Anna Maria's name varies on different records. It should be noted that, in England prior to the 20th century, Maria was commonly pronounced as the modern Mariah.
She was baptised Mary Anne in 1826, listed as Maria in the 1841 and 1851 census, Anna Maria in her 1851 marriage record, Maria on her three daughters' baptism records from 1852, 1854 and 1857, Anna on her son John's 1859 baptism record, was Anna Maria again in the 1861 census, Maria on her sons William and George's baptism records from 1862 and 1865, Anna on the 1871 census, Maria on the 1881 and 1891 census, and Hannah Maria on her death and burial record.
During this post, I will refer to her as Anna Maria.
Anna Maria Havill was born around 1826 in Aylesbeare, Devon to John Havill (27), a farm labourer, and Mary Havill (nee Parker) (27), a laundress.
Anna Maria was baptised on 29th October 1826 in Aylesbeare.
Anna Maria was the second of nine children (four daughters and five sons):
- Jane 1822 -
- Anna Maria 1826 -
- Elizabeth 1829 - 1829 (1 week old)
- George 1830 -
- James 1833 -
- William 1836 -
- Robert 1838 -
- Henry 1840 -
- Elizabeth 1843 -
Sadly in 1829, when Anna Maria was two years old, her younger sister Elizabeth passed away, aged only one week old.
As a teenager, Anna Maria worked as a servant for the Hill family at Bridge Farm, in Stoke Canon, which is about ten miles west of her native Aylesbeare.
In her twenties, Anna Maria worked as a servant for the Ashford family at Vernmore Farm in Woodbury.
1851 Census:
Anna Maria's future husband, George Mutters, also worked as a servant at Venmore Farm in the 1840s. It seems likely that Anna Maria and George met whilst working there together.
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| Photograph of (Higher) Venmore Farm, Woodbury |
On 22nd October 1851, Anna Maria (25), a servant, married George Mutters (26), an agricultural labourer, in Woodbury. Anna Maria was about four months pregnant when she married.
On their record of marriage, George was able to sign his name, but Anna Maria left only her mark, implying she could not write.
Anna Maria and George married in the presence of Anna Maria's elder sister Jane.
Anna Maria and George had six children (three daughters and three sons):
- Mary Jane 1852 - after 1871 (at least 19 years old)
- Elizabeth Ann 1854 - 1856 (18 months old)
- Sarah Ann 1857 - 1928 (70 years old)
- John Thomas 1859 - after 1871 (at least 11 years old)
- William George 1862 - 1864 (15 - 18 months old)
- George 1868 - 1918 (52 years old)
All six children were born in Exton, but baptised in Woodbury.
Sadly two of their children, Elizabeth Ann and William George, passed away in infancy. As well as an agricultural labourer, Anna Maria's husband George was a sexton at Woodbury Church. A part of a sexton's duties was digging graves, so it seems likely George dug the graves for his two young children.
George may have named their daughter Elizabeth after his young sister Elizabeth, as the former was born soon after the latter passed away. Anna Maria may have also wished to honour her younger sister Elizabeth who passed away in infancy.
The tragic death of Anna Maria and George's daughter Elizabeth Ann was reported in the Western Times on 3rd May 1856:
How traumatic her infant daughter's death must have been to Anna Maria. She's washing - such a normal domestic situation - and her attention is off her infant for but a moment, but in that moment, that live-changing moment, her daughter manages to pull the tub of boiling water over herself. Imagine the screams, the cries.
1861 Census:
In the 1860s, Anna Maria and her family moved about two miles east from Exton back to Woodbury.
On 1st November 1870, when Anna Maria was about forty-three, her father John passed away, aged seventy-two, in Exeter Hospital. His death was the result of a road accident. He fell off a wagon that turned a tight corner too quickly.
1871 Census:
In May 1874, when Anna Maria was about forty-seven, her husband George was accused of stealing the shawl of a Mrs Sarah Street, who had left the shawl at the church where he was sexton. Though the shawl was later found at his home, he was found not guilty. Anna Maria claimed she had taken the shawl away to look after it until the owner could be found.
Articles about the incident describe George's character:
"The Rev J.L. Fulford, Vicar of the parish [Woodbury] was called, and he stated that he had known the prisoner [George Mutters] for twenty-eight years, and he had always found him an honest man." - Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 15th May 1874
"The prisoner [George Mutters] received an excellent character from the rector of her parish" - Western Daily Mercury, 2nd July 1874
In 1875, when Anna Maria was bout forty-eight, her mother Mary passed away, aged seventy-six, in Aylesbeare.
1881 Census:
1891 Census:
In 1896, when Anna Maria was about sixty-nine, her husband George passed away, aged seventy, in Woodbury. George was buried on 13th February 1896 in Woodbury.
In 1897, Anna Maria passed away, aged seventy or seventy-one, in Woodbury. She was buried on 13th November 1897 in Woodbury.
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