Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Unmarked grave Mary Cook (1834-1905)

Mary was born Mary Collier (Collyer)in July near Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, in July 1834.

She married Daniel Cook in April 1853 and they had a son William in August that year.  Daniel died sometime before the next census was taken in 1861.  At the time the 1861 census was taken William was living with his with his Collier grandparents but no trace of him appears thereafter.

Mary went on to have three illegitmate sons, Richard Thomas, born c.1859; David, 1860; Alfred, 1862.

In the 1861 census she was living in Frithsden with sons Thomas (Richard Thomas) and David, She is described as a widowed straw plaiter

In 1871 she shown as unmarried and living in Red Lion Yard with sons Thomas, David and Alfred (b.1862 Berkhamsted).

From the 1881 census onwards she was shown as widowed. In 1881 she was a straw plaiter living with William, a labourer, at Red Lion Yard. It seems likely there was confusion in Mary’s mind when she gave her son’s name as William in the 1881 census.  William would have then been 29 years old and not 19 as is recorded on the census.  It is certain that the 19 year old with her was Alfred. 

From the 1891 census she was living alone at 4, Red Lion Yard where she died, aged 70. She was buried 11 March 1905.

(With thanks to Brian Ormerod a descendant of Mary for information about her life)