HESTER THE SLAVE

Little Parndon Harlow. This is a short story about the Woodley family and their slave Hester.

In 1738 Mr Edward Parson married Ms Mary Woodley the daughter of a Wealthy West Indies sugar planter.

In 1741 Edward parson a sugar planter from Montserrat left the west Indies with his wife and young daughter
and sailed to england to make a Grand estate in Little Parndon Harlow.
with him came his mother in law Bridget Woodley and several Negro slaves including James lewis and Hester.

Hester was a faithful servant who served as a Housekeeper.

Hester was 35 when she left west Indies and was a mother of several children.
It's likely that at least one of her daughters was included in the party.

In 1761 the following entry appears in little Parndon parish records.
"A Negro woman of the age of twenty five years and upwards was baptised by the name of
Jane Woodley the 6th day of august".

Hester died 13th may 1767 She was buried in St Mary's Church Little Parndon

Hester was buried in a Marked grave which was very unusual.
Hester's memorial was moved inside St Mary's in the 1980's
due to the wear and tear of the elements over the years.

The Headstone says:

Here lieth the body of Hester Woodley who died the 13th of may 1767 aged 62,
This Stone was erected by John Woodley Esq of cork street London
As a grateful remembrance of her faithfully discharging her duty with the
utmost attention and integrity in the service of his late mother Mrs Bridget Woodley
to whom she belonged during her life and after her death to her daughter
Mrs Mary Woodley by virtue of a reciprocal agreement between the said
Mrs Bridget Woodley and her son john Woodley whose property she would otherwise
have been at her decease.

These are the facts.


Hester's memory still lives on in Harlow The former rectory had become a Retirement home
and now is a TA 'Temporary accommodation' and is named HESTER HOUSE

Mary Woodley also lends her name to A four storey block of flats
near The Stow shopping centre.

Thankyou to;
The Author Mrs Hazel Lake who wrote
'A History of Mark Hall Manor' & 'The Arkwrights and Harlow'.

Page 41
http://www.burntmill.essex.sch.uk/student_voice/HARLOW_S2.pdf

Also The Harlow Museum and St Mary's Church

Thankyou

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• HESTER
• slave
• west
• indies
• negro
• st
• marys
• church
• woodley
• little
• parndon
• harlow
• essex

[69bluesun]

Thank you, this is my paternal Great Great... grandmother. It would be wonderful if we could make contact as I'd like to see what else you make have uncovered. x

[blhollingsworth]

Beautiful video, the church is amazing, the tree even more so.

[greyhoundowner]

Quite brilliant Tam, held my attention until the end.

[hatsan38]

i dont know why i mist this vid ??!! that a great piece of history !! i love them !! thanks for sharing mate !!

[ARCEYE78]

great vid Tam!!, nice peice of history there :)

[Ghostmaker1970]

6 Minutes of pure enjoyment thanks for uploading and sharing Tam

ATB Ghost Maker

[dick2478]

very well done tam,i liked it alot..well put together and interesting.