Elizabeth Reed 1845-1926

Elizabeth Reed was the school mistress (head teacher) at the Steeple Morden Church of England School. The newly erected school opened in 1867 and when the 1871 Census was taken 2 April 1871, Elizabeth is recorded as school mistress, living in the school house attached to the school. It is possible she was the first school mistress, although no evidence has been found to prove this one way or the other.

Elizabeth was born 25 April 1845 at Elm, a parish in the north of Cambridgeshire, just south of Wisbech and adjoining Norfolk. Her father John Reed  was a farmer with 30a and employing one labourer. He had married Jane Taylor in the parish church in 1833 and Elizabeth, their fifth child, was baptised in the same church 14 May 1845. In the 1851 Census Elizabeth is at home with parents and siblings at Friday Bridge Road, Elm, described as a scholar age 5. She is still at home, with address given as Oldfield, in the 1861 Census, although she is now a puple [sic] teacher age 15.

However, when the 1871 Census is taken she is the school mistress at Steeple Morden and living with her in the school house are her sister Ann Eliza born 14 May 1852 at Elm and now a school teacher, her niece Elizabeth Agnes Reed is also resident age 15 and a scholar, having been born 1 September 1857 at Wisbech, son of Elizabeth’s brother Thomas, who was a butcher. The final resident is Mary Ann Evans described as boarder age 17 and a pupil teacher, born in Steeple Morden. She was daughter of William Evans, a farm labourer and Sophia nee Pateman, born 28 January 1854.

Elizabeth is listed in the 1873 and 1875 Trade Directories as schoolmistress. At some point, after 1875, Elizabeth left Steeple Morden, because in the 1881 Census she is living at Wood Norton Rectory in Norfolk, in the household of Charles Martin, rector of Wood Norton and Swanton Novers and his wife Dora, who had eight children ranging in age from 10 to 11 mos. There were four servants, plus Elizabeth Reed age 35 governess. Charles Martin was the brother of William Martin vicar of Steeple Morden and presumably recommended Elizabeth for the role of governess to his brother’s brood?

Elizabeth returned to school teaching and in the 1891 Census is living alone in School Road, Kemble, Wiltshire age 55 school mistress. She then returned to Norfolk and in 1901 Census is the school mistress age 55 at Cockley Cley, living with Beatrice Denny a local girl age 15 and school mistress.

Retirement subsequently beckoned and the 1911 Census Elizabeth had returned to Elm to live alone at High Road, as retired school mistress age 65. She was still there as retired school mistress age 76 in the 1921 Census. She never married.

Finally, at the age of 81 Elizabeth died on 28 June 1926, with cause of death certified as senile decay and heart disease. Her residence was given as Elm High Road and the death was registered by her niece Annie Esgate “present at the death”. She had made a will on 10 August 1922 appointing her nephew Harby Herbert Reed of Leicester as Executor. He was granted probate 6 August 1926 and the estate was valued at £169 9s 5p. The will was quite detailed with specific items of jewellery and personal effects bequeathed to various nephews and nieces, in a manner rather appropriate for a genteel maiden aunt. They would have reason to remember her.

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