Summary:

• The Corner’s Yard property (minus the pasture land which was conveyed to Joseph Spencer, Limeburner, Kinoulton) was conveyed to Robert Corner (eldest son of Joseph Corner) in 1853.
• Robert Corner’s wife, Ann (nee Wild b.1820) died Feb 19^th 1879; the couple are buried together in Hickling Churchyard.
• Robert Corner remarried: Mary Ann Smith (nee Whitaker) – widow (b.19^th Sept 1826, Nether Broughton). She later married Charles Hodson (1789), remaining in the Corner property until her death in 1914.
• Robert Corner died 11^th August 1888.
• His Will names his widow Mary Ann Corner as his sole executor and sole beneficiary.
• The gross value of the estate is £51.
• (Solicitor’s Bill is transcribed, below)
• The conveyance of 1853 restricts what happens to the property in relation to Robert’s wife (they had no children); the Will references portions of his estate in trust. If this is the case, the bequests (below) may only refer to Robert Corner’s non-property assets – either way, she continues to occupy the property.
• There are no further surviving documents between the probate records for Robert Corner in 1888 and a fire insurance policy in the name of his widow, Mary Ann Hodson (formerly Corner, formerly Smith, nee Whittaker) in 1911 which implies that there were no further ownership transactions.

The two marriages of Robert Corner:

Ann Corner (nee Wild):

• Ann Wild – born Broughton, Notts – in 1820
• She married Robert Corner in 1842 but the couple were childless
• The parents of John, Elizabeth and Ann Wild are Joseph (butcher) and Elizabeth Wild of Broughton Sulney, Notts (Upper Broughton).
• Ann was one of 7 children; she was baptised 13th February 1820 Upper Broughton
• John Wild baptised 1809 in Upper Broughton; he dies (unmarried) age 66 in 1877.
• Census 1841: Ann Wild (age 20) – living on Hickling Pastures with her brother, John (age 30, farmer). The household is listed close to the Davis, Phipps and Thurman households where Robert Corner’s mother and siblings are recorded as working.
• John and Ann’s sister, Elizabeth Wild/Fogg (b.1814) died at the age of 45 from a tumour; she was married (George Fogg, 1855 – no children). George Fogg appears to have pre-deceased Elizabeth which may explain her return to the Hickling area. Elizabeth and John are buried in the same grave in Hickling churchyard.
• The Wild family also have strong links in Owthorpe.
• Feb 19^th 1879: Ann Corner (nee Wild) dies aged 59yrs – she is buried with Robert Corner in Hickling Churchyard.
• Census records in Hickling:
  • 1841 (Ann Wild) – age 20 (in her brother’s household on Hickling Pastures)
  • 1851 (Ann Corner) – age 31 b.1820
  • 1861 (Ann Corner) – age 46 b.1815 (this could be a transcription error since this is also her husband’s birth year)
  • 1871 (Ann Corner) – age 51 b.1820

Mary Ann Corner/Hodson (formerly Smith, nee Whitaker of Long Clawson):

• Spellings vary: Witaker/Whitaker/Whittaker
• 24^th Dec 1826: baptism of Mary Ann Whitaker – parents William and Sarah (her birth date is given as 19^th September 1826 on her gravestone in 1914).
• Census 1841 (Nether Broughton): Mary Whitaker (age 14) in the household of her parents William & Sarah (both age 35) with siblings, Harriett (age 12) and Sarah (age 3).
• Mary Anne Whitaker (age 22)marries Freeman Smith in 1848. A record of Banns 29^th Oct 1848 between Mary Anne Whitaker of Nether Broughton and Freeman Smith of Long Clawson.
  • Marriage record; Nether Broughton 23^rd Nov 1848. Mary Anne’s father is William Whittaker. Freeman Smith’s father (of Long Clawson) is John Smith.
  • Census 1851 Long Clawson): 2 in household – Freeman Smith (age 28, b.1823 Knipton, Leics, agricultural labourer) and Mary A Smith (age 25, b.1826, Nether Broughton, laceworker).
  • Census 1861 (Long Clawson): 2 in household – Freeman Smith (age 38, b.1823 Kingston, Leics, agricultural labourer) and Mary A Smith (age 38, b.1823, Nether Broughton, worker of figures on lace).
  • Census 1871 (Long Clawson): 2 in household – Freeman Smith (age 48, b.1823 Knipton, Leics, agricultural labourer) and Mary A Smith (age 43, b. 1826, Nether Broughton, no occupation listed).
  • 3^rd February 1879: burial record for Freeman Smith (age 56), Long Clawson.
• Dec 29^th 1879: Robert Corner (age 64)marries Mary Anne Smith (age 53) of Long Clawson (widow, nee Whitaker) – see also fire insurance doc 1911/14.
• On the marriage certificate:
  • Both Robert and Mary Anne are recorded as widowed
  • Robert (widowed) is a shoemaker of Hickling and his father, Joseph, is deceased (1862).
  • Mary Anne Smith (widowed) is of Long Clawson and her father is William Whitaker, cattle dealer.
• Robert Corner dies in 1888 and Mary Ann Corner is his sole executor and beneficiary.
• 1889: a marriage is recorded between Charles Hodson (bricklayer’s labourer, age 21) and Mary Ann Corner (age 63).
• Census records in Hickling:
  • 1881 (Mary Ann Corner) – age 52 b.1829
  • 1891 (Mary Ann Hodson) – age 63
  • 1901 (Mary Ann Hodson) – age 74
  • 1911 (Mary Ann Hodson) – age 84
• The Grantham Journal published an article following her death:

