PUBZ3/7/112

Folio.177 - 180 Mary Ann Ekins of St Cuthbert, Bedford, singlewoman.

23 January 1830

From: 1830 To: 1830

I am about 30 years of age and am the daughter of George Ekins and Ann his wife both deceased. At the earliest period of my recollection that is about 25 years ago my father rented a farm and about 70 or 80 acres of land under Captain Walters in the parish of Great Staughton in the County of Huntingdon for which he paid more than £40 a year for rent but I do not know the exact amount. My father lived in Great Staughton from this tme to the time of his decease which was about sixteen or seventeen years ago. After the death of my father the family dispersed. I first went to my brother William Ekins of Offord Cluny, County of Huntingdon to keep his house - I was not 12 months with him - it was about 30 weeks. I had small weekly wages. He agreed to give me those wages before I went to live with him. There was no agreement made as to the length of service. His wife was in confinement as an insane person but recovered and returned sooner than was expected and then I left. I went for a short time to see my brothers and sisters but not in the capacity of a servant. I afterwards went to live at Cambridge. I lived there alone. I never paid more than three shillings a week for my lodgings. I was three or four years at Cambridge but not in service. I then came to Bedford and took lodgings in St Cuthberts parish for two or three months working for Mrs Page, staymaker, the owner of the lodgings. I then went to live in a cottage of Mr John White in St Paul, Bedford, the rent was under ten pounds. Then I removed to the lodgings I now occupy. I have not been engaged as a yearly servant anywhere except to Mr Thomas Smalls where I stopped for a short time but not suiting I left. About eight or nine years ago I went to Mr George Wells as an apprentice for a year. I lived there one year - I was to learn straw bonnett making - I slept in the house and served there one year. Mr Wells had one house in St Neots and another in St Pauls in Bedford. I served first at St Neots for about a fortnight or three weeks - I then came to his house at Bedford. I don't know whether I was a full year there or not. My brother Thomas Ekins of Staughton paid Mr Wells £17 to teach me the business and find me in board - the seventeen pounds was part of twenty pounds my share of my fathers property. Mr Wells was to find me in board and lodging for a year. I am sure I was to be an apprentice but I never signed anything and never saw any writing. I am now with child likely to be born a bastard and to be chargeable to the parish of St Cuthbert.

item

Ekins, Mary Ann,
Ekins, George,
Ekins, Ann,
Ekins, William,
Ekins, Thomas,
Walters,
White, John,
Page,
Wells, George,
Small, Thomas

BEDFORD, Great Staughton, Cambridge, Offord Cluny, St Neots, POVERTY, poor laws, overseers of the poor, magistrate, poor law settlements, staymaker, bastardy, straw hat worker, servants, wages/conditions, DEATH, farms, rentals, apprenticeship