Mary (née Edwards) Walker of Crow Nest

Birth

Mary (Ann Walker’s mother) was born the eldest child of John and Elizabeth (Lees) Edwards and baptized on 1 June1763 at St. John the Baptist Church in Halifax.¹ Her siblings were Elizabeth, Henry Lees, Harriet, Thomas and Lucy.²

Marriage & Fortune

When Mary’s parents, John Edwards and Elizabeth Lees married on 15 July 1762,¹ an interesting marriage announcement appeared in the paper.

Mary was born a year after.  Less than a decade later, her father bought the Pye Nest estate from Japhet Lister, Esq of Northgate House (Anne Lister’s great-uncle) in 1771. He chose to rebuild the mansion and hired John Carr of York, then the most famous Yorkshire architect at the time.²

Here’s a description of Pye Nest’s design:

"The design was particulary elegant, the main block having a three-bay centrepiece under a pediment and one bay on either side. This block was connected by quadrants to three-bay by three-bay pavilions, each with a chimney at the apex of the pyramidal roof. One wing contained the kitchens, the other nurseries, a schoolroom and billiard room. The main rooms were arranged around a top-lit hall." Lost Country Houses of South and West Yorkshire, Ian Greaves, Amberley Publishing, 2024

In 1795 Mary married John Walker.

This quote describes this marriage match perfectly from the book “Searching for Ann Walker”, available on Amazon or any online bookseller.

“Ann’s parents, John Walker and Mary Edwards, were well-matched. Both came from prominent mercantile families that continued to prosper throughout and after Ann’s life. Her relatives from the Edwards’ side of the family would be particularly successful, with many becoming the equivalent of today’s millionaires or even multi-millionaires.”
Searching for Ann Walker, Halifax Society, Martin Walker

Children

Mary gave birth to five children. William (1798), Mary, (1799-1815), Elizabeth (1801-1844), Ann (1803-1854) and John (1804-1830).

William died at 3 weeks old and was buried in St Matthews Churchyard. The family was living at Cliff Hill.

John’s older brother William Walker and sisters, Ann and Mary, lived at Crow Nest. When William died in 1809, John inherited the majority of the Walker estate and he and his family moved into Crow Nest while the sisters moved to Cliff Hill.

While living at Crow Nest, young Mary died at 15 years of age. The deep grief can be felt in this death announcement. She was also buried in St Matthews Churchyard.

Crow Nest

Having grown up at Pye Nest, Mary would have been very comfortable at Crow Nest. When Crow Nest was built it has been said to have been influenced by Pye Nest. Read about the history of Crow Nest here and here by Ian Philp from Friends of St Matthews Churchyard.

Here are some photos of Crow Nest in later years (the inside photos are from the 1920’s) that give an idea of the grand mansion that Mary, John and their children lived in.

Halifax Society

There was a lot of social activity between neighbors and family in Halifax for Mary.

There was a carriage accident involving Mary, Elizabeth and Ann near Shibden Hall, where they fled to. The Walkers were given wine and furnished with cloaks and a lantern to walk home. On 1 May 1820 Anne Lister wrote:

"All sitting quietly downstairs when (a few minutes before 10) we were roused by a loud rapping and screaming of female voices at the door - In came Mrs Walker of Crownest and her 2 daughters, the former almost fainting, and all 1/2 dead with fright having just been overturned into the field in taking the sharp turn at the top of the lane - The reins had broken, the coachman lost all from the top of the hill. The horses came down full speed and were lying as if dead - none of the ladies, fortunately, much hurt -The footman did not happen to be on the box (not having been able to mount after walking up the new bank) the coachman had sprung a bone in his left ancle [ankle] and bruised the hip a little. The horses did not appear at all the worse - After a glass of wine and being furnished with cloaks and a lantern the ladies set off in 1/4 hour to walk home. The carriage (very much broken) was brought here, and the man sent off on one of the horses in about an hour after the rest - What a mercy they were no worse - how providential that the mischief was in fact so small considering the greatness of the accident!" West Yorkshire Archive, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/4/0050

Christopher Rawson wrote of one large dinner party on 2 September 1802 at John Walker’s sister Elizabeth Priestley’s home called White Windows:

