Annie Hannon nee Mattimoe (1872-1928)

 Annie Mattimoe was born in 1872 in Gordon Gill near Ramshaw, Co. Durham.

Annie was the only daughter in the family with six brothers.  Her mother suffered from tuberculosis dying when Annie was 16 years old but before she reached her teens Annie had to work hard in the house helping her ailing mother look after the house, wash clothes and prepare meals for her father and three elder brothers who lived at home and worked in the local mine plus her younger brother who was still attending school.

Annies lot was made all the harder when in 1883 her brother Jack's wife died soon after childbirth and the child, Thomas, was passed to Annie and her mother to raise.  Thus Annie became a surrogate mother at the age of eleven.  It is likely that Annie left school at this time assuming the duties of the household had not already brought about this event.

Annie married Thomas Hannon in 1901.  Thomas had travelled from Knocknaskeagh near Ballymote, Co. Sligo with his brother Frank.  It is likely that Thomas and his brother knew Mattimoes in Ireland and had obtained Annies parents address before leaving Ireland.

Annie and Thomas raised a large and happy family though, as was common at the time, not all lived to maturity.   Their children were Annie (1900-1901), John (1901-1980), Mary Jane (1902-1922), Sarah Jane 'Sally' (1903-1974), Elizabeth Ellen (1905-1921), Joseph 'Joe', Thomas 'Tom' ((1908-1965), Matthew 'Mattie' (1909-1915), Francis 'Frank' (1911-1987), Nora, and Catherine 'Kitty'.

Annie and Thomas moved from Gordon Gill to nearby Gordon Lane in Ramshaw about 1912.

Annie died in 1928 and her husband, Thomas, died a few months later.

For more pictures of the family click Family Album

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