Mary Ann Mabbs, Mountnessing, Nr. Billericay, Essex

[Sue1]

The above Mary Ann had a sister Hannah who was married to my x4 G Grandfather. She was his second wife and married him when she was 13 - he was in his 50s by then. She had six children then he died. It has been impossible to find where he was born etc but whilst browsing today I came across a book called:

Early Piety Exemplified in a Brief Memoir of Miss Mary Ann Mabbs of Mountnessing, nr Billericay, Essex, with extracts from her devotional papers. This may, of course, only be about her religion but I have a glimmer of optimistic hopefulness she may have mentioned some details of her family.

I know this is a Quaker family on her side and I know very little about Mary Ann Mabbs other than she was born on 16.2.1790 and died in 1829. No marriage found.

I know where, between Russell Square and Kings X station in London the Quaker building is BUT does anyone on the Forum know about the Quaker Library - do they sell books, will they allow photocopying of part of a book etc. Basically, does anyone have any experience of having visited there. I have found a phone no. but would be very interested to know of anyone who has used their services.

Sue

[keldon]

There's also a copy in the British Library should you prefer to go there instead.

http://primocat.bl.uk/F/EL5LNY2JEK9N5J25I3V5D7SF1564USXMU67XP7NQUKKS9KLMM7-04941?func=item-global&doc_library=BLL01&doc_number=003629895&year=&volume=&sub_library=

[keldon]

There's a copy held by Essex Libraries at Chelmsford. Have you asked at your own library about the possibility of an inter-library loan?
Search Mabbs on their catalogue.

http://essexlibraries.essexcc.gov.uk/ABL/

[Sue1]

Many, many thanks for that. It never crossed my mind that a book written so long ago would be in a Public Library.
My local Library, Wisbech, has been asked several times by both my husband and myself to get books and has never actually managed it!
However, someone else who is also researching this family is going to do this in a different area! I notice there is no ISBN number.

Sue

[Katarzyna]

At least it gives this reference:

Item availability
Branch.................... Location................Status
CHELMSFORD........[STK] - E 922.5......Available (1x)

[Sue1]

Thanks very much for that Kat.
I am actually trying/hoping to find a reference in the book to her sister, a Hannah Mabbs b 1802 (or 1796) in Mountnessing, Essex. There is some doubt about whether I have the correct one. My Hannah, age 13, married a widower, James Rowland, with 6 children - he was much older than her. I now know there are a lot of Mabbs in Essex, Kent, Sussex. I thought the most likely would be Essex because people tended not to travel so far to get married. The Hannah Rowland, nee Mabbs, I have on my Tree, died in Gourock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Before she was widowed she lived with her husband in Great Baddow, Essex.
My need for a look at this book is rather a "long shot" to try and prove I have the correct Hannah!
I have to say, "my" Hannah doesn't sound as though she came from a religious family (although she was Quaker) nor a family that were educated enough to write books.

Sue

[Janet in Yorkshire]

You would be surprised at just how many "ordinary" folk have left "books". I'm thinking of John Secker, of Norfolk, 1716 -95 a Quaker and a mariner, who ran away to sea as a lad and always kept a diary. The diary has survived and has now been edited and published. John's father was a village miller. My Quakers could usually read and write. John's cousin, also a Quaker (the mothers were sisters) was inspired to copy John and write his memoirs, although it's nothing like as detailed (or as interesting) as John's diary.

Jay

[Sue1]

It is fascinating when people keep diaries and many years later people have access to them. If nothing else, it quite often gives a fascinating insight into how people lived that long ago. I always feel it is a shame they didn't have photography in those days but, just occasionally, you get lucky and someone has a portrait painted. However, my Hannah Mabbs probably didn't read or write (she signed with an "X" when she married).

I think my search for Hannah Mabbs b 1802 (she called herself Annah) may be over without even looking at the book!! I found a death for a Hannah Mabbs in Mountnessing in 1804 - unfortunately it doesn't given her parents names nor her age at death or dob. It is the parents names I have that alerted me to the fact that there may be more than one Hannah Mabbs. The Hannah I had, who appears to have died, had parents named John and Sophie. I am told there is a Hannah Mabbs b 1796 (which at least would make her more than 13 at marriage) who has parents James and Leonora - this sounds like a "possible".

Sue

[keldon]

I think my search for Hannah Mabbs b 1802 (she called herself Annah) may be over without even looking at the book!! I found a death for a Hannah Mabbs in Mountnessing in 1804 - unfortunately it doesn't given her parents names nor her age at death or dob. It is the parents names I have that alerted me to the fact that there may be more than one Hannah Mabbs. The Hannah I had, who appears to have died, had parents named John and Sophie. I am told there is a Hannah Mabbs b 1796 (which at least would make her more than 13 at marriage) who has parents James and Leonora - this sounds like a "possible". Sue

I must admit I am thoroughly confused now! I presume you've seen this from the 1851 census for Billericay where there is Hannah Mabbs unm aged 49 (c.1802)?

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/ESSHO107_1774_1775-0134/4748801?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1851%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dhannah%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmabbs%26gsln_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp%3dessex%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3drt%26uidh%3dy25%26cp%3d0&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

This may or may not be her Will.

http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.aspx?ThisRecordsOffSet=1&id=978320

I presume you've seen the burial and baptism registers for Great Baddow which suggest that James's first wife may have been Elisabeth?

[Sue1]

Thanks Keldon,. Yes I have seen the census you quote (only yesterday actually) and this Hannah is working as a Governess on the census I believe. I too am confused, totally!

Not ours, as she is a spinster and the one I suspect I have erroneously on my Tree. I finally have to admit my Hannah is the wrong one.

Yes, James Rowland's first wife was Elisabeth Joceylin (Joslin) b 1771 Mountfitchet, Essex. She died in 1813, in childbirth I imagine, as there was a child who died in 1813. James and Elisabeth married in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire.

I hope there is another Hannah Mabbs around but I now understand, again recently, that there are clusters of Mabbs in Essex, Rotherhithe and Sussex. It would appear I am now looking for one who had Leonora and James as parents.
I don't have access to ancestry.co.uk at the moment and am going on hols on Friday but on return will take out membership so that I can look at things properly.

Thanks. Sue