Mary Ann Doubell

 Mary Ann Wood's birth date is given as 1826 by Doris Brook Wood. Mary Ann Wood was a spinster of 46 to 49 years old when she married Henry William Dobell 1813- 1895  as his second wife on 24th February 1876. Her husband had lost his first wife ten years before. Her name was Mary Charlotte Seth-Smith & she was very keen on horse-riding. Unfortunately, she had an accident falling from her horse & became an invalid dying 6th August 1866. Mary Ann Dobell outlived her husband by 23 years, as he died on 2nd March 1895 aged 81. Quoting from Doris Brook Wood's letters : I sound rather like Aunt Mary Ann who used to rattle off  names & relationships at a great rate & show all the family photos in her album, folk I had never heard of before & wasn't then interested in. I should have  liked her help when working out the FAMILY TREE but it was then too late , such is life.   At Christmas 1893 Mary Ann Dobell gave her niece  Emily Alice Townsend some books by Thackeray, namely "Henry Esmond Esq." and "The Virginians: a tale of last century" in editions published by Smith, Elder in London.

In a letter sent to Brenda Souter, Doris Brook Wood transcribed the death certificates of Ann Wood , Henry Wood & finally Mary Ann Dobell, recording her date of death, name, sex, age, description as widow of Henry William Dobell, Comptroller of Customs & last illness as pneumonia 5 days. Doris also remarked on Mary Ann's executors being her Dad, that is Alfred Augustus Wood 1845-1920, saying: The portrait was not of "George" but of Great Uncle John, my grandfather Henry Wood's elder brother---he delved into the past & so did Aunt Mary Ann, who also kept in touch with all the living members of the family,& left bits & pieces of jewelery & furniture to most of them as well as sums of money, must have been an awful job for Dad and the solicitor. 10 October 1968