Annear, Asenath (nee Vivian, nee Curtis) (1833-1903)

Transcription of Obituary In the Christian Messenger

The little church at Penryn, on the Falmouth and Truro Mission, has lost one of its oldest and most loyal members in the person of Mrs. ASENATH ANNEAR. For some fifty years she and her husband have stood by the church in storm and calm, in prosperity and adversity. During those years the ark has rested for a time at three different places in the town, and has had a very chequered career, but amidst it all the deceased stood by it, attending its services, begging for its funds and entertaining its ministers, and, truth to tell, making herself enemies at times by her outspokenness. For some years before her death she was a great, but silent, sufferer. Still, whenever at all able, she was both seen and heard in the sanctuary. For about eighteen months, while the Superintendent of the Sunday school was laid aside by sickness, she took charge of the school, many times being the only adult present. She was a teacher in the school for some forty years, and begged many pounds for its funds. The end came suddenly and unexpectedly. She was in her accustomed place at the harvest festival services – for which she had been working and begging – three times on the Sunday, and the following Friday was called home. As if dominated by a kind of presentiment only about a week or so before her death, in the prayer meeting she prayed that God would raise some one up to take her place and carry on the work. Naturally she felt leaving her husband, and indeed her church, but among her last words were “ The Lord’s will be done.” After a most impressive service in the chapel, conducted by Rev. W. Holland, the body was laid to rest in the Budock Churchyard amid many expressions of sorrow.

W. H.

Family and other information

Asenath was born abt 1833 at Bethnal Green, Middlesex, to parents Edward and Elizabeth. The family moved to Cornwall before the 1841 census. In Cornwall Edward worked as a waterman.

Asenath married Richard James Vivian (abt 1830-1860) on 24 November 1853 at St Gluvais, Cornwall. Richard was a farm labourer.

Asenath married Charles Annear (1827-1910) in the summer of 1864 in the Falmouth Registration District. Charles was a manual labourer and later a gardener.

Asenath had her death registered in late 1903. The 1901 census identified her abode as 25 St Thomas Street, Penryn, Cornwall.

References

Christian Messenger 1905/95

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers