Mary Ann Bishop
(1875-1959)

Mary Ann Bishop was the thirteenth of the eighteen children of James Simpson Bishop and his wife Ann Bailey Bowers of Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.

Mary Ann Rayment (née Bishop) with sister Adelaide, c.1945.
Above: Mary Ann Rayment (right), with sister Adelaide (left), c.1945. Photo: Andrew Martin.

Mary, like many of her siblings, was born in the nearby village of Burwell, Cambridgeshire, where her Grandmother was living, and probably explains the connection.

As was popular for women and girl's named 'Mary Ann', she took on the name 'Polly Bishop' but it is not clear as to when she began using this name.

When Mary was thirteen years old, her mother died, leaving the family of eighteen children (the youngest being no more than two years old) in the charge of her widower James - a labourer, and her childless maternal aunt Sarah Bowers and husband George Farby.

By 1891, Mary had gone to work as a Domestic Servant for John Gautrey (Fruit and Vegetable Grower) and his family in Cottenham. It was in this village that she was to stay, as she met John 'Jack' Rayment. By 1895, teenage Mary was pregnant, and she gave birth to her illegitimate daughter Florence May Rayment Bishop. Mary and John were soon married, and Florence was joined by at least four brothers.

The youngest brother, Percy, married Mary's brother's daughter (her niece, and therefore Percy's cousin) Edith Annie Bishop.

Mary and John's second son Arthur died as a Prisoner of War in 1916 due to dystentery, malnutrition and brutal conditions.

It appears that Mary died in the June quarter of 1959.

Life Events

Born:

  • 1875 in Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

  • 6th October 1878 with her brother William Joseph Bishop at St. Lawrence's Church, Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

  • John Rayment (1868-1947) circa September 1897 in Cambridgeshire, England.

Children:

  • Florence May Rayment Bishop (1895-1963) married Arthur William Spackman (1896-1977)
  • Henry John Rayment (1897-19??)
  • Arthur William Rayment (1898-1916)
  • Frederick Joseph Rayment (1907-?)
  • Percy James Rayment (1908-1975) married Edith Annie Bishop (1910-2004)

Census and Residence

  • 1881: 5yrs, High Street, Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.
  • 1891: 15yrs, Beach Road, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, England.
  • 1901: 25yrs, Little End, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, England.
  • 1911: 35yrs, Little End, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

  • 1891: Domestic Servant at John Gautrey (Fruit and Vegetable Grower)

Death

  • Circa June 1959 in Cambridgeshire, England, aged 83 years.

Burial

  • Not yet known.

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