Mary Ann Cross
(1870-1953)

Mary Ann Cross was the oldest of the two children of George Cross and his wife Sabina Steadman Taylor of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

She was born on Bugs Hill (a local nickname for Cambridge Road) in Ely.

After marrying Ely horsekeeper Edward Moden, the couple lived in Barton Road where they had seven children. Mary and Edward named my Great Grandmother after Mary's deceased infant sister - Susan Cross, who in turn was named after their Grandmother, Susan Taylor.

Sadly, two of their children did not survive infancy - Grace and Edward. The latter of these, their oldest son and the bearer of the traditional 'Edward Moden' name, lived for just 4 hours as a premature baby. It wasn't until 2004 that modern descendents learnt of his existence, 110yrs after his brief life ended.

In 1898, Mary's father died. He had been the landlord of 'The Eagle and Lamb' pub on Cambridge Road, Ely. Her mother took over as landlady and on the 1901 census, Edward and Mary Ann Moden can be found living nextdoor with three of their daughters.

Mary Ann worked as a Shopkeeper, running her small store on the corner of Barton Road and Cambridge Road. She ran it for nearly 40 years with the help of her daughters, Mary, Grace, Vine and Susan.

In her Will, dated 1944, she leaves her home and business to her spinster daughter Grace.

The shop closed down in the mid 1980's, no longer being in the ownership of the family and was converted into a house (as it remains today).

Mary was born and died on the same road in Ely, living 83 years.

Life Events

Born

• 20th July 1870 at Buggs Hill, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• 14th August 1870 at St. Mary's Church, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

• Edward Moden (1867-1932) on 2nd August 1890 at St. Mary's Church, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children

• Mary Ann Moden (1890-1970) married Jonathan Adair Tingay (1892-1969)
• Grace Elizabeth Moden (1891-1892)
• Vine Elizabeth Moden (1893-1980) married Frederick Herbert Henry Newell (1900-1961)
• Edward Moden (1894)
• Susan Jane Moden (1896-1981) married Ernest Edward Thomas Dewey (1896-1991)
• Grace Violet Moden (1902-1958)
• George Edward Moden (1905-1998) married Lily Dewey (1903-1983)

Census and Residence

• 1871: 9mths, Smockhill Alley, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1881: 10yrs, St. John's Place, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1891: 20yrs, Low Lane, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1901: 30yrs, The Eagle and Lamb Public House, Cambridge Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1911: 40yrs, Cambridge Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

• 1944: Shopkeeper

Death

• 8th November 1953 at 69 Cambridge Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, aged 83 years.

Burial

• 11th November 1953 in grave CB2.141 with her daughter Grace Violet Moden, at Ely City Cemetery, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.