by Jill Burton.
Deborah was born in 1858 at Little Sontley on the Erddig estate.
Her father Edward Trevor b1830 was a General Labourer at Erddig.
Her mother Hannah nee Cartwright was born in 1837, the daughter of Richard and Mary Cartwright who both worked at Erddig.
Before marriage Hannah had also worked at Erddig (possibly like her mother and daughter as a laundry maid?) until her marriage in October 1856.
By 1871 Edward and Hannah with children were living at Bryn Goleu Cottage on the Erddig drive, which in 1861 had been the home of Hannah’s mother.
Edward & Hannah’s children were
Deborah (b 1858)
John (b 1860 – 1931) 1871 was Erddig Cowman’s boy,
James (b 1862 – 1891) 1871 was Erddig labourers boy,
Eliza(beth) (b 1867)
Sarah (b 1869)
Charlotte (b 1871)
David (b 1874)
Mary (b 1877 – 1885)
so Deborah was the eldest of at least 8.
Deborah was working at Erddig from about 1875, possibly earlier, replacing her cousin Mary McGeary as laundry maid when she left to marry Erddig gamekeeper Alfred Thomas.
Deborah was living in Erddig house on the 1881 and 1891 censuses.
In 1884 and 1889 she was paid £18 a year, accommodation and meals provided free.
In 1887 she was photographed with her sister and the other servants in the garden.
In 1895 she was paid £5 a quarter, £20 a year.
On the 1891 census she was described as Laundress.
In Philip Yorke II’s poem written in 1912 about the 1887 photo it says
“Two sisters of the name of Trevor
United here in one endeavour
Each working for the general good
In Laundry and preparing food
Born and brought up within our grounds
The parents here, their work had found”
The second sister mentioned in the poem is likely to be Eliza (Elizabeth) Trevor working in the kitchen.
Deborah left to get married in 1896. She married a widower Henry Crowder in the April to June period of 1896 in Wrexham. She was 38.
Henry was a tailor with 1 child from his previous marriage.
He and Deborah had 2 children, David Charles b 1897 and Phyllis b 1901.
In 1901 they were living at 13 Princess Street, Wrexham.
In 1911 they were living at 28 Hampden Road, Wrexham.
Deborah died in Croesnewydd Hospital age 78, and was buried on 30th July 1935 in Wrexham Cemetery, Grave No. 01470.
Servants Details
Christian Name(s): Deborah
Surname: Crowder
Maiden Name: Trevor
Date of Birth: 1858 at Little Sontley
Job(s) at Erddig: Laundry Maid.
Start Date: about 1875
Finish Date: 1896
Researched by Jill Burton. January 2019. Gravestone photographs by Graham Lloyd.