“1802. 2 Sept dined White Windows Mr & Mrs Jn Walker Wm Walker Mary Priestley, Miss Bentley, Miss Walker, Dr Bates, Wm Hudson, Bagnold, John Busfield and all the Miss Priestleys there”  West Yorkshire Archives, Calderdale WYC:1525/6/5/1

There were also dinners at Crow Nest. Mrs William Rawson wrote in her diary in September 1821:

“28 Rain and storm on Friday, we dined at Crow Nest; floods and storms continue to prevail”
Halifax Antiquarian Society, Mrs William Rawson And Her Diary, 1958, John Wilson

In September 1822 Christopher Rawson writes the Walkers and others dined at his home:

"Sept 7. Wm R & aunt. Bessy, John Ellen & Ann Waterhouse arrived from Scotland. Old Mr Edwards & Mrs Edwards, Mr & Mrs & Eliza Walker, Mrs John Dyson, Aunt CR & John Waterhouse dined with us."
West Yorkshire Archive, Calderdale WYC:1525/6/5/1

Throughout Anne Lister’s Diary there are a multitude of entries about Mrs Walker and the 2 Misses Walker’s visiting Shibden, neighbors & family and of Anne visiting them at Crow Nest. There was an active social life between the Walkers and Halifax society. Here are a few of Anne Lister’s many examples:

24 January 1822
"Got back at 1 1/2 — Mrs. and the 2 Miss Walkers and their brother (of Crownest) called and staid near 1/2 hour — Then came upstairs and sat with IN [Isabella Norcliffe] —" West Yorkshire Archive, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/5/0096

25 February 1822
“Mrs and the 2 Miss Walkers of Crownest called and staid near an hour”
West Yorkshire Archives, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/5/010

Travel

On 12 July 1821 Anne Lister recorded a holiday the Walkers were planning:

“Between 12 and 1 Miss Anne Walker and her brother (of Crownest) called and staid 1/2 hour they are all going to Scarborogh [sic] for 3 weeks on Saturday”    West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/5/0042

She also recorded when Mary traveled with her children:

1 June 1821 
"Mrs. Walker and her oldest daughter at Manchester stayed tea took a couple cups of coffee and sat above ————— an hour — Miss Ann Walker walked back with me along the fields as far as Lidget and with her Mr. Edward Priestley who met us by the way"   West Yorkshire Archive, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/5/0031   

14 October 1822
“Mrs. Walker gone with her son to H-x [Halifax], on his way to Oxford — his debut at I forget what college — ” West Yorkshire Archive, CalderdaleSH:7/ML/E/6/0060

No doubt there were other trips yet to be discovered.

John’s Death

Mary’s husband John died in April 1823 after an illness of several months. Read more about John here. In his will, his son John inherited the majority of the estate and Mary and daughters Elizabeth and Ann were well provided for.¹

Mary’s Death

Mary died suddenly, 6 months after John, in November of 1823, leaving family and friends shocked and her three children parentless.

Perhaps WH [William Henry] Rawson was most shocked of all. His diary entry:

“Nov 13 1823. We were engaged to dine at Crownest today but as we were at breakfast a messenger arrived to acquaint us with Mrs Walker’s sudden death in the course of the night – at Halifax yesterday and perfectly well on entering to bed about 11 last night”   West Yorkshire Archive, Calderdale WYC:1525/6/8/4

Through the diaries of Caroline Wyville Walker (distant cousin) and Anne Lister, we learn the details of Mary’s death.

On 13 November 1823 Anne Lister recorded the circumstances around Mary’s death:

