Biography:
Annie Pitkin
d. 15/10/1931
Annie Pitkin
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Annie Pitkin (née Lee)
Annie Lee was born 1844 or 1845, the daughter of William Lee, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Charlotte. Various census records give her place of birth as Markyate Street (now simply Markyate) and Flamstead. The villages are next to each other on the historic Watling Street where a finger of Hertfordshire emerges from the Chiltern Hills and protrudes into Bedfordshire.
By 1861, when she was only seven, Annie was working as a straw plaiter, alongside her mother and three older sisters. Like many families in the area they were producing the fine straw plait sold to the hat makers of nearby Luton. Although this might seem a relatively pleasant occupation, like lace making, in fact it was potentially very dangerous as the plaiters moistened the straws between their lips, ingesting fine splinters in the process. Many developed fatal lung disease as a result. It was also low paid – typical ‘women’s work’ – and the plaiters had to work long hours to make a living at it. The family lived in the unappetising-named area Black Slough and in addition to the four girls there were two younger boys.
By April 1871 they had moved to the pleasanter-sounding area of Gill Hill on the boundary of the two parishes. Annie, unmarried, was living at home and was now a ‘hat sewer’, probably employed on piece-work for the Luton hat makers.
On 17th June 1871 she married William J. Pitkin at Luton. His mother was also a straw plaiter and his family was from Frithsden, just off the road from Berkhamsted to Luton which crosses Watling Street at Markyate. This straw plait connection may have been how the two met.
The couple settled in Berkhamsted and by 1881 Annie had given birth to six children, five of whom – Ernest, Frank, Amy, Fanny, Rachel and Henrietta – survived into adulthood.
Despite the large family she also appears to be running a boarding house at the home, 5, Mill Street, formerly The Fish public house. At the time of the census had three young unmarried men as lodgers. William was working as a plumber. In 1882 their last child, Walter, was born.
The family moved to 24, Cross Oak Road where William died in August 1919.
Annie passed away 15th October 1921.
View this burial in the cemetery
Annie Pitkin (née Lee)
Annie Lee was born 1844 or 1845, the daughter of William Lee, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Charlotte. Various census records give her place of birth as Markyate Street (now simply Markyate) and Flamstead. The villages are next to each other on the historic Watling Street where a finger of Hertfordshire emerges from the Chiltern Hills and protrudes into Bedfordshire.
By 1861, when she was only seven, Annie was working as a straw plaiter, alongside her mother and three older sisters. Like many families in the area they were producing the fine straw plait sold to the hat makers of nearby Luton. Although this might seem a relatively pleasant occupation, like lace making, in fact it was potentially very dangerous as the plaiters moistened the straws between their lips, ingesting fine splinters in the process. Many developed fatal lung disease as a result. It was also low paid – typical ‘women’s work’ – and the plaiters had to work long hours to make a living at it. The family lived in the unappetising-named area Black Slough and in addition to the four girls there were two younger boys.
By April 1871 they had moved to the pleasanter-sounding area of Gill Hill on the boundary of the two parishes. Annie, unmarried, was living at home and was now a ‘hat sewer’, probably employed on piece-work for the Luton hat makers.
On 17th June 1871 she married William J. Pitkin at Luton. His mother was also a straw plaiter and his family was from Frithsden, just off the road from Berkhamsted to Luton which crosses Watling Street at Markyate. This straw plait connection may have been how the two met.
The couple settled in Berkhamsted and by 1881 Annie had given birth to six children, five of whom – Ernest, Frank, Amy, Fanny, Rachel and Henrietta – survived into adulthood.
Despite the large family she also appears to be running a boarding house at the home, 5, Mill Street, formerly The Fish public house. At the time of the census had three young unmarried men as lodgers. William was working as a plumber. In 1882 their last child, Walter, was born.
The family moved to 24, Cross Oak Road where William died in August 1919.
Annie passed away 15th October 1921.
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