Joan Mansell Carthy, great granddaughter of Jane Mansell writes:

"Jane Mansell was born on March 12th 1838 in Cutsdean and in 1851, aged 13 years, she was a house servant to a widow, Mrs Mary James, in Didbrook. She married Thomas Williams in 1859, and had seven children. She was living in Pitville Circus, Cheltenham then. This was a very desirable place in which to live - big, beautiful houses. I assume she was in service there.

Thomas Williams was an agricultural labourer when he married, but was a grocer's assistant in 1858, a grocer with a shop in Cheltenham in 1871, a baker's assistant in 1881, a cab proprietor in 1882, and a corn and flour stores manager in 1890. Also in 1890 he was described as a baker's manager retired, and on his death certificate in 1909 as a grocer. Jane and her daughters ran the shop for a number of years.

Jane lived with her daughter, Eliza [Lizzie] until she married in 1907, and then lived with another daughter, Rose, until her death. She was not living with her husband. He was never spoken of to the grandchildren, and when Lizzie's daughter asked about him, her mother shut up like a clam! Now why was that, I wonder. Was it because he changed jobs so frequently, or had he been up to something else? I will try and find out where he was living from the census, sometime."