A Fossilist

Over the past couple of weeks I've read, not one but two articles about one of the women of the past I've always found fascinating.  I've written posts before about both Lyme Regis and Mary Anning. I hope you won't mind another one.

I've been following for some time the reports about the possibility of a statue of some sort to commemorate her life at Lyme.  It now looks as if this is going to happen.

As today is International Women's Day our paper was full of stories and articles on inspiring women and the mother and daughter who have campaigned for the statue are featured in one article. The statue will depict Mary Anning walking down to the beach followed by her faithful dog Tray.  Here is a - link - to more information.

Last week I also saw an article about new fifty pence pieces with depictions of the various species discovered by Mary Anning.    More information about the coins - here.

You can see from the books below which I have acquired over the years how she captures my imagination.

Bottom right is an extract frm the 1841 census showing Mary Anning aged 40 living in Lyme Regis with her mother Mary age 77.  They are both listed as fossilists.

Below are a few of the photos I took when we last visited Lyme in 2010.

The - Philpot Museum  - which is on the site of the Anning Family home and fossil shop.  It is named after it's builder Thomas E D Philpot, a nephew of the Philpot sisters who were fossil collectors around the same time as Mary Anning.   A new Mary Anning Wing was opened at the museum in July 2017.  An addition I'd like to visit when times permit. 

The parish church of St Michael the Archangel

The headstone of both Mary Anning and her brother Joseph Anning.

Inside the church

 

The Mary Anning window, paid for by members of The Geological Society in 1850.

 

All for now.  I'm finding it hard to find things to write about but I thought this was worthy of note today.

For International Women's Day

Some of the women in my family of whom I have fond memories.

My Mum

Sitting left

My Grandma

My Granny

My Aunt Gladys

I'm listing them with the names they were born with rather than the names they took when they married.

Florence Hilda Limb 1916 -1999

Florence Mary Stubbs 1884 -1962

Rosa Edwards 1879 - 1963

Gladys Emily Limb 1907 - 1967

I'm also adding two of my great-grandmothers although I never met them. 

Martha Elizabeth Matthews 1854 -1915
born Welby, Grantham, Lincolnshire.

 Sarah Ann Hodgetts 1854 -1939
born Birmingham, West Midlands.

Also my other two great grandmothers.  I've never seen photos of them.

Celia Palmer Young 1866 -1915 born Ilkeston Derbyshire 

Sarah Ann Gutteridge 1851 - 1915
born Stanton, Newhall, Derbyshire.

I've just noticed that three of my four grandmothers died in 1915.  Two of them are buried not far from each other in a cemetery in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. .