Mary Orchard nanny to Princess Alice's children

[Kessa]

Hi

Does anyone know anything of the ancestry of Mary ORCHARD who was nanny to the children of Princess Alice (daughter of Queen Victoria) who married the Grand Duke of Hesse.  Mary lived at Hesse and then traveled to Russia when Alice's daughter Alix married the Tsar.

Mary's tombstone in East London’s Manor Park Cemetery says she was born on 20 March 1830 and died on 6 August 1906.  Her probate record states she was of Forest Gate, Essex.  I vaguely remember reading somewhere that she was born in Dorset and I'd like to fit her into my extensive Orchard family.

There is a Mary Orchard bapt 7 March 1830 at Wareham but if the tombstone is correct this can't be her.

Any help appreciated.

Kerrie
Australia

[Kay99]

A copy of her will (for a Mary Ann Orchard) is included on a family tree on Ancestry if you have access  http://www.rootschat.com/links/01i8i/  .  It mentions that she came from Dorchester, Dorset and her brothers included the late John Thomas Orchard and his widow Hannah, and other late brothers Henry and George

The tree lists her father as Thomas Orchard 1795 of Broadmayne, Dorset who died on  4 Feb 1834  Fordington, Dorset and her mother Jane Swyer who remarried a David Pitman in 1836 in  Fordington  The tree lists this as Mary Ann's baptism  https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJD4-BL4S

Kay

[Kessa]

Thanks heaps Kay, I had not seen the will of Mary Orchard.  This makes it certain she is the daughter baptised as Ann in 1830 of Thomas Orchard and Jane Swyer.  The brothers she mentions were all children of Thomas and Jane.  I have also noted that in the 1841 census she is living with her mother and brothers and is listed as Mary aged 11.  Looks like for some reason she changed her name from Ann to Mary. 

Well this makes her my first cousin 4 times removed and probably as close to royalty as I'll ever get!  Many thanks for your help Kay.
Best wishes
Kerrie

[Kay99]

Glad it was of use - Should I curtsy    

Kay

[Kessa]

Absolutely!  I'm going to bore my family rigid talking about our royal link. 

And it now makes an old clock I picked up at an antique fair about 20 years ago which has the photos of Nicholas and Alix Romanov on the face doubly precious to me.

Thanks
Kerrie

[aghadowey]

Picture of her gravestone, etc. here-
http://sleepinggardens.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/empresses-nanny.html

[Kessa]

Thanks aghadowey, I had found that site, it even has a photo of Mary with the princesses.

Kerrie

[ShareJennifer]

I have only just found this post and comments, and I am so excited I did! Mary Ann Orchard is my super great aunty, and we still have letters from the family, photos of the family and children, the empress's sash and other things given to her when she left the family to go back to England when she was very sick!
I am guessing this means we are related!?

[Kessa]

Hi
Have sent you a private message.
Kessa