Mary HOUGHAM (1810-1887)

Mary Hougham (1810-1887) was born at Deal in 1810, the daughter of Josiah Hougham and his wife, Jane (née Woodcock).

Mary became a schoolmistress and ran a small boarding school from the home she shared with her mother at 203 Middle Street, Deal.  At the time of the 1851 census, nine-year-old John Sladden was one of three boarders residing there (possibly a distant relative of Julius Sladden).  By 1861, Mary, whose mother had died, had moved to 86 Beach Street, Deal, where she now had eight boarders.  Mary was still at Beach Street in 1881, still working as a schoolmistress at the age of 69 but, by now she had an assistant to help with the 11 boarders.

Members of the Sladden and Coleman family were pupils at the school at various times.  Whenever Julius Sladden was in Deal, he would visit his former teacher.

Mary Hougham died at Deal on 11th June 1887.  George Coleman of Deal and Francis Nixon Sladden of Guston were two of the executors.  She left a personal estate of £3055 16s 2d.