Ann Wyatt
Mary (Ann) Wyatt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Charles c. 1736 |
| Died | August 25, 1811 |
| Burial place | All Saints' Church, Edmonton |
| Other names | Mrs. Willis Ann Wyatt (as per schoolroom inscription) |
| Known for | Philanthropy, funding school facilities in Edmonton, including for The Latymer School |
| Spouse(s) | Daniel Willis (m. 1778–1805) John Wyatt (m. 1806–?) |
Mary Wyatt (commonly known as Ann Wyatt; née Charles;[1] c. 1736 – 25 August 1811) was an English philanthropist primarily known for her bequests that funded educational facilities for poor children in Edmonton, London, in the early 19th century. This included funds for what was the 'Boys' Charity School' which later became officially known as The Latymer School.[2][3]
Personal Life
[edit]Ann Wyatt was twice widowed. Her marriage banns to her first husband, Daniel Willis of Edmonton (1749 - 1805),[4] were recorded on 4 August 1778 at Saint Leonard, Shoreditch, in Hackney.[1] She later referred to him as her "dear first husband".[5] After Willis's death in 1805, she married John Wyatt of Dog Row, also a widow, on 10 September 1806 at St Mary, Whitechapel.[1][5] She expressed strong negative feelings about her second husband, stating, "He was a horrible, drinking swearing fellow, that he was, and I hated him... So he died and I do hate the very name of him." She also mentioned that he had taken some of her money, but she had managed to hide the majority of it.[6]
In her later years, she lived in modest circumstances. The Rev. Dawson Warren, then Vicar of Edmonton, was informed that she was residing in Somerset Buildings, Hackney Road, described as an "exceedingly unsavoury neighbourhood".[7] He later visited her in a "small house off one of the back streets near Shoreditch Church".[8] Despite an outward appearance that led Warren to initially perceive her as a "miserable looking, dirty pauper", Wyatt had accumulated considerable savings, which she kept hidden in her home.[9]
Wyatt had two nieces in York. She initially told Warren that she believed them to be "all dead long ago," recounting an incident fifteen years prior where one had written to her without paying postage, leading her to refuse the letter and hear nothing further from them.[10] However, these nieces were later found to be alive and were beneficiaries of her will, receiving the residue of her estate after specific legacies were paid.[5] They travelled from York upon hearing of her illness. Six months after her death, a representative of the nieces approached Warren to call him to account for the proceeds of the estate, though the matter was resolved after Warren provided his explanation.[2]
Wyatt died on 25 August 1811, aged 75, and was buried in All Saints Churchyard, Edmonton, adjoining her first husband, Daniel.[3]
Philanthropy
[edit]Bequests for schools
[edit]The account of Wyatt's major philanthropic act is primarily drawn from the recollections of the Rev. Warren.[11] He had long desired a new schoolroom for boys in Edmonton, as existing facilities associated with Latymer's Charity were "crowded to excess".[7] He was approached by Mr. Harding, a stonemason from Tottenham, who informed him that Wyatt (going by her previous married name, Willis) wished to donate money for the poor of Edmonton.[12]
Initially, Wyatt offered £500 as bread for the poor. However, after a somewhat difficult initial meeting, Warren persuaded her that funding a schoolroom would be a more lasting and beneficial use of her money.[13] Wyatt agreed to this, requesting that "a handsome stone over the door" be part of the new building.[8] She revealed her savings were hidden "snug in a hole under the stairs" of her home.[8] She initially entrusted £300 to Warren for investment.[14]
Subsequently, her will was formally drawn up by the Warren's solicitor. Her will, dated 31 July 1811, specified £500 for the construction of the new boys' schoolroom and an additional £100 to Warren for the upkeep of the building.[2] The will also included a legacy of £100 to the Girls' Charity School, along with legacies to friends and two nieces.[6] The executors of her will were Warren and Harding.[6] Wyatt died within three weeks of executing this will.[6] Upon her death, it was discovered that the hiding place for her money had been partially robbed, but a sum of £1,300 in stock and other assets was secured for her estate.[2]
Her grave inscription states her name as "Mrs MARY WYATT" and records that "She bequeathed Seven Hundred Pounds to the two Charity Schools of this Parish."[3] This total likely encompassed the bequests for the boys' schoolroom and the Girls' Charity School detailed in Warren's account.
Schoolroom
[edit]The schoolroom for boys, funded by Wyatt's bequest, was constructed in 1811 by the stonemason Harding. It was situated "at a little distance from the Church, on the road towards Enfield".[2] The building was described as "neat" and featured the requested "handsome stone over the door" bearing the following inscription:
This Schoolroom was built in pursuance of the will of Mrs Ann Wyatt, widow, who, to promote the glory of God, and the good of poor children, caused it to be erected at the expense of her estate - 1811
The building, comprising a main room and a lobby, had a total area of 93.5 m2 (1,006 sq ft) (though the will had described it as 80.9 m2 (871 sq ft)).[2] The executors officially handed over the completed schoolroom on 3 August 1812.[2]
This new schoolroom became part of the Latymer School's premises in Church Street.[15] Wyatt's 1811 classroom was a key facility for the school and was later extended in 1868 as pupil numbers grew.[16] By the early 20th century, after the Latymer School had moved to new, larger premises in Haselbury Road and the Church Street site was disused, the old schoolroom had fallen into decay. An observer noted that the word "ICHABOD" had been irreverently chalked on its stone facing, signifying that its glory had departed.[17]
Legacy
[edit]Wyatt's timely bequest provided a much-needed, purpose-built schoolroom for the Latymer School in the early 19th century, and supported other local charity schooling. Her contribution enabled the continued education of poor children in Edmonton and remains a significant part of the area's educational history. The inscriptions she desired and those on her grave ensured her philanthropic acts were publicly commemorated. In recognition of her contribution, the Latymer School named one of its original two houses "Wyatt" after her, alongside the "Latymer" house.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932
- ^ a b c d e f g Morris 1974, p. 45.
- ^ a b c Cansick 1875, p. 216.
- ^ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
- ^ a b c Morris 1974, pp. 44, 45.
- ^ a b c d Morris 1974, p. 44.
- ^ a b Morris 1974, p. 41.
- ^ a b c Morris 1974, p. 43.
- ^ Morris 1974, pp. 41, 43.
- ^ Morris 1974, p. 42.
- ^ Morris 1974, pp. 41–45.
- ^ Morris 1974, pp. 41, 42.
- ^ Morris 1974, pp. 42, 43.
- ^ Morris 1974, pp. 43–44.
- ^ Morris 1974, p. 21.
- ^ Morris 1974, p. 80.
- ^ Morris 1974, p. 114.
- ^ Morris 1974, p. 135.
Bibliography
[edit]- Cansick, Frederick Teague (1875). The Monumental Inscriptions of Middlesex Vol III (PDF). London.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Morris, Joseph Acton (1974). A History of The Latymer School at Edmonton.