| Administrative History | Harriett Ann Spragg, was born in London 19 February 1817, eldest of six children of Samuel Spragg (c 1790-1832), attorney, and Harriet Spragg nee Sydenham (c 1790-1872). In July 1835, she left for India having been appointed governess to the children of Rev Henry Baker and his wife, Amelia Dorothea (nee Kohlhoff). Whilst in India, Harriett taught at the mission school in Cottayam (now Kottayam) as well as looking after the Bakers. In May 1838, she married Benjamin Lyons Walcot Norton (1817-1848), the second son of Rev Thomas Norton (1780-1840), CMS missionary to South India, and his first wife, Ann (1781-1822). Harriett and Benjamin had three children who were born in India: Benjamin Charles Spragge Norton known as 'Charles' (1839 baptised-1908), George Robert Francis Norton (1842-1845) and Harriet Mary Ann Norton (1845-1916). After her husband died in 1848, Harriett returned to England. In November 1851, she married her cousin, Charles Elger (d 1869). Charles spent the last eight and half years of his life in The Middlesex County Asylum and, by 1871, Harriett and her daughter were running a 'School for Young ladies' in West Croydon. Harriett died 27 December 1891. On 4 October 1877, her daughter, Harriet Mary Ann, married Joshua Broughton (1843-1909); the couple's second daughter, Alice Eleanor Blackman (nee Broughton) had a daughter, Dorothy Mary Blackman (1919-1999). Dorothy and her husband Rev Aner Clive Shrimpton (1914-2005) had three daughters: Gillian Mary, Frances Anne (1949-1990) and Hilary Ruth (b 1952).
Gillian Mary Webb (nee Shrimpton), librarian and author, was born 15 January 1947, the eldest daughter of Rev Aner Clive Shrimpton and Dorothy Mary Shrimpton (nee Blackman), and the great great granddaughter of Harriett Ann Spragg through her mother's side. Her written works include 'Life, Hah!'; 'Driven Dedication: The extraordinary, ordinary life of Dorothy Mary Shrimpton'; 'Clive Shrimpton: A goal achieved'. 'The Industrious Blackmans', 'Tough Times for the Broughtons', 'Thomas Norton: Man on a Mission' and 'Seasickness and Prayers: The Journal of Harriett Spragge'. Gillian married John Newton Webb (1944-1998) with whom she has three children: twins, Jenny Margaret and Emma Alice (b 1975), and Tom Richard Newton Webb (b 1982).
Source: the records; 'Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904', (Church Missionary Society, 1905); personal communication with the donor. |