Hannah Harrison

A letter written by HANNAH HARRISON to J E. Harrison, dated August 10th 1890 from Liverpool Road, Newcastle , reads: My very dear boy, It is your birthday tomorrow & I know you will expect a line from your mother. I wish you could spend it at home, but I would rather think that you are enjoying yourself better where you are. I do hope the change will do you much good and that you will come back much rested, be sure & go to a chemist for something for your neck, or you will have it bad. Alice came yesterday, & I am very sorry to tell you she is very poorly, the pain has come again, not as bad as before, but she is very weak & feeble, poor child. I am so grieved she is called to suffer so, but she is very patient. Aunty Alice Gosling came with her, Aunty goes back tomorrow. Annie Ledsham came yesterday but she has gone to Red Lion now. I am so glad you are enjoying yourself so much, hope you will continue to have fine weather. We have had a soaker today, a perfect downpour. I have no news to tell you, we locked up on Thursday. I went to Aunty for tea, Pa to CLOUGH HALL with Uncle & Charlie. Now, my dear boy, I must close with my very dear love in which Aunty Sarah.. Good wishes for your birthday. I hope each succeeding one will be better than the last. I remain your loving and devoted mother. Kind regards to Maltie, also Mr & Mrs Hooks. {Letter given to Ian Stuart Harrison}

In the 1861 census Hannah (26)appears as the eldest daughter, a House maid born in Tean, Staffordshire. Her mother was born in Burslem, one of the Pottery towns. Her husband John Gosling (51) was born in Tean . Hannah has six siblings : John Gosling Junior(16) is working as a Painter & Sarah (14) is a Pupil Teacher but all the younger children are scholars, so this Family believes in education. Later, IN 1949,
Anne Jane Harrison wrote :"It is nice to remember that the four of us never disagreed with one another & were always solid as one man against paternal authority. Our dear mother we never feared, but loved.---Two years after your Aunt Alice died, my dear Mother was taken ill & I had to go home to help nurse her. She died in 1892, one of the sweetest & most self-sacrificing mothers who ever lived. I went back to London & my father had a house-keeper, who later on he married."