Anne's story is a rare record, Teesdale Mercury

Anne's story is a rare record

May 27, 2008

IT'S often said that our recorded history is only half a history because it doesn't include much information about women and children. Ordinary women, even as recently as the 19th century, were often barely literate. So only rarely do they ‘speak' for themselves in diaries and reports and such like. 

Just occasionally, documents turn up that give us an insight into the life of an individual woman. Sometimes even obituaries of women were published - mostly of women of a high social class but there were exceptions. The Non-conformists often recognised women in their own right. After all it was usually women who kept the faith in times of persecution. So ‘women's remembrances' can be found in the journals of the various Dissenting Societies including those in Teesdale. 

For instance, in the ‘Annual Monitor and Memorandum of the Society of Friends for 1855,' there is an obituary for Ann Dixon, of Staindrop, widow of Ralph Dixon, a mill owner and shop keeper in the village. 

Ann didn't come from the upper classes of society - far from it - and, in fact, had lived a particularly hard life before reaching Staindrop.

Ann was born in 1790 - we aren't told her birthplace. Her mother was widowed when Ann was very young and remarried somewhat unwisely - maybe she didn't have much choice. Ann's stepfather was a sergeant with the 31st foot regiment. He was described as an intemperate man who spent most of his pay on alcohol. His wife and children had to provide for themselves by working for the officers and soldiers.

As was expected, Ann and her family accompanied her stepfather as he marched around England, Scotland and Ireland and then to Holland, Gibraltar, Minorca and the Mediterranean. Conditions for serving soldiers at the beginning of the 19th century were not good - actually that's rather an under-statement. If the army lived in atrocious conditions, goodness knows in what state army families lived - fancy being constantly on the move! Naturally enough, Ann never attended school but her mother taught her to read the Bible, so she was not entirely illiterate.

Eventually, the regiment returned to Ireland. Ann was by this time a well-travelled young woman - people traversed the globe more frequently in the past than is commonly realised. Back in Ireland Ann became acquainted with Ralph Dixon, a serving soldier with the same regiment. Before long they were married. Ralph described his wife in his journal as ‘a prudent and industrious young woman, and a better wife than I deserved, or had any reason to expect'. Soon, Ann was off on her travels again. The regiment sailed for Cove of Cork for active service in the Peninsular War, in Spain and Portugal, landing in Lisbon.

Ann was with her husband during the army's long weary marches in that land. However, the army families were creating problems for the army so they were all sent back to England. The soldiers' wives were first marched to Lisbon and then put on board a transport vessel.

The boat was much overcrowded and insanitary. There wasn't a doctor or even medicine on board and many of the women died during the passage. Fortunately, Ann survived, although she suffered much on the journey home. She made her way to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, where her mother was living and waited there for her husband and the birth of her first child. Ann was only 18 years old - what a life!

Ralph Dixon was severely wounded at the Battle of Talavera and was pensioned out of the army. Ralph and Ann were soon reunited at Ralph's native village of Staindrop. Here, Ann's fortunes improve. Despite her upbringing - or perhaps because of it - Ann proved to be a serious person of natural ability and sound judgement. Ralph taught her how to write and she was able to help him in his business. Together they raised a number of children and the family became respected members of the community. Ann and Ralph, persuaded by Ralph's mother and brother, joined the Wesleyan Methodist Society in Staindrop. Ralph though wasn't happy with the Wesleyans and became a member of the Society of Friends. 

Ann continued to attend the Wesleyan preachings after Ralph had left. Ralph encouraged her in this and she also attended the class and prayer meetings. 

Eventually, though, she resigned her membership and attended the meetings of the Friends with her husband. Ralph delighted in reading to Ann the history of the Friends and the journals of the Society.

When Ralph was busy in his shop, Ann collected her children around her and encouraged them to read in turn serious books. She was particularly keen for them to read accounts of young people who died young. She wanted to impress on them the uncertainty of life and the need to prepare for death. I don't think we would do this today but it was a different world then. Several of her children died young.

The poverty of Ann's early life made her particularly sympathetic to her poor and ill neighbours. It gave her much satisfaction if she could help those around her. As for herself, Ann suffered for several years with asthma - perhaps a legacy of her early years. When poorly, Ann read the Bible, particularly loving the Book of Psalms. 

In 1853 Ralph died and Ann missed him greatly. She wanted to join him in heaven and barely a year later in December 1854 Ann also died at the age of 64, surrounded by her children. Her children asked her if she felt happy and she replied: "I do, I am going to glory." 

Despite all her troubles Ann clearly felt she had lived a fulfilled life. Do you think she ever thought about the places she had seen and the many miles she had walked in foreign lands before she had settled down and become a daleswoman?

First published in the Mercury, May 21, 2008