1858 School Mistress

[joppo1968]

My Great Grandaunt, Cicely Jopson, migrated to Australia in 1853 & married the same year & subsequently had 3 children before her husband died in 1858. She returned to England the same year & as Cicely Wright, married a James Ferguson on 22 Sept 1860 at St Thomas' Church, Kendal, Westmorland. On the certificate, it states that she is a School Mistress. What I'm trying to find out is: Did a woman have to have any particular qualifications to hold this position in the late 1850's, early 1860's. The only other occupation I have for her, is as a Milliner on the 1851 England census, when she was 17 years old. Not long after she married, she had a large family with James, so she was only a School Mistress for a short period.

Any help or helpful websites would be appreciated!

Mike.

[genjen]

The 1861 census shows her as being married but with no occupation listed. She must have been pregnant when she came back to England as the census shows her with a two year old son. I don't think there is any way in which a pregnant woman with another small child would have been a school teacher in England at that time. Maybe that was her occupation in Australia.

Here they are:
James Ferguson, head, 43, weaver ( woollen), birthplace - Westmorland, Kendal
Cicely , wife, 27, Staffordshire
Ann Wright, daughter, 5, Australia
Thomas W Wright, son, 2, Westmorland,

Cheers,

Jen

[joppo1968]

Hi Gen,

Yes, that's her on the 1861 census & yep, she has no occupation. Thomas W. Wright was born in July 1858 just after they arrived from Melbourne, so she was pregnant with him when her late husband, Charles Wright was alive, Cicely Wright Jnr, her other child, along with Ann that she left Melbourne with, unfortunately died aged 12 months from teething on the journey. Perhaps she was a School Mistress back in Melbourne but her & Charles had 3 children from 1853-1857 with Charles Jnr dying in 1855, so I can't imagine where she got time to be a School Mistress then either? I'll email the Maldon Genealogy Society to see if she has an occupation on the 1856 electoral roll.

Thanks 

Mike.