Page 64 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

living with his married sister, Emily Caroline Grist, and her husband at 3
Stanton Square, Lewisham.

6.22.1 Mary Ann Martin (1885- 1960)
Born: 14 April 1885, 5 East Street, Norwood, Surrey
Married: 2 June 1901, aged 19 years, married Alfred John Blaker; St.
Michael & All Angles, Bell Green, Lower Sydenham, Kent
Died: 15 January 1960, aged 76 years, Dulwich Hospital, East Dulwich,
London.

Whilst there is some confusion about Mary Ann’s date of birth, the current
research focuses on an 1885 year of birth. The birth certificate for Mary
Ann Martin in 1885 aligns with her father’s name, William, and her birth
district (Norwood). Although other researchers have suggested that Mary
Ann’s was born in 1883, no records for this suggested birth date have
been found.

Assuming that the 1885 certificate is correct, Mary Ann’s parents were
William Martin (1857- ) and Mary Ann Jennings (1858- ). William was
a ‘Labourer’. It is believed that Mary Ann was one of three children born
to William and Mary Ann. Curiously, my father, ‘Joe’ Blaker recalled his
maternal grandfather as ‘Tom’ Martin, who lived with his wife, Mary, in
East Place – virtually consistent with the birth record for my
grandmother, mary Ann . He said that ‘Tom’ was a ‘Street Trader’ who sold
vegetables and fruit in Norwood on 3 days each week, making enough to
live on. His wife, Mary, helped her husband, and also worked in a laundry.
My father recalls meeting his grandmother, Mary Ann Martin, after her
work with a 2-pint jug of ale for her to take home to enjoy with her
husband, John.

Mary Ann Martin (1858- )

Lily Caswell recalls that her mother (Mary Ann Blaker [nee Martin]) told
her that William was an ‘ogre of a man’, who was had served in the Army,
and was often drunk and prone to mistreating his wife. She even recalls
one evening when she asked the local police officers to arrest her father,
as he was threatening his wife with a meat cleaver. A night in jail ensued!
It cannot have been a happy home!

In the 1891 Census, Mary Ann is recorded as a 6 year-old girl, living with
her parents and siblings in rooms at 11 Change Alley, Norwood, Surrey.
This record is consistent with Mary Ann’s 1885 birth certificate.

Ten years later, on her marriage certificate, Mary was recorded working
as a ‘Domestic’ – presumably a ‘Servant’? Searches of the 1901 Census
records has failed to find a definitive entry for Mary Ann. However, a
possible entry is that for 12 Glengarry Road, Camberwell, where Mary
Martin (born in London) was working as a ‘General Servant, Domestic’ to