033. Litany Desk - Ann & William Ladkin

Location:  South Transept

 

1. Oak Litany desk, inscription in Roman caps. This was given in memory of Mrs Ann Ladkin caretaker of the church for many years. It was the gift of the Women’s Bible Class of which she was a founder member.
2. Oak
3. 20th century
4. W. 68cm H. 24cms. D. 1cm
5. – see 9
6. –
7. Ann Ladkin was born Ann Raven in 1841 to Thomas and Maria Raven living at Common Nook, Barrow upon Soar. She lived there with her parents and eight siblings until her marriage at the age of twenty to  William Ladkin, aged 21, on the 10^th November 1861. Both were recorded as Frame Work Knitters, as were both of their fathers.  William Ladkin , born in Barrow, in 1841 was the son of Richard born in Broughton Astley and Hannah born in Gt. Peatling. The family lived in North St and then Industry St
   
   Ann and William spent most of their married life in Barrow in Church St and then Industry St. However between 1875 and 1882 they were living in Earl Shilton Leics. They returned to Barrow with their 8 children to Industry St., William continued to work as a Framework Knitter. He became Parish Clerk shortly afterwards. In the 1911 census , still in Industry St., they were recorded as William Ladkin 70, a Framework Knitter working at home making Military Pants and his wife Ann 69. Living with them were their daughter Alice, a 29 year old teacher employed by the County Council, and 2 granddaughters Ruth and Alice Rebecca Thompson, born in Surrey.
   
   By that time William and Ann had been married for 49 years and had 12 children, although only 7 were alive. In Church Lane the  gravestone 9m from the Church St end is a memorial in loving memory of 4 of their children: Thomas, age 2, Elizabeth, age 16, Minnie, age  6 and William, age 19.  
   
   William married again 18months after his wife Ann died. The record of this marriage shows that William Ladkin, a widower, aged 79, married Sarah Ruth Witherbed, a widow aged 67, on 3oth June 1919. William wrote a will dated 7th July 1920. To his dear wife Sarah Ruth Ladkin he left £150, to be paid to her within 3 months of his death. He instructed his sons Samuel and John to sell his real estate etc and then divide the money into 9 equal parts.  His children Samuel, Richard, John, Mary, Jane, Alice, Percy, and Ann Jevons were to have a share each. One share was to be divided between the children of his deceased daughter Hannah Maria Thompson. The final share was to go to Alfred Ladkin, the natural son of his daughter Ann Jevons.
   
   Since William’s estate was valued at Probate as £1802 12s 9d each share was approx£183 (once his widow’s legacy had been paid)
   
   William Ladkin and his first wife Ann are buried together in the churchyard of Holy Trinity. His widow Sarah Ruth died in October 1936, aged 87 and is buried in Barrow Cemetery on the 24th
8. -
9. IN MEMORY OF ANN LADKIN DIED January 20^th 1918/R.I.P./
   Also of/ WILLIAM LADKIN DIED January 9^th 1924.Aged 83. /
   37 YEARS CLERK OF THIS PARISH
10. William Ladkin’s Will.
    
    Ladkin, William of Barrow on Soar ,Leicestershire, died 9 Jan 1924 at the General Hospital, Loughborough, Leicestershire. Probate 5 Feb 1924 to Samuel Ladkin, master carpenter and John Ladkin, carpenter.
    Effects £1802  12s 9d
    Samuel was aged 62, he was born in 1862 and baptised 7/6/1868 along with his sisters Ann and Elizabeth. John was  also his son, aged 50 and  baptised 7/6/ 1874.

    Given their occupations it is probable that they made the litany desk as a memorial to their parents and presented it to Holy Trinity Church some time after 1924
    Research: Ancestry.co.uk
    Lynne Brookes: Holy Trinity Church. A Brief History and Guide
    Photographs : Barrow upon Soar in Photographs Kevon Thompson