Women in BSC Information
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(Thanks go to Lesley Newnham for researching this article).
Buried in this grave are Sir John Barran, Bart, JP, LLD, Ann his wife and Major their son, also Dame Eliza Barran his second wife.
Ann was born in Leeds on 15 June 1821. Her father Major Hirst (this is forename, not rank) and two of his sons were woollen drapers and two other sons became men's outfitters. Her father was born in Mossely, Lancashire on 19 May 1796 and became Overseer for the Township of Leeds for the poor (sic) (1841 Leeds Times April).
Major Hirst was mentioned in the Leeds Intelligencer 1844 when he subscribed to a Testimonial for Rowland Hill originator of the Penny Post. He was a regular supporter of the Leeds Tradesman’s Benevolent Fund. He died in 1866.
Ann married John Barran on 20 December 1842 at the South Parade Baptist Church, Leeds. Rev John Eustace Giles presiding, John was described as a general salesman at this time.
John Barran was one of the most influential figures in Leeds for over 50 years. Ann was obviously involved in the social and philanthropic parts of her husband's life but must have been pregnant or with very small children to look after for much of the earlier part of her married life having ten children between 1843 to 1859. They lived at Chapel Allerton Hall (see sketch below).
Although there are multiple mentions of John Barran in newspapers nationwide there are only a few mentions of his wife, although her name appeared on a list for Fundraising for the Aid to the Sick and Wounded Society in Leeds Mercury, September 1870. She presented prizes to the Leeds Volunteer Rifles, which was in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on 17 January 1872.
Ann and her daughter were mentioned in the Essex Standard dated 27 September 1872:-
“There was nationwide interest in the visit of Prince Arthur to Leeds to open the new Municipal Park Roundhay Park which was very much at the instigation of John Barran. Note the Prince starts off the ball with the Barran’s oldest daughter. This does illustrate that Victorian trend of upward mobility for the middle classes. Royalty dancing with the daughter of a man who started as a pawnbroker and whose wife was the daughter of a wool merchant would have been unthinkable in times past.”
Ann died of bronchial infection on 15 January 1874, age 53, at Chapel Allerton Hall.
Her obituary in Otley News and West Riding Advertiser:
“Her loss will be very much felt, not only by a large circle of friends but by the deserving poor, to whom she was a benefactress. During Ald. Barran's mayoralty Mrs Barran took a considerable share in her husband's official duties. A week previous to her death Mrs Barran complained of indisposition and the following morning symptoms of what appeared to be an ordinary cold developed themselves. Medical advice however was called in and it was hoped from the treatments adopted that she would be in a fair way of recovery as recent as Wednesday. But on Thursday morning there were symptoms of severe bronchial affection. These became manifestly worse and Mrs Barran rapidly sank, death occurring between 10 and 11 o'clock the same evening.”