Westmorland girls were given some sound advice, from bitter experience, in May 1874, by a young woman who had learned the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While looking for something else, I chanced upon a notice in the Penrith Observer<\/em> that caught my eye \u2013 and no doubt was widely read and discussed by readers at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was the response to a notice the previous week. As follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuesday 19 May 1874<\/p>\n\n\n\n GEORGE PARKER, of Newby Wes,. will not be answerable for any Debts that my Wife, Frances Elizabeth Parker, of Maulds Meaburn, many incur after this notice.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Frances did not hold back in her own defence!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am, dear sir, unfortunately called, FRANCES E. PARKER. Maulds Meaburn, 21st May, 1874. Please insert the above for the sake of justice to one who has no other remedy for clearing her character in the eyes of the public.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n SIR,\u2014In your last week’s impression there is an advertisement from George Parker, to the effect that he will not be answerable for any debts that I “may incur,” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He says well that I may incur, for if I do incur any at his expense it will not be him that will pay them; for since I had the misfortune to be called Mrs. Parker he has not paid for anything. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Frances does clarfiy this slightly \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t do George Parker any favours!<\/p>\n\n\n\n He did once give me the munificent sum of fifteen shilling to pay for thirteen weeks’ lodging, and board, and that is all this “nonpareil” of a husband considered necessary to keep body and soul together.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now he has the audacity of one from the sulphurous regions to say he will not be answerable for my debts. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Debts, forsooth ! He never had to pay a farthing for me; but out of my own addlings, I have had to back him out through thick and thin. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Frances may be bitter, but at least she doesn\u2019t have to put up with George in person, for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n He deserted me, and then to cover the deed advertises that be would not be answerable for the debts of one he never has yet maintained\u2014never had to pay a farthing of debt for, although by all laws, human and divine, he is to love and maintain. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The \u2018best\u2019 is yet to come. Not only the advice to Westmorland girls, but the expression that follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Girls of Westmorland, never marry a man that has to borrow and beg his wedding brass; you had better be nebbed to death by a duck than marry such wastrel<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u2018Neb\u2019 is Cumbrian dialect for \u2018nose,\u2019 so it means \u2018pecked to death by a duck\u2019. An expression I hope to try out myself sometime now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frances was born Frances Elizabeth Thwaytes, in Westmorland, in 1853. Her parents were Lancelot Thwaytes and Ann n\u00e9e Holmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lancelot was a farmer of 47 acres at Maulds Meaburn in 1851, but sadly died when she was just two years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1861 shows widowed Ann Thwaytes, and her five children (including Frances) living with Ann\u2019s widowed father Jonathan Holmes, 70, a farmer of 240 acres, at Brackenslack Farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So Frances came from a \u2018good\u2019 background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Jonathan died in 1863, and the farm was taken over by his son\/Ann\u2019s brother Jonathan and his wife and family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Needing a new home, and a way to make ends meet, 1871 finds Ann Thwaytes at Maulds Meaburn, working as a laundress. Four of her (adult) children and a grandson are with her. By 1881, she\u2019s listed alone, as a \u2018general servant\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Frances isn\u2019t with her either time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frances married George Parker on November 14, 1873, at Crosby Ravensworth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n George was to desert her within a few months of the marriage, but left her with a reminder: a girl called Ada Ann Parker (mother n\u00e9e Thwaytes) born in February 1874.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was less than three months after the wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Piecing it together, it would seem George got Frances pregnant, had to \u2018borrow and beg\u2019 the money to pay for the wedding (but didn\u2019t marry her till she was six months \u2018gone\u2019). And didn\u2019t stick around long after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n January 1874.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ALLEGED ASSAULT.\u2014George Parker, of Maulds Meaburn, was charged with assaulting Hannah Thwaytes, in her own house, at Shap<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The story was that George Parker had been lodging with Hannah. On the day in question, he went to the house and, according to Mrs.Thwaytes’ statement, asked for his top-coat, and attempted to remove his box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannah, alone in the house, told him he must not remove it until he had paid her about \u00a31 for his board and lodgings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She then locked the door,.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The court was told that George then knocked her down and she ran upstairs, called out of the window, and someone called Ann Wilson brought a ladder by which she escaped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n George Parker, meanwhile, picked the door lock \u2013 and ran away with his box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The assault case was dismissed: the defence said Hannah had caught her foot in the carpet and fallen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannah Thwaytes was Frances\u2019 sister-in-law, married to Frances\u2019 older brother Jonathan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no mention of Frances lodging with her brother and sister-in-law in the January 1874 court case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But George \u2018running away with his box\u2019 and top coat (owing \u00a31 for his board and lodgings) does fit the bill of deserting her (and never paying his way).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case was heard on January 5, 1874, less than eight weeks (52 days) after the wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baby Ada Ann Parker was born on February 1, at Elizabeth Cottages, Maulds Meaburn. This was the (1871) address of Frances\u2019 mother, Ann Thwaytes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It shows George\u2019s occupation as stonemason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, just two years later there is a death registered in West Ward of Ada Ann Parker, aged two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What happened to Frances, or indeed the \u2018wastrel\u2019 George Parker, seems lost to history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Westmorland girls were given some sound advice, from bitter experience, in May 1874, by a young woman who had learned the hard way. While looking for something else, I chanced upon a notice in the Penrith Observer that caught my eye \u2013 and no doubt was widely read and discussed by readers at the time. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[419,1],"tags":[441,440],"class_list":["post-2710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cumbrian-people","category-uncategorized","tag-desertion","tag-mauds-meaburn"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Frances’ response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u2018The misfortune to be called Mrs Parker\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u2018One from the sulphurous regions\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Deserted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Westmorland girls beware!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u2018Nebbed to death by a duck\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So who were they?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The marriage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
George runs away<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Baby Ada<\/h2>\n\n\n\n