Ann Middlemas

The curse of the butchery trade?

Died Oct 4th 1849   

       

                                                                       The 1841 Census return for Ann Middlemas

Ann was the wife of John Middlemas, and was born about 1805. Hence she was probably aged 44 when she died of cholera on October 4th 1849. She was born in Alnwick, and her mother was called Margaret Appleby.

Ann married John Middlemas on 7th January 1827,or 1828 according to which records are looked at. John was born on 23/10/1801 and baptised a month later. He was the son of the impressively named Henry Elder Cornwell Middlemiss, and Mary Sanderson. They were married on 29th August 1801, just two months before he was born.

H E C Middlemiss was born to John and Jane Middlemiss on 3rd July 1780, in Longhoughton. This entry in the register was followed by the birth of Isabel Elder Middlemiss with no date, so she was probably  born later.

On the 1841 census John and Ann were living in Teasdale’s Yard where he was a butcher. They didn’t appear to have any children.. Several of her neighbours died too. Was it to do with the filth of the butchery trade? as there were other butchers who died in the outbreak.  Was it living in Teasdale’s yard, one of the worst slums in Alnwick ? She was buried in a mass grave at the rear of St. Michael’s Church.

In 1851 John was still living in the same area with his mother in law, Margaret for company. She was a widow, born in Warkworth but she must have moved to Alnwick before her daughter Ann was born.

John outlived his wife by nine years, dying in October 1858.