“Death Mary Anne, wife of Charles Hodson early Wednesday week aged 87. Been married twice previously, “of a remarkably cheerful disposition and of wonderful vitality”.  To about two years ago able to get about though very feeble. September 1912 broke three ribs and injured an eye but recovered, but then in August she fell and broke her shoulder and never regained strength after this.”

(Grantham Journal 1914)

Transcript:

Title:

1. Probate
2. Of the will of
3. Robert Corner
4. Deceased
5. Dated 24^th August 1888
6. Extracted by
7. Latham & New
8. Solicitors
9. Melton Mowbray

The Principal Registry:

1. The Principal Registry
2. In Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice
3. Be it known, that at the date hereunder written, this last Will and
4. Testament (a Copy whereof
5. Is hereunto annexed) of Robert Corner late
6. of Hickling in the County
7. of Nottingham shoemaker
8. deceased who died on the 11^th day of August 1888
9. at Hickling aforesaid
10. was proved and registered in the Principal Registry of the Probate Division of
11. Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice, and that Administration of the personal estate
12. of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to Mary Ann
13. Corner widow the relict of
14. the said deceased the sole
15. executrix
16. named in the will she having been first sworn well and faithfully to administer the same.
17. And it is hereby certified that an affidavit in verification of the Account of the said
18. estate has been delivered wherein it is shown that the gross value of the said estate
19. amounts to £51-0-0 and no more
20. Dated the 24^th day of August 1888
21. [signature]
22. Registrar
23. Extracted by Latham & New & co
24. Melton Mowbray

Will:

1. This is the last Will and Testament
2. of me Robert Corner of Hickling in the County of Nottingham
3. Shoemaker I hereby revoke all testament writings heretofore executed by
4. me I devise and bequeath all my real and personal estate unto my wife
5. Mary Ann Corner absolutely but as to estates vested in me upon any trust
6. or by way of mortgage subject to the trusts and equities affecting the same respectively
7. And I appoint my said wife sole executrix of this my will In witness
8. whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty fourth day of May 1881
9. Robt Corner signed by the above named testator
10. As and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his
11. Presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
12. our names as witnesses _____ […] [Carnelley] _______ Ernest Pywell clerks to messrs
13. Latham and […]addison

Robert Corner Probate – Solicitor’s Bill 1888

Title:

1. Mr Robert Corner’s
2. Executrix

Bill:

1. The Executrix of the late Mr Robert Corner
2. Latham & New
3. 1888                                                                                       £ /s /d
4. Aug 27  Solicitors fees on proving Will of the              )
5.               late Mr Corner – preparing copy on              )
6.               parchment for Probate. Corresponding   )
7.               with London agents and forwarding them)    2. 2. 0
8.               Will and other documents to lodge at              )
9.               The Principal Registry.
10.   
11. “  “        Paid Commissioners fees             4.0  )
12. “  “          “     Registrars fees etc               13.1)                                17.1
13.                                                                                                 £2.19.1
14.               Received with thanks
15.               25^th September 1888
16.               Latham & New
17.               [signature & stamp]