I've found a death registration of a Thomas Down in quarter 3,1901, born around 1866 so age 35 in Newport, Monmouthshire. I wonder if this was Annie's husband? I suspect that they weren't married though hence not being able to find a marriage cert for them. She must have just taken his name rather than appear as 'living in sin'. Still baffled as to how she got to know Herbert in order to marry him. I still think she must have known Selinas family in some way, got to hear about her death and stepped in to look after the children. A mystery I'll probably never get to the bottom of unfortunately!
My nan remembers her fondly as a big, no nonsense woman who was firm. She tried to forbid the Clifford boys to marry as she would have been left without any income if they left home. The boys did marry but Reuben looked after her and she went to live with Reuben and May and stayed with them until her death age 91 in 1947. Nan is saddened to think she spent time in the workhouse - this was never spoken about as she was a very private woman and didn't let on anything of her past to the children, she was a bit of an enigma, no one really knew where she had come from or anything about her past. My nan has photos of her, I'll get her to dig them out and post them on here.
