An old envelope and its contents helped Chris Dewey research information about his great great aunt, Mrs. Mary Widdowson.

Born in St. Pancras, London, Mary (nee Boot) and her husband William set up home in Matlock Bath, living near Masson Mill and also in Matlock Dale^[1]. But they spent a good many years living in Upper Wood on the Heights of Jacob. It was here she was visited by her very young great niece about 1918; Mary is remembered as a very elderly lady who ran a tea room in Matlock Bath. William and Mary had one daughter, Bessie, who died in childhood. Bessie was buried at Holy Trinity Church in 1861^[2]; her father was buried there in 1907 but it is not yet known when Mary died.

Mary's photograph was taken in the studio of the photographer John William Hilder on South or Museum Parade. Although he didn't advertise in Kelly's 1887 Directory, Hilder set up in business in Matlock Bath some time between then and 1891, continuing to advertise until 1899. He was still in the village in 1901, described as a "Photographer Stationer Domestic".
See 1901 census transcripts

References (coloured links are to transcripts and information elsewhere on this web site):

^[1] See 1861 census | 1871 census | 1881 census | 1891 census | 1901 census. It is probable that the couple married in Q4 1855, but William was not the child baptised at Chesterfield on 11 Apr 1832. His parentage is unknown at present