Nancy Hawes
From Lacey Green History
Anne Elizabeth Hawes, known as Nance or Nancy, born 1879 was the daughter of Moses & Eliza Hawes
Her home in Church Lane, Lacey Green was a tiny bungalow of 3 rooms with a tin roof, it was given the name “Home Sweet Home” and much later rebuilt & renamed 'Black Firs' She was an only child.
INTRODUCTION by Joan West, researcher
Over the years I had discovered the ancestry of Nancy Hawes, the home in which she lived all her life, her career as a schoolteacher, her musical talent with which she taught the piano and how to play the church organ, which she did herself for many years, and her kindness to a failing elderly vicar, but, nobody had described her. What I had portrayed was a spinster teacher and church organist.
NANCY COMES TO LIFE
In May 2021 I was given the following information by Barry Macey, (Barry, lived at the Crown Inn) “Nancy Hawes, Nance as she was called, was my favourite Crown character. A colourfully dressed, ex music teacher, she stepped through her hedge into the Crown garden and up to the pub at weekends; for a half. She had a colourful parrot, a macaw, if I remember, in a cage hanging from a filbert tree by her back door. I used to try and teach it to talk through the hedge. No luck there.
Her grandfather Jesse, born 1811 was a shoemaker/bootmaker. He lived in Church Cottage and was the church sexton. 1901 & 1911 Census. Jesse Hawes, sexton & Bootmaker. He was known as ‘Gaffer’ Hawes. He had a little workshop next to the footpath beside the Crown Inn. It was removed when the indoor tennis court was built by the Rev William Robson.
Her father Moses was a shoemaker/bootmaker
She also had an uncle and three cousins who were shoe/boot makers. All at one time living in Church Lane.
CENSUS 1841
Jesse Hawes 30 shoemaker, Eliza 30, Moses 2. A cottage of Wimble End
CENSUS 1851
Jesse Hawes 39 shoemaker,
CENSUS 1871
Jesse Hawes 59 shoemaker, Elizabeth 40 lacemaker, Moses 36 shoemaker, Jesse 27 agricultural labourer
MARRIAGE of MOSES
Moses Hawes married Eliza Stevens 1877.
BIRTH of ANN ELIZABETH HAWES. Ann Elizabeth, better known as “Nance” or “Nancy” was born in 1878.
CENSUS 1881. Moses Hawes 41 shoemaker, Eliza, nee Stevens 36, Annie 3
DEATH of MOSES. Moses Hawes died 1886.
CENSUS 1901. Eliza Hawes 56 widow lacemaker, Annie 23 bead worker
NANCY APPOINTED TEACHER. January 2nd.1902. Miss Annie Hawes commenced Duties as teacher of the infants’ class.
JULY 1903 H.M.I. SCHOOL INSPECTION REPORT
INFANTS. The infants are orderly and seem happy, although they are not very bright.
MISS HAWES ABSENT. Miss Hawes was absent from 13th November 1903 for the remainder of the year due to neuralgia, which developed into abscesses in the mouth and throat. January 5th 1904. Miss Hawes absent from school having a tooth drawn.
WEDDING of FRED FLOYD & CAROLINE SAUNDERS 1905. The nuptial ceremony was performed by the Vicar (Rev. W. Robson). As the happy couple emerged from the church they were greeted with showers of rice and confetti. The service was choral, Miss Hawes presiding at the organ. The interior of the church was prettily decorated with white flowers, and there was also a floral arch at the entrance of the church.
ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL 1905. February 1st. Miss Hawes and May Parslow (monitress) were allowed from school this afternoon to attend the funeral of the late Mrs Forrest.
1905. H.M.I. SCHOOL REPORT. Master A. Phillips. Assistant, Miss. Hawes. Miss. May Parslow (monitress)
APRIL. MIXED CLASSROOM. Mr. Phillips has made a good start and the school continue to do well. The teaching is thoughtful and the children are well behaved and attentive. INFANTS. The infants’ class shows a marked improvement. The little people are eager and interested in their work and the teaching and discipline are of quite the right kind.
CENSUS 1911. ‘Nancy’ Hawes 33, Eliza 66 mother, Nancy schoolteacher & church organist.
KATHLEEN CHURCH REMEMBERS. “I can still vividly remember being taught to play the organ. In 1911, I went to school in the village at the age of three. My infant teacher Nancy played the organ in St. John’s Church and when I was a bit older I used to help her. Eventually she taught me to play”
NANCY HAWES CARES A report from researcher Miles Marshall
The vicar, William Robson had lost his health and then his wife, who left him to return to Cheltenham. He seems too, to have lost his congregation which dwindled away to almost nothing.
He was still tall but a thin nervous old man who had developed a terrible stutter. He lived alone in the big kitchen of the old vicarage, ministered to solely out of the kindness of her heart by Miss Nancy Hawes. She alone took pity on the old man and helped him. He resigned in 1922.
TEACHER NANCY RESIGNES 1923. Miss Hawes gave notice to Reverend W Robson, in a letter, that she wishes to resign her position on March 31st, owing to her mother’s weak state of health.
March 31st 1923. Miss Hawes terminates her appointment as infant teacher on the 31st after 21 years of service.
PHYLLIS DELL TOLD ROSEMARY MORTHAM about CHURCH in 1928. At that time the organ was hand pumped by one of the boys. The organist was Nancy Hawes, and when the organ was running out of air she would wave her handkerchief to indicate that it required pumping.
CENSUS 1939. Nancy Hawes, LG teacher, organist & taught organ
DEATH and PROBATE. Ann Elizabeth Hawes of Home Sweet Home, Church Lane, Lacey Green, died 27th January 1956. Executor William Alfred Redrup, wood worker. £419 – 11s – 10d.
click Hawes for others in this family