Person:Minnie Plummer (2)

Minnie Plummer was born on 14th February 1880 at Luton in Bedfordshire, daughter of a straw hat finisher called Harriet Plummer, formerly Wells, and her husband John William Plummer, a straw hat blocker. Minnie appears in the 1881 census living with her parents and sister at 53 Liverpool Road in Luton. By 1891 they had moved to 45A Windsor Street in Luton.

On 12th February 1898, two days before her eighteenth birthday, Minnie married William Arthur Moss at St Mary's Church in Luton. Later that year their first child was born at Pepperstock in the parish of Flamstead, a couple of miles south of Luton. They later returned to Luton, where they had another eight children between 1900 and 1924, one of whom died as a baby.

The 1901 census finds the family living at 33 Windsor Street in Luton, with Minnie working as a straw hat sewer, whilst William was a carter on a farm. By 1911 they had moved to 152 Chapel Street, which is also where William's father and sister's family lived. William by this time was working as a coal carter.

Minnie and William's marriage was not always happy. In 1915 Minnie applied for a separation order on the grounds of William's cruelty. Nevertheless, they continued to live together and have more children after that time.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Minnie and William were living at 17 Farley Hill in Luton with two or three of their children. Their daughter Irene was described as being incapacitated at the time. She died in 1940, aged 23.

Minnie died in 1952, aged 72. William survived her by nearly eleven years.

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

   b. Minnie PLUMMER, March Quarter 1880, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 451, mother's maiden name Wells

2. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (abbreviated TNA). 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom)
   Class RG11; Piece 1649; Folio 36; Page 7, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 53 Liverpool Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Plummer, head, married, male, 23 [1857/8], Straw Hat Blocker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Harriet Plummer, wife, married, female, 27 [1853/4], Straw Hat Finisher, b. Markyate Street, Bedfordshire
   Lilla L. Plummer, daughter, female, 4 [1876/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Minna Plummer, daughter, female, 1 [1879/80], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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

   ch. 20 Aug 1885, Christ Church, Luton, Bedfordshire: Minnie / John William & Harriet / Plummer

4. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (abbreviated TNA). 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom)
   Class RG12; Piece 1274; Folio 51; Page 22, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 45A Windsor Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   John W. Plummer, head, married, male, 33 [1857/8], Hat Stiffener, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Harriet Plummer, wife, married, female, 37 [1853/4], Hat Sewer, employed, b. Markyate, Hertfordshire
   Lila L. Plummer, daughter, single, female, 14 [1876/7], Hat Finisher, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Minnie Plummer, daughter, female, 11 [1879/80], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (abbreviated TNA). England and Wales. 1901 Census Schedules: also for the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom)
   Class RG13; Piece 1514; Folio 85; Page 29, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 33 Windsor Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   William A. Moss, head, married, male, 24 [1876/7], Carter on Farm, worker, b. Aley Green, Hertfordshire
   Minnie Moss, wife, married, female, 21 [1879/80], Straw Hat Sewer, worker, at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur W. Moss, son, single, male, 2 [1898/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ General Register Office. The National Archives (abbreviated TNA). 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom)
   Class RG14; Piece 9013; Schedule 606, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 152 Chapel Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   2 rooms occupied
   William Moss, head, male, 34 [1876/7], married, General Laborer - Coal Carter, worker, b. Cadonton [sic], Bedfordshire
   Minnie Moss, wife, female, 30 [1880/1], married 13 years, 5 children born to marriage, 4 children still living, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Moss, son, male, 13 [1897/8], single, School, b. Peperstock [sic], Hertfordshire
   Sidney Moss, son, male, 9 [1901/2], single, School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Cecil Moss, son, male, 3 [1907/8], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Doris Moss, daughter, 14 days [1911], single, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sidney W. Plummer, son, male, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   May Plummer, daughter, female, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Gertrude E. Plummer, daughter, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 17 Farley Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Moss, William A. / male / b. 26 Jun 1876 / married / Coal Carter (Heavy Work)
   Moss, Minnie / female / b. 14 Feb 1880 / married / Unpaid domestic duties
   Moss Irene M. / female / b. 11 Nov 1916 / single / Incapacitated
   Moss, Stanley G. / male / b. 21 Dec 1919 / single / Coal Carter (Heavy Work)
   [one record closed]

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

   d. Minnie MOSS, December Quarter 1952, Luton Registration District, Volume 4a, page 168, aged 72 [1879/80]

9.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 8, 18 Jun 1915.

   AN HEREDITARY TRAIT. - A Luton man named William Arthur Moss, of 12, Duke street, appeared at the Borough Session on Saturday in respect of an application by his wife, Minnie Moss, for a separation order on the ground of persistent cruelty. Mrs. Moss was not present, and her husband said he knew she was not coming, because he paid her every halfpenny of his week's money on Friday night, the same as he always did. The Clerk told him that his wife said she had no money to pay for the summons, and apparently she had been making use of the Court to settle domestic differences. It was suggested that the case should be adjourned so that she should be made to attend, unless he was prepared to pay the cost himself. The defendant agreed to pay the costs 5s., and the case was struck out, the Chairman remarking, "I hope this is the last we shall see of you in connection with these matrimonial differences." The defendant was also summoned in respect of the irregular attendance of two of his children, and he remarked that one of his lads was like himself in his boyhood - he could not stand school. "Mr. Sell will remember that is so," he added, but Mr. Sell replied that it was such a long time ago that he could not remember. "But it was so," said the defendant, "and the boy is just like I was - his head can't stand school. I can't read or write myself." The magistrates made an attendance order.