Anne Moseley

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In 1846, Henry Moseley senior's 3rd wife died leaving him widowed and looking after two young children (aged 4 and 18 months), plus three more from his previous marriages (aged 17, 12 and 8).

Henry married for the fourth and final time to the spinster Anne Thompson on 7th May 1848 at St Modwen’s Church in Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire. She was 39 and Henry was now 45. They didn’t have any children together.

In 1851 the family were living at 5 Babington Lane, Derby with one servant, but in 1855 tragedy struck Henry yet again when his first two children both died. Henry George died 26th April aged 20 and Rosamond died shortly afterwards aged 25. Henry George became the first burial in the new cemetery.

 On 17th April 1865, Anne Moseley, Henry's 4th wife, died of cancer, at the age of 56, at Babington Cottage, Babington Lane, Derby.

 An update to the story came to light a number of years ago when the wife of a friend of the Friends group bought a box of assorted antique jewellery at an auction in Derby. Nothing of any great value, just a lot of odds and ends. She was probably attracted to whatever rings were in the lot.

Among the items was an elliptical engraved gold brooch, with a central raised Aquamarine stone, which appeared to be a mourning brooch marking the passing of a lady named Anne Moseley in 1865. What was interesting about it was that it had plaits of brown/auburn (presumably Anne's) hair incorporated into the body which could be viewed through a glass window on the reverse and with engraved inscriptions above and below the window, which read;

  Anne Moseley                  Obt 17th April 1865                         Age 56 Year

Investigations suggest, but cannot be proved, that the brooch was made by Henry Moseley senior who was a carver, gilder and jeweller operating from premises in the Corn Market.

The full story of the Moseley’s of Corn Market  written by Nick Hopkins can be downloaded here.