Lucy Mael Piggott
Nursing Member
Lucy Mael Pigott was born on the 3rd August, 1864. She was the daughter of William Lister Marriner and Elizabeth Marriner, the former being the heir to Marriner’s Worsted company at Greengate Mill in Keighley. In the 1871 census, Lucy is listed as aged 6, a scholar and living with her parents and seven other siblings at Far Greengate. The census shows that there were also three servants in the house, and father William’s occupation is listed as an ‘Employer’ Worsted Spinner, with 410 employees suggesting the family was doing well from the textile industry.
In the 1891 census, Lucy is aged 26 and living with her older brother Henry and older sister Alice at Sutcliffe House, alongside two servants. In this census, Henry appears as the ‘worsted employer’, rather than the ‘employed’ suggesting he had already taken over the management of the Marriner’s mill from his father. Both Lucy and sister Alice have no occupation listed, again suggesting a comfortable income from the mills.
On October 4, 1893, Lucy Mael Marriner married Walter Piggott at St Peter’s Church in Keighley. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, from Austin Friars and was the son of engineer and iron founder John James Pigott. The following year in 1894, they welcomed a son Adrian Marriner Pigott. His birth is registered in West Ham, Essex. It is likely that Walter was in this location serving in the Navy during this time and Lucy was residing nearby.
Walter died in 1903 in Sewri, Bombay in India. The 1911 census shows Lucy as aged 46 and a widow. The census further reveals she resides with her servant at Thorncliffe, Glen Ghyll in Keighley, with no listed occupation. It is interesting to note that Thorncliffe House was listed under the Marriner family name in the 1891 census but was classed as unoccupied.
Lucy volunteered with the Red Cross and served from 23 May 1918 until 30th September 1918. Her title was 'Quartermaster', which included duties such as housekeeping and she was based at the Red Cross Diss. Hospital in Norfolk.
Lucy then appears in the 1919 polling register and in the 1920 register her son Adrian Marriner Pigott is living in the same home. The polling information lists him as NM, meaning he was a member of the Navy or the military. Adrian seemingly followed his father’s footsteps and became a Lieutenant in the navy and went on to marry VAD Betty Haggas in Hong Kong in 1929. Incidentally, Betty was also a VAD Red Cross nurse during the Great War and was based at the Spencer Street War Hospital in Keighley.
Lucy died on the 26th August, 1951 at Brooke House, Henley Road in Ipswich.
Sources:
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index 1916-2007
England and Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
Lancashire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1911
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
UK, British Army WW1 Medal Roll Index Cards, 1914-1920
