Nona QUILTER [5053]

  General Notes:

Nona adopted John William Plaxton, his father having died late 1881.
This possibly influenced his decision to take Holy Orders.

Jane Brown writes 2024.
I think that John William was spending a lot, if not all of his time with Nona Quilter at this period (after his fathers death). It would certainly have been an enormous help to his mother if she did not have his bed and board to take into consideration, and it's interesting that by the time of the 1891 census she has let out two rooms to lodgers. But the break with the family was not total - and I think this is enormously to Nona's credit that JWP remains close to his mother and his sister throughout his life.
In 1897 his sister Ada marries one of the lodgers and moves to his new home in Devonport, Plymouth, Devon.
In 1901 JWP leaves his curacy in the Newcastle diocese to take up a new post as curate of St Cuthbert's Church, Wells in Somerset. The two families stay in close contact and the two girl cousins (Ada's daughter Dorothy and JW's daughter Ruth) were lifelong friends.

There is no doubt that Nona's Christian beliefs would have led her to take the steps she did. I suspect for JWP it might at first have been love of music! He must have had some natural ability to take him into the cathedral choir, and there is a strong traditon of choral singing in the family that continues through the generations. There is a story of Nona coming to stay with JWP once in Somerset and going to church one Sunday (around 1930?) accompanied by Ruth and her fiance. At that time her piety required her to fall to her knees every time she heard the word 'Holy,' which was just about manageable until the congregation was required to sing the hymn 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,' which proved to be an exhausting experience for her. Ruth is my grandmother, and she found the story sufficently amusing to pass on.

Nona helping a struggling family in the way she did - taking on a child and funding him through university was a tremendous thing to do, and she changed many lives by her actions. I am humbled by her generosity.
Best wishes,
Jane Brown

Nona was aged 94 at her death

Images Courtesy of J. Brown 2024

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 30 Mar 1851, Canwick Vicarage LIN. Nona is recorded as a daughter aged 9 scholar born Canwick

2. Census: England, 8 Apr 1861, Canwick Vicarage LIN. nona is recorded as a daughter aged 19 single born Canwick

3. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, New Walk Beverly YKS. Nona is recorded as a clergymans daughter unmarried aged 39 born Canwick LIK

4. England: Census, 1891, Hunters Hall Lea HRT.
Nona is recorded as head of house single aged 49 living on own means born Canwick LIN

5. England: Census, 1911, St Andrews Lodge Wells SOM.
Nona is described as a visitor (of John William Plaxton) aged 69 single living on private means born Canwick LIN

Nona may have married spouse unknown.