter, b. Codicote, Hertfordshire
   William Catlin, son, unmarried, male, 32 [1848/9], Bricklayer's Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Thompson, son, married, male, 28 [1852/3], Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Sarah A. Thompson, son's wife, married, female, 24 [1856/7], Hat Sewer, b. Ampthill, Bedfordshire