The reporter who visited her said a local electrician had put a flashing sign on her house in Union Street which said "100 not out". In the doorway he met "Billie" one of her 17 children, who himself was a great comedian and while serving with the East Yorkshire Regiment, in India, he played with Leo Dryden, late composer and Bill Goodwin well known in London Theatrical circles. Her first visitor was the Rev. Noone, priest of the Pocklington Roman Catholic Church. Where, until a year ago, Mrs Harrison walked every morning, in all weather to the early morning service. Last year on "doctors orders" she took to bed, and has devoted most of her time to sewing gaily coloured patchwork quilts. Without glasses she threads her needle and works pieces together in expert fashion. the quilts, when completed, cover the beds of her lodgers, from whom she has received the title "Mother of thousands".
Irish, and proud of it, Mrs Harrison was born in York, but for over 40 years has kept the lodging house in Pocklington. her silky white hair she inherits from her mother, who lived to be 96. Photographs of her with her 58 grandchildren and 61 great grandchildren hang on the walls in her room. At the age of 87 she was still working on the land, and had never known a days illness. Her recipe for long life is "plenty of hard work and good, wholesome food". On Wednesday, she was "middling to fair". She related stories of washing for the family before leaving to work on the farm, then baking on her return in the evening. All who visited her were impressed with her wit, her twinkling eyes, and vigorous speech.
Click here to view Mary Harrison's Lodging House in Union Street
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Other references to the Town Crier:
1793, QSF/339/B/4 “Indictment of Hannah
wife of John Skelton, labourer; Ann wife of Joseph Bradley, carpenter;
and Thomas Young junior labourer and assistant town crier, all poor
inhabitants of Pocklington :- conspiring that T.Y. should publicly
proclaim that unless the poor of Pocklington were allowed some "fire
elding" they would break up the hedges in Pocklington.” |
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