Jane Coy, wife of John Coy taken possibly about 1910.
She was born Jane Elizabeth Ward, the youngest of ten children of Edward and Elizabeth (nee Needle) Ward, in 1852. Her father was an agricultural labourer and by the time she was born they had settled in the house at the bottom of Doctors Lane. After leaving school she started work as a dressmaker. She and John Kingston Coy (see KL220) married in 1877 and lived most (all?) of their married lives on the High Street opposite Tyrrell's shop.
John was a Carpenter and Wheelwright, carrying on an old established Coy business in the sheds and barns behind the house. Although Jane was baptised at St Nicholas Church, John Coy was a Moravian and all of the seven children they had were baptised and brought up as Moravians. The Moravians were not as strict as the Methodists, so that whilst they would not go to the pub, they would have drink in the house, bought from one of the beer shops down the street. It was probably for this reason that Jane's eldest daughter, Hessie (Mrs Prestidge) remembered going to her parents' house to see the Mummers at Christmas time. Jane died in Eydon in 1933, at the age of 81.
Photographer: Unknown professional
Image lent by : Mr John Coy
Connected Photos: KL220 | AP024 | AP026