Margaret Ann Trace - Harpest

Description

These photographs were sent to us by Sue Goddard who said:

These are photos of my Great Great Aunt, Margaret Ann Trace (known as Maggie Ann).

Maggie Ann was born on the 30th September 1886, at 30 High Street, Tredegar, Mon. She and her family spoke both Welsh and English.

On the 1891 census, Margaret Ann was aged 4 and living with her two brothers, John and Thomas and her parents, William and Caroline (nee Minton). There was also a boarder living with them called William S Jones, from Merthyr Tydfil, whose occupation was Harpist.

Maggie Ann went on to learn the triple harp and played in front of King Edward V11. These are photos of her at that concert. Her dress and harp were eventually donated to St Fagans Museum of History when she passed away, where they remain.

She was a teacher at Earl Street Primary School, Tredegar and never married because she loved her work and in those days, you weren’t allowed to carry on teaching if you got married.

Maggie Ann died on the 25th November 1966 aged 80, at 8 Earl Street, the home in which she lived for most of her life.