Hannah (Raper) Anderson (bef. 1792 - 1837)

Born before 19 Dec 1792 in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of John Wilson Anderson — married 6 Nov 1820 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England

Died 30 Oct 1837 after age 44 in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Early Life: 1792-1820

Hannah Raper was born in Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire, in about 1792. She was christened on the 19 December 1792 in Bradford. ^[1] Her parents are Martin Raper and Mary Feather. ^[2]

Hannah is Martin's and Mary's ninth child out of ten children, her siblings are:

• Joseph (1778, Tong). ^[4]
• Elizabeth (1780, Bradford). ^[5]
• Sarah (1781, Bradford). ^[6]
• John (1782, Bradford). ^[7]
• Martha (1785, Bradford). ^[8]
• Martin (1787, Bradford). ^[9]
• Richard (1789, Bradford). ^[10]
• Pally (1791, Bradford). ^[11]
• William (1794, Bradford). ^[12]

John Wilson Anderson, Self Portrait ^[13]

Married Life: 1820-1837

Hannah married John Wilson Anderson on the 6 November 1820 in Bradford. ^[14] Hannah was about 28 years old when she married John, and he was about 22 years old.

John was a painter, and received some recognition for his work. John was part of the artistic scene in Bradford, and was an acquaintance of Branwell Brontë.

Hannah and John lived in Bradford, they never had children, but they did have a servant.

Rumours existed that the marriage of Hannah and John was unhappy, perhaps because of a lack of children, and that this could have led to Hannah's death.

Hannah's death:1837

Newspaper report on the death of Hannah Raper (Anderson) ^[15]

Hannah died on the 30 October 1837 in Bradford ^[16], her death was investigated and reported on in the newspaper, due to the suspicious circumstances. ^[17]

In the course of the inquest it was found Hannah bought a penny worth of Arsenic on the Thursday before her death.

On Friday she became very ill, but refused medical assistance, and her servant suspected she had taken poison. She fetched John who wanted to call for a doctor, but Hannah again refused, saying she had only taken "a purgative powder".

On Sunday Hannah was still ill, but John set off for a coursing match (involves hounds and hunting), which was to take place on Monday in Craven.

A doctor was eventually called for, and he stated she had took poison, but she again denied this. He prescribed medicine, but this did not save Hannah. On Monday at 7 in the morning Hannah passed away.

On Tuesday a post-mortem showed signs of poison, and the jury determined that Hannah "died by arsenic, while in a state of mental abberration," and that John, and her mother, Mary, deserved some blame for her death.

Many rumours existed as to why Hannah took her own life, but the newspaper stated "perhaps the one nearest the truth is" Hannah and John were unhappily married, and she was about 40 with no children.

References

1. ↑ 'Hannah Raper: 19 Dec 1792, Bradford, Yorkshire, England','England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NBD9-NXC, FHL microfilm 990, 533, retrieved 1 January 2015.
2. ↑ 'Martin Raper and Mary Feather: 15 Dec 1777, Saint Peter, Leeds, Yorkshire, England', 'England Marriages: 1538-1973'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N2MK-4ZW, FHL microfilm 918, 375, retrieved 1 January 2015.
3. ↑ Google, 'Google Maps', <https://www.google.com.au/maps>, 2015, retrieved 1 January 2015.
4. ↑ 'Joseph Raper: 11 Oct 1778, Tong, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR3D-DQZ, FHL microfilm 990, 531, retrieved 1 January 2015
5. ↑ 'Elizabeth Raper: 20 Feb 1780, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR36-YZ9, FHL microfilm 990, 533, retrieved 1 January 2015.
6. ↑ 'Sarah Raper: 22 Apr 1781, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J7W5-5PJ, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
7. ↑ 'John Raper: 25 Aug 1782, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JWKV-BZK, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
8. ↑ 'Martha Raper: 27 Mar 1785, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR36-RJC, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
9. ↑ 'Martin Raper: 18 Feb 1787, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR3F-QN1, FHL microfilm 990, 533, retrieved 1 January 2015.
10. ↑ 'Richard Raper: 19 Apr 1789, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/61903/1:1:J3VB-39F, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
11. ↑ 'Pally Raper: 23 Jan 1791, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NBD9-NY1, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
12. ↑ 'William Raper: 8 Jun 1794, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Births and Christenings: 1538-1975'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR3F-GQW, FHL microfilm 990, 553, retrieved 1 January 2015.
13. ↑ John Wilson Anderson, 'Self Portrait', from Bradford Museums and Galleries. On BBC, 'Your Paintings', http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/self-portrait-23844, retrieved 1 January 2015.
14. ↑ 'John Wilson Anderson and Hannah Raper: 6 Nov 1820, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England Marriages: 1538-1973'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NJ2S-MY5, FHL microfilm 990, 535, retrieved 1 January 2015.
15. ↑ The Leeds Mercury, 'Inquests in Bradford', 'Municipal Elections', The Leeds Mercury, 5418, Saturday 4 November 1837, Leeds, England.
16. ↑ 'Hannah Anderson: Oct-Nov-Dec 1837, Bradford, Yorkshire, England', 'England and Wales, Death Registration Index 1837-2007'. From FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/2N6G-WT1, retrieved 1 January 2015.
17. ↑ The Leeds Mercury, 'Inquests in Bradford', 'Municipal Elections', The Leeds Mercury, 5418, Saturday 4 November 1837, Leeds, England.

Other Sources

• Martin Raper, 'Martin Raper's Family Tree', http://www.users.waitrose.com/~mgtr/gp25.htm#head1, last update 20 April 2014, retrieved 5 November 2014.