View source for Mary Ann Allen, nee Ward

'''MARY ANN ALLEN, NEE WARD    research by [[Miles Marshall]]'''

Mary Ann Ward was born in 1874, the daughter of Alfred Ward and his wife Elizabeth.  see [[Alfred & Betsy Ward]].   She was known as ‘Polly’.   Polly was remembered as a refined and accomplished young woman, who played the harp in the Methodist Chapel  and was expert at making Pillow lace.

'''THE STORE AND POST OFFICE.'''   Polly parents ran a store, Post Office and carpenters workshop in [[Lower Road]], Loosley Row.   Polly took over the store in 1904 and became postmistress when her father died in 1906.

'''LIME TREE COTTAGES.'''   August 7<sup>th</sup> 1906.   Alfred Ward left [[Lime Tree Cottage no 1]] and [[Lime Tree Cottage no 2]] on ‘Pond Piece’, the land now an orchard, to his daughter [[Mary Ann Allen, nee Ward]]

'''MARY ANN SELLS.'''   April 22<sup>nd</sup> 1919.   Conveyance.  Free Currell purchased for £380, numbers  [[Lime Tree Cottage no 1]] and [[Lime Tree Cottage no 2]] and orchard on ‘Pond Piece’, Kiln Lane, Lacey Green.  '' (Ed.  Free Currell lived in number 1 Lime Tree Cottage)''

'''POSTMISTRESS.'''   Mary Ann Ward, ‘Polly’, was the 3<sup>rd</sup> person to run the Post Offce  It was, however, still in the original building.   She ran the Post Office for eight years until she married.

'''MARRIAGE.'''   In 1913 Mary Ann Ward married Henry Allen .   Henry was a young evangelist, born 1883, nine years younger than Mary.   They had met about nine years earlier when he had been preaching in the area and been entertained by the Wards.

'''CURRELL ROW SOLD.'''   Mary Ann Allen, daughter of Alfred & Betsy Ward, owned 4 cottages which later (1914) became known as [[Currell Row]] on [[Main Road]] Lacey Green, and some land on the opposite side of the road as their gardens

''Note.  She could have inherited from her father or grandfather, Jesse.''

'''NEW POSTMASTER.'''   In 1914 Henry Allen was appointed Postmaster.   The 4<sup>th</sup> Postmaster but still in the same property.

'''ADDED STOCK.'''   These sub-post offices were by tradition general stores, but Henry Allen perhaps struck a different note with the very wide selection of goods on offer.  One speciality was pocket watches at 1/6d each (7.5p).   He had a large display in the window – all working.   He also bought discarded books from the circulating libraries which he offered at 2d or 3d each (about 1p)

'''TELEPHONE.'''   The Post Office had a telephone, a rare thing just after WW2.   Opposite, in a small cottage lived [[Dr Ucko]].   His practice was in London.   His patients would ring Henry Allen, who would signal to Dr Ucko by hanging a red handkerchief out of the bedroom window.

'''CURRELL COTTAGES SOLD.'''   March 11<sup>th</sup> 1914.   Conveyance.    Mary Ann Allen Sold to [[Free Currell]], bricklayer – all those 4 cottages, (formerly 3).   Formally in the occupation of Owen Adams, Fred Dormer and Harold Williams

ALSO a piece of land behind [[Plum Tree Cottages]], 36 poles, divided into four gardens for the use of the said cottages

'''RETIRED''' 

The Allens gave up the Post office in 1945.   They had no children.

click [[Ward]] for others in this family{{Person
|Forename=Mary Ann
|Surname=Ward
|Sex=Female
|Year of Birth=1835
|Partner=Henry Allen
|Father=Alfred Ward
|Mother=Elizabeth Steel
|PositionsHeld=3rd Postmaster (mistress)
|Family=no children
}}