Mary Ann Stainsby was the second child of Thomas Stainsby & Mary Lister born at Linthorpe & christened April 5th, 1842 at West Acklam, Yorks.
In 1851 Mary was at home with her parents, brothers & sisters at Linthorpe, Yorks.
On August 27th, 1860 Mary Ann (known as Mary Annie) married William Smith Graham at Middlesbrough Circuit Wesleyan Methodist Church. William Smith Graham was christened March 12th, 1835 at West Acklam,Yorks, the son of Thomasin & John Graham, a draper & druggist. Mary Ann’s sister Elizabeth was to marry William’s brother, Charles Wesley Graham, in 1871.
In 1861 Mary Annie & William were living at 14 Richmond St, Middlesbrough where William was a master butcher.
William & Mary Annie could not be found at the time of the 1871 census.
By 1881 Mary Annie & William had moved to 46 Linthorpe Rd, Middlesbrough & William was still a butcher by trade. They had 10 children at home at this time – John (19), an assistant butcher, Mary F (16), Thomas S (15), a clerk in the ironworks, William S (12), Thomasine (10), Arthur Ed (8), Harry (6), Edwin (5), Joseph Frederick (3) & Lilly (1 week old). They had a servant, Annie Groves (40), who was noted as deaf. Son Charles Alfred could not be found in the 1881 census, but it is known that he became a merchant seaman & married Martha Ann Appleby in 1888 in Middlesbrough.
Son Thomas Stainsby Graham, like his brother Charles, also became a merchant seaman in 1885.
William was still working as a butcher in 1891 & the family were living at 3 Southfield Terrace, Middlesbrough. Children at home were William, a butcher, Thomasine, Arthur E, a joiner, Henry, Edwin, Annie (9), Albert E (7), Harold (6). They still had a general servant – Mary Hanley.
Son William Smith Graham became an iron worker & married Elizabeth Hill in 1900 at Middlesbrough.
In 1901William & Mary Annie were living at Blue Hall, Acklam Rd, Middlesbrough & William was now a shipping butcher purveyor. At home were Thomasina, Arthur E, a joiner & ironmonger, Henry, a grocer’s assistant, Edwin, a pawnbroker, Annie E & Albert E, a pawnbroker’s apprentice. They still had a general servant. Also listed with them was Arthur Peter Graham (29), noted as son-in-law who was a ship’s engineer. This was the husband of Thomasina who had married Arthur Peter Graham in July-September 1900.
Son Edwin continued to be a pawnbroker & in 1905 he married Margaret Mary C Wilkinson at Middlesbrough.
Son Albert Ernest served as a lance-corporal with H Company, 24th Middlesex Regiment stationed at Aldershot during WW1 & was sadly killed in action. He is commemorated at the Arras Memorial, Calais.
William died on February 2nd, 1902 & was buried on February 5th, 1902 at New Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough. Probate was granted to widow Mary Annie & daughter Mary Frances Lister (wife of William Robinson Lister). William’s effects were £9,101.6s.11d & resworn in 1903 as £9,719.8s.9d. An obituary in the Leeds Mercury of February 8th, 1902 stated William to have been the oldest tradesman in Middlesbrough. His parents, who came from Osmotherley, were some of the first residents of Middlesbrough when there were only half a dozen houses.
Mary Annie died, aged 62, in 1904 & was buried on December 14th at New Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough. Mary Annie had given birth to 16 children!
The children of Mary Ann Stainsby & William Smith Graham were:
sb.6.2.1 John Graham born August 15th 1861 & christened November 6th, 1861 at Middlesbrough Circuit Wesleyan Methodist
sb.6.2.2 Charles Alfred Graham born March 25th & christened May 5th, 1863 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.3 Mary Frances Graham born April-June 1864 at Middlesbrough; died July 5th, 1923 at Saltburn-by-the-Sea
sb.6.2.4 Thomas Stainsby Graham born April 27th, 1866 & christened May 16th, 1866 at Middlesbrough Circuit Wesleyan Methodist; died Jan-March 1907 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.5 William Graham born Jan-February 1868 at Middlesbrough; buried February 6th, 1868 at Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.6 William Smith Graham born December 16th, 1868 & christened January 7th, 1869 at Middlesbrough Circuit Wesleyan Methodist
sb.6.2.7 Thomasina Graham christened October 18th, 1870 at Middlesbrough, died January 17th, 1951 at 2 Eastbourne Rd, Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.8 Arthur Edward Graham born Oct-December 1872 at Middlesbrough; died June 4th, 1904 at Linthorpe, Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.9 Henry Graham born April-June 1874 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.10 Edwin Graham born Jan-March 1876 at Middlesbrough; died Oct-December 1952 at Richmond, N. Yorks
sb.6.2.11 Joseph Frederick Graham born Jan-March 1878 at Middlesbrough; died Jan-March 1883 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.12 Annie Elizabeth Graham born April-June 1881 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.13 Maude Adelaide Graham born April-June 1882 at Middlesbrough; buried November 23rd, 1882 at New Linthorpe Cemetery
sb.6.2.14 Albert Ernest Graham born Oct-December 1883 at Redcar, N. Yorks; died May 13th 1917 in France
sb.6.2.15 Harold Graham born Jan-March 1885 at Middlesbrough; died Jan-March 1896 at Middlesbrough
sb.6.2.16 Herbert Graham born April-June 1886 at Middlesbrough; buried June 2nd, 1886 at Coatham, Redcar, N. Yorks