Charity (“Chatty”) Baker

1739 to 1817

“Madam Barrow”

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAK00081

 

 

 

  

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Headlines of Chatty Baker’s life are in brown.

Dates are in red.

Hyperlinks to other pages are in dark blue.

References and citations are in turquoise.

Context and local history are in purple.

 

1739

 

Charity Baker was the daughter of Richard and Mary (nee Smith) Baker (FAR00060). She was baptised at Bridgnorth on 23 September 1739.

 

1752

 

William Baker recorded in his account books on 5 June 1752: “Died at Raby Castle Aunt Charity Dod aged 69, she left Chatty (his daughter) £9 and some jewels.”

 

1761

 

Charity married, Lawrence Barrow, banker, of Chetwynd, Newport, Shropshire, Pool House, Astley, Worcestershire and Chambers Court, Longdon, Worcestershire on 9 November 1761 at Audlem. Charity was Lawrence’s second wife.

 

They had no family.

 

1771

 

Charity Baker (BAK00081), her husband having died young, returned to Highfields and managed the estate for her father and later for her brother while he was away. Charity’s younger brother, Richard Dod Baker (BAK00083) (1743 to 1803) inherited Highfields but practised as an architect at Stratford upon Avon where his children were born.

 

She had as reputation as a forceful lady, and later became known in Audlem as “Madam Barrow”.

 

Charity, having married Lawrence Barrow, a banker who died young, returned to Highfields. She managed the estate for her father and later brother, freeing them for their architectural work. She was, in her later years, and she lived to be seventy eight, an extremely forceful lady, always known in Audlem as “Madam Barrow”. (Highfields, Audlem, 16th century home of the Dod and Baker families, John Bellyse Baker, 1982.)

 

Charity succeeded her father in the Woodhouse estate at Audlem in 1771.

 

Charity’s father, William worked with Sir John Astley Bt on Patshull. He was on good terms with Sir John who promised him a legacy in his will. William sometimes supplied the Baronet with chocolate and his daughter Chatty (Charity) lived at Patshull for a time.

 

1817

 

Charity was buried at Longdon, Worcestershire on 25 April 1817. Her will was proved in the PCC on 10 July 1817.