Mary Steele ...later Edwards. GGM

-Ongoing  in progress-



Mary Edwards (nee Steele)
1857-1928

 

I have no picture of Mary but love this painting which I will happily credit when I can find out who it is by!
   



Starting point~
Two facts, someone had a child called Alfred Steele (my grandfather) AKA Alfred Nevitt Steele and his mother was not married to his father.
These facts were known about in the family but not talked about.
I don't recall my Father ever mentioning his paternal grandmother so it is quite possible that he never knew her. I believe she died when he was aged 10.
So first off ..search for and find Alfred's birth certificate. Done.

Name...Alfred Steele
Mother ....Mary Steele
Father...Blank
Date of Birth....8 January 1880
Poor Law Union... Nantwich
Record set ...Cheshire Workhouse Records (Births)

This provided information to search the available census records. (Finding Alfred living with his Grandparents in the 1891 census as Grandson Alfred Nevitt Steele was really helpful)
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The first entry for Mary Steele is aged 3 in 1861...
Her family were living at Broad street, Hatherton, Cheshire and consisted of her Father and Mother, Vernon and Emma  Steele ( married couple) ,he was an Agricultural labourer
and their young family of 3
Anne - aged 4
Mary - aged 3
Thomas - aged 0
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The next entry is the 1871 Census....
At the next census in 1871 the family had moved to Buerton, Nantwich, Cheshire. (probably before 1866 as Fanny was born in Buerton)
Vernon and Emma Steele (aged 37* & 34*) and their 7 children
He is still an Agricultural Labourer . Ann his eldest has left school but doesn't have a job, Mary and Thomas are at school and the 4 youngest are still at home.
Ann     Steele         14*        General servant-out of employment born Hatherton
Mary     Steele       13*   Scholar born Hatherton
Thomas Steele       10*   Scholar..born Hatherton
Fanny     Steele       5*   ...born Buerton
Harriet     Steele      4* ...born Buerton
Emma     Steele        2*...born Buerton
John     Steele     1 week*...born Buerton
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In between the 1871 Census and the 1881 Census a lot happens in Mary's life and not in a good way.
Like most other rural areas, Buerton was a hamlet in which mothers had to pack their daughters off to jobs as servants  Poverty and cramped housing meant that it was well nigh impossible to keep girls at home without some form of income, yet opportunities for contributing to their upkeep were really very limited.
Mary likely had left school by 14 to work as a servant, probably on a farm.
Where ever she ended up working, Mary fell pregnant and had a child out of wedlock. A daughter, Mary Ann, was born in May 1877. Mary's parents looked after the baby at their home whilst Mary worked as a servant at Beeston, 18 miles away. This was in no way ideal. Mary's Mother had to cope with her own growing brood and times were hard. Both Mary's baby and her Mother's babies births were registered at the workhouse.I'm guessing this was because the workhouse provided the only medical care they could afford. What ever the reason it doesn't indicate a good situation to be in. It must have made feeding baby Mary Ann difficult and the poor little lass did not live. She tragically died in 1878 aged 9 months. Cause of death... Fits.
This must have been a most unhappy time as not only did her baby die but the Doctor made accusations of  neglect and there was an inquest. Fortunately, the Jury thought differently. (Information from a newspaper cutting)
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By 1879 Mary was working for a farming family by the name of Burgess, of Burleydam, Northwich, Cheshire.
Also working for them as an agricultural labourer was one Alfred Nevitt.
According to a newsaper report of Alfred Nevitt's attempt to obtain wages owed to him by the farmer after he was dismissed. Mary arrived to work at the farm and it would appear to use an oldfashioned term, that they kept company (the newspaper rather bluntly says they were 'intimate') But all did not turn out well. The farmer's wife discovered that Mary had taken some children's bed jackets and the like from her but by keeping the Pound owed as wages to Mary in lieu of the stolen garments, Mary stated the farmers wife had forgiven her, Mary was dismissed and that was as far as the matter went.
The farmer however believed Alfred Nevitt was a party to the theft, this he denied as did Mary but to no avail. In spite of asserting he would have no more to do with the girl (Mary) and in spite of pleading to keep his job he was asked to leave. He lost his case against the Farmer.
From the dates quoted in the paper I believe Mary was at least 6 or 7 months pregnant with Alfred Nevitt's child when she took the baby clothes and was dismissed.

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Still unmarried, Mary's second child Alfred was born on the 8th of Jan 1880...possibly in the work house ...his birth is registered there.
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In 1881 Baby Alfred Steele was a year old and boarding with the Basford family. see census entry below.
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1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census

Kinsey Heath, Audlem, Nantwich, Cheshire, England
James    Basford    Head    Married    Male    32    1849    Ag Lab    Audlem, Cheshire, England
Harriett    Basford    Wife    Married    Female    26    1855    -    Audlem, Cheshire, England
and their 4 children also born in Audlem ...
Roseannah Basford    Daughter    Female    12    1869    Scholar   
William    Basford    Son        Male    7   
Lizzie    Basford    Daughter        Female    3   
Mary    Basford    Daughter       Female    0 
Also
Alfred    Steele    Boarder       Male    1    1880    -    Audlem, Cheshire, England
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In 1882 Mary's life took a turn for the better and she married William Edwards of Nantwich .
I think it likely that after he was weaned Alfred moved in with his Grandparents. His youngest Uncle was only 3 years his senior.
This allowed Mary to make a fresh start with her new husband.
I do not know if Alfred ever knew his mother? or what contact..if any..was maintained between the families.
I do not believe there was any contact with his Father. Family memories suggests that there was a name that was never to be mentioned. Was it Nevitt ?
It may have been a clean and definate break. At the moment I just don't know.
Her son was known as Alfred Steele also as Alfred Nevitt Steele and at least one census entry may have him down as Nevitt Steele.
So it seems likely that Alfred Nevitt was believed to be his father.
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to be cont with Mary and her growing new family....