Mary Ann Bancroft....in later life |
I wrote an article some time ago about a Mary Ann Bancroft
[nee Pollard] who lead an interesting life as someone who was accused of
poisoning children in the Sheffield area in 1875 by making and selling a
home-made ‘cordial’ for curing various ailments. The original story can be read
here, and I have been contacted by
here Great-Great-Grandson with more interesting details of her life.
Mary Ann’s story begins with her birth around 10th
January 1802, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Pollard. The place of her
birth is a bit of a mystery as various census records show it as either
Thorncliffe, Ecclesfield or Attercliffe in the Sheffield area. The Attercliffe register records the baptism on Jan 10th 1802 of a Mary
Ann, daughter of James Pollard, carpenter (and a labourer by 1811), and
his wife Elizabeth. The Mormon site has her christened on the same date at S
Peter’s, Sheffield (Cathedral). Why there should be two entries is unclear
unless St Peter’s, later Sheffield Cathedral, was a central collecting point
for baptism details.
According to uncorroborated family folklore, Mary
was the daughter of a relatively affluent Methodist family but married her
father's gardener. It is said that either the family owned, or her father
managed, a scythe and sickle works at Renishaw…..[neither story being able to
be confirmed for certain by her descendants.]
Robert & Mary [Ann's] marriage record. |
However we do know that Mary Ann married Robert
Bancroft on 12th November 1821 at St Peter’s Church, Sheffield,
[later to become the Cathedral] and he became a gravedigger at St. John's
cemetery in the town. Robert was born in 1802 and in his younger days was a
coal miner before becoming a grave digger.
Interestingly, the family were listed as 'Banery' on the 1841 census for some reason, possibly the person taking down the details misheard the occupants or could not read their writing?
Robert died at their home at 155 Duke Street, Sheffield on 20th October 1868 aged 66 years.
Interestingly, the family were listed as 'Banery' on the 1841 census for some reason, possibly the person taking down the details misheard the occupants or could not read their writing?
1841 census |
Robert died at their home at 155 Duke Street, Sheffield on 20th October 1868 aged 66 years.
The couple had at least 12 children, of which 6
died in infancy. She named one child Robert, after his father, but all of the
other children had biblical names and she was said to have been religious and
to have read the bible to the family in the evenings.
Her son Robert survived into adulthood and she is
said to have made him dress well, carry a silver-topped cane and wear kid
gloves: but he was already a coal miner at the age of 11 and that kind of
foppishness would surely have brought real problems in a mining community,
although this may be just family hearsay.
Robert & Mary Ann Bancroft |
Mary rented a room in her house at Duke Street to a Dr. Martin [which might
explain where she picked up the knowledge of how to make up potions to allow
her to sell them from home in her later life]
She worked
for an undertaker, to a Mr Reed, as a shroud maker and used metal pinking tools
to make broderie anglaise patterns on the shrouds and she kept coffin boards in
the cellar of her house (then 37 Duke Street.) She also kept and washed the white silk sashes
(sometimes lavender coloured for children) worn by the pall bearers.
As part of her work for funerals she made
flowers out of material to decorate the shrouds and her grand-daughter Susannah
and other children would help her. Allegedly her husband Robert didn't
like her doing any work and she wore lace gloves to protect her hands. She
bought her fabrics in Sheffield, especially at Walshes where the floor manager
is said to have escorted her round the shop.
Here is a copy of the 1871 census, where Mary Ann
describes herself as an ‘Undertakeress’ !
1871 census |
It is said that she became a little senile before
she died and used to unpick the patchwork quilts that she had made, and
her son Robert would then rap her knuckles with his silver-topped cane and
was quite cruel to her.
When she lay dying in late 1880, her sisters, having been told by her daughter Martha that
she did not have long to live, went to see her, but she is alleged to have told
them that they had come too late and that she could manage without them
after all that time. They were said to have been very upset by that response.
Mr Reed, who she had worked for, arranged her
funeral, which was very lavish. She had made her own shroud in preparation
for her funeral.
A wreath from
her sisters hung on the back of her hearse and they attended, so it is
said, with their footmen and coaches, which sounds as though it was a fairly
grand affair!
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