Wiggington Graves and Research, Great Marlow

 

The grave of George the son of William and Mary Ann Wiggington of this town who "entered into rest" Feb 23rd 1880 aged 27 "With Christ Is Better".

Also commemorated on the grave is his sister Mary Ann who it says died at Brighton and is buried there. Died January 10th 1901. "Until The Day Dawns"

Maryann Wiggington. Beloved wife of William Wiggington. Born April 10th 1813 and died December 13th 1865

ALSO OF 

William Wiggington husband of the above who died suddenly Sept 19th 1879 age 60.

This grave is also in All Saints.

Graves in All Saints Churchyard Marlow. Photographed April 2021.

Research by Charlotte:

William and Mary Ann (the parents)

William was a retired bargeman. He dropped dead in his garden. He had previously survived surgery in London for cancer of the tongue. Mary Ann kept a grocery and tobacconist's shop in Dean Street Marlow. This was the property of her father James Lee. The spiteful and gested political atmosphere of Victorian Marlow saw Mary Ann targeted because of her father's political allegiances. You can read more about this in our post here.

Mary died after a long period of illness that involved her heart, lungs and liver. The doctor who treated her in her final illness, Dr Oliver, was accused by her husband, two teenage daughters Mary Ann junior (18) and Emma (15) and another doctor of malpractice, treating her when incapable to do so because he was obviously intoxicated. William threw him out of their home. Mary herself believed the last medicine she took was making her worse. An inquest found that Dr Oliver had made no mistakes as to treatment despite his possible drunkenness at time and that Mary was so ill that her death was not exceptional. An autopsy ruled out there being any poisonous ingredients in the medicines Dr Oliver gave her. One of the ingredients used would however burn the throat when swallowed.

The fact that he had declared her to be getting better when she no longer had a pulse makes the idea he was fully competent when he attended her questionable!

Mary Ann's cause of death was given as heart disease. She also had a diseased liver.

This couple were Wesleyans. There was no burial ground at that time for the Wesleyan community or a town cemetery hence their burial at the parish church.

Mary Ann (the daughter). Born 1848.

Worked as a keeper of a lodging house for a while.

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More on Mary Ann's death can be found in local newspapers such as the South Bucks Free Press  Dec 22nd 1865.