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The Inquisition of Ann Walker
By Ian Philp (Friends of St Matthew’s Churchyard) It is well known that Ann Walker was found to be of unsound mind in 1843. This short article looks only at who were the jurors at the hearing, and then what we know of how much it cost to look after her. The hearings were called “Inquisitions” meaning an enquiry, rather than an imitation of an earlier religious institution. The process began with a petition to the Lord High Chancellor. When this was granted, a jury would be required, and solicitors briefed. From records in West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale, we do know Ann Walker attended the hearing , along with…
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William Priestley Letters
Believe me to be My dear Sir Your’s [sic] most truly W. Priestley . Reading someone’s letters cannot only bring them to life, but also shed light on their personality as well as their relationships with other people. We will look at some excerpts of letters, written by William Priestley, that span from 1823 to 1834. His letters are interesting to the reader because they are quite detailed, with a touch of gossip. William and his wife Eliza Priestley played a significant role in Gentleman Jack series one, which portrayed them as rushing to Scotland to rescue Ann Walker and bring her back to Halifax. That storyline was for drama…
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Politics in Gentleman Jack Season 2, Episode 5
By Bethany Drysdale For many American viewers watching episode 5, the subject of 1830s British politics might seem a bit overwhelming. It helps to understand what was happening within the political culture of the United Kingdom and how it compares to our own system in the United States. I will attempt to sort out some of the bigger ideas presented in the episode and explain them in their real life context. It is important to consider the time in which Anne Lister lived and worked. She was progressive in some ideas, but very conservative in others. This leads us, as viewers, to see a different perspective of her in the…
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John Walker Jnr (1804 – 1830)
Family John Walker Jnr was born to John Walker and Mary Edwards in 1804, while they were living at Cliffe Hill in Lightcliffe, and was the youngest of the five Walker children. His elder siblings were William (died at 21 days in 1798), Mary (died a teenager in 1815), Elizabeth (b.1801), and Ann (b. 1803). John was baptised on 28th November 1804 at St. Matthews Church.1 The Walker family’s wealth was derived from land ownership, marriage settlements and textile manufacturing. John Walker Snr had inherited land & money from his father, William Walker Snr, in 1786. In 1809, upon the death of his older brother, William, John Snr inherited the…
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“My dearest Elizabeth”
A workshop presented by Leila Straub, ALBW, Apr 4, 2022 Content 1. What letters do we have and what is Ann writing about? 2. What do the letters look like? 3. Ann’s style of writing 4. The process behind transcribing 5. Reading Ann’s handwriting 6. DIY Transcription 1. What letters do we have and what is Ann writing about? Ann Walker’s letters to her sister Elizabeth can be found in the Crow Nest papers, folder CN:103/4, in the West Yorkshire Archive. The collection contains letters written between 1832 and 1835. Most of the letters were written between Ann Walker and Elizabeth Sutherland but the folder also contains letters to/from…
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Ann’s Artwork
By Ivana Nika and Diane Halford There is much talk in both Ann Walker’s and Anne Lister’s diaries about Ann sketching, painting and having drawing lessons (usually with Mr Browne or Mr Horner). There are no sketchbooks belonging to Ann known to have survived, although the hunt for one continues. There has also been no discovery of any proven images of Ann Walker herself yet. There are, however, several sketches, doodles and drawings known to have been completed by Ann Walker that still exist. This short blog will show you those images and the context in which they were created. Family History In the 1830s and 1840s Ann took a…
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Ann Walker’s 5 Days In London
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Ann’s Aunts, Uncles and Cousins
By Martin Walker [This page will be continuously updated as more is discovered about this family] Ann had numerous aunts, uncles and cousins and many are mentioned in her own diary, Anne Lister’s diaries and archive documents. This blog seeks to briefly introduce these family members so that the documents we are finding can be placed in Ann’s life more accurately. Ann’s parents were John Walker (1753-1823) and Mary Edwards (1763-1823); they were married on 18 June 1795 at Halifax Minster. Ann’s father had four brothers and sisters: Mary, William, Elizabeth and Ann (Aunt Ann of Cliff Hill). Only Elizabeth married – a Priestley – and had children. Of Ann’s…
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Ann’s Return
By Dorjana Širola and Diane Halford (Updated 14/5/2023) The Last Trip In the early morning of 20th June 1839, Ann Walker and Anne Lister left Shibden Hall together for the last time. The women loaded up their carriage and set off for a tour of Scandinavia and the Russian Empire. They first travelled to London, where they hired a married couple as servants, then crossed the Channel, continuing their overland journey to Hamburg, then sailed across to Copenhagen. They spent some time exploring Denmark, before sailing to Helsingborg and travelling around Sweden and Norway, with stays in Oslo, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Uppsala, as well as visiting Swedish copper, silver and…
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Adney Bridge, Shibden Park
Adney Bridge, a small bridge that leads from Shibden Hall to the Gatehouse in Shibden Park, was so named by Anne Lister. Anne had this bridge built in 1835 as she renovated her home, Shibden Hall, employing the services of John Harper, an architect from York. Adney was the nickname that Anne gave her wife, Ann Walker and mentioned this name throughout her diary entries which cover their relationship. It is sometimes spelled with an ”e” (Adney) and sometimes without (Adny). Anne and Ann took the sacrament together on Easter day in 1834 at Holy Trinity Goodramgate, York and considered themselves married. Their union is widely considered to be the…
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Slavery and Shibden Hall
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(Aunt) Ann Walker
Family Ann Walker was the youngest of five children born to William & Elizabeth Walker in 1757. Her siblings were Mary (1747-1822), William (1749-1804), Elizabeth (1750-1829) and John (1753-1823). 1 The Walkers were wealthy wool merchants, owned stock and a vast amount of property that only grew over time. Ann, like her sister Mary and brother William never married. Her sister Elizabeth married John Priestley and brother John married Mary Edwards. John & Mary were the parents of Ann Walker of Crow Nest. Ann Walker Sr was Ann’s aunt. After Ann’s sister Mary died in 1822, she was referred to as Mrs. Ann Walker or Ann Walker Sr. In…
