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So what of Ann? William Henry was old enough to look after himself. I suppose she took some comfort in the presence of Isaac who, at 15, would have been considered a man and a wage-earner. However, on 14 July 1839 Isaac also died and was buried at the local church, St Peter at Gowts. I wonder if this information was delivered to Matthias, imprisoned on his hulk. How it must have compounded his misery!

In the 1841 Census Ann is living at Ashton’s Court off the High Street, close to St Peter at Gowts. She is described as 45 years old, of independent means. She is living with her daughters Elizabeth, aged 11 and Ann, aged 9 and only one of the twins, Joseph, aged 5. Somewhere in the past two years little Job has passed away.

What Ann’s "independent means" could have been is a matter of conjecture. Perhaps she took in washing or perhaps Matthias’ parents or William helped out. There is an unmarried Elizabeth Graham, a nurse, living nearby at 287 High Street in the 1851 Census. The age is close and this could have been Matthias’ sister Elizabeth. Perhaps she assisted the family. By the 1851 Census Ann’s daughter Elizabeth would have been 21 and probably married, possibly also Ann (the younger), and with different surnames. But Matthias’ wife Ann is missing. I have not been able to find any Census records of her or any death records in the parish registers. The last person we have a record of is the surviving twin, young Joseph. He is found in 1851 living at 106 High Street, across the road from St Peter at Gowts church and across the road from his mother’s old address, Ashton’s Court. He is shown as an agricultural labourer aged 14 years and a lodger with Mary Woodhouse, a needlewoman. 106 High Street is now a modern Salvation Army hall, but a series of shops next door still stand in their original condition.

St Peter at Gowts church, High Street, Lincoln

The site of Ashton’s Court

Original shops next to 106 High Street, Lincoln