“[…] washed and dressed and set off to Lightcliffe at 2 3/4 to inquire after Mrs. William Priestley in consequence of the very sudden death of Mrs. Walker of Crownest this morning — Stopt by the way to speak to Jackman who is finishing the wall at the end of the new road — walked very stiffly — got to Lightcliffe at 3 1/2 Miss Ellen Carter there — staid about 1/2 hour while I was there — Mrs. Walker had drunk tea at Mrs. Lees’s yesterday brought her daughter Miss Walker from Mr. Rawson’s of Hope, and got home about 10 1/4 — they sat up near an hour together when Miss Walker left her mother apparently well as usual — she followed a little before 12, and went to bed — about 3 this morning she got out of bed, unlocked her door, called 2 of the women servants, got into bed again, and rang the bell violently — they went to her — she just said ‘Oh! dear!’ and expired laid her hand upon the pit of her stomach as if the pain was there, tried to lay down but could not, and expired immediately — she must have been quite gone when Miss Walker went to her a few moments after — they sent to Lightcliffe about 3 1/2 — Mr. William Priestley had been at the concert last night, slept at the Talbot, and did not get home till 7 this morning — Mrs. Priestley had gone down to Crownest at 6 and staid till 11 — then came away leaving Mrs. Dyson of Willowfield and Mrs. Rawson of Hope there who had just arrived — Staid with Mrs. William Priestley till Mr. Priestley came in from Crownest i.e. till 5 20/60"                      West Yorkshire Archives, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/7/0081

Caroline Wyville Walker noted other details in her diary:

“On 13th November, 1823, Miss Walker records the sudden death of Mrs. Walker, of Crownest.   “Mrs. Walker, of Crownest, is dead!   She had been out in the carriage yesterday; returned home at ten in the evening, apparently well and in good spirits.  About three o’clock this morning she was taken dangerously ill.  A servant was despatched for Dr. Paley, who arrived as soon as possible, but she was dead when he came. Dr. Paley said that if he had been there he could not have been of any use – it was an attack of apoplexy or gout.  Mrs. Walker had taken tea with Mrs. S. Lees; her sister, Mrs. Dyson, and Mrs. Briggs were of the party, and Mrs. W. had gone to Halifax to bring home Miss E. Walker, who had been a day or two at Mr. C. Rawson’s.  Mrs. W. was in good spirits at her return. . . . Mrs. W. was gener­ally esteemed, she had a good-humoured countenance, and a very obliging manner.” Halifax Antiquarian Society, Walterclough, in Southowram [By J. Lister. M.A. July 11th, 1908

Mary was buried with her husband and children, William and Mary in St. Matthews Churchyard.¹

Her daughter Elizabeth was the administrator of her estate.² She left what was left of her personal estate after debts and funeral expenses in equal parts to her three living children – Elizabeth, Ann and John. They all received a little over £800 each ². Her funeral cost about £300 ². Upon her death Mary’s personal property was valued and it included 15 gowns, 6 silk handkerchiefs, 15 pairs of gloves and a gold watch.

Who was Mary?

There is no known journal found written by Mary to get a feeling about her personality. She lived a life of privilege before and after marriage. She knew the heartbreak of losing 2 children. She raised three children to adulthood, all of who appeared well educated. She was very active in her husband’s medical care and dealing with the physicians (details in the John Walker Blog). She lived as a widow for 6 months.

Caroline Wyville Walker offered a positive opinion of Mary in her diary on the day of her death:

“Mrs. W. was gener­ally esteemed, she had a good-humoured countenance, and a very obliging manner.” Halifax Antiquarian Society, Walterclough, in Southowram [By J. Lister. M.A. July 11th, 1908]

Many years later Anne Lister compared Ann to her mother in a less flattering comment in her diary 3 March 1837. This was over an issue with a servant at Shibden Hall that Ann wanted fired.

“[...] I shall not give in about Cookson for a trifle tho’ I see A- is nearly bent upon getting rid of her A- will be like her mother ordering and fussing about […]” West Yorkshire, Calderdale, SH:7/ML/E/20/0029

Mary may have been esteemed and good natured and perhaps her ordering and fussing about was simply being a strong woman.

Sources

Birth

1. West Yorkshire Archive Service; Wakefield, Yorkshire, England; Yorkshire Parish Records; New Reference Number: WDP53/1/1/11
2. Ancestry.com Is Search of Ann Walker family tree

Marriage and Fortune

1. Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
2. https://www.halifaxpeople.com/Historic-Pye-Nest.html

John’s Death

1. National Archive PROB11/1687

Mary’s Death

1. West Yorkshire Archive Service; Wakefield, Yorkshire, England; New Reference Number: WDP47/1/4/1
2. West Yorkshire Archive Servcie, Calderdale CN:89/18

Special Thanks

Diane Halford – Archival Research

Trish Rafa – Editing

Deb Woolson (2026) “Mary Walker of Crow Nest” In Search of Ann Walker [Accessed “add date”]