| Date | 25 November 2005 |
|---|---|
| Source | Windsor, Slough & Eton Express |
| Reference | PN-0019 |
| Volume | People in the News |
| Collection | Press Clippings |
Transcript
Rare honour for caring Victorian widow
A RARELY-HELD ceremony marked the life of a woman who worked tirelessly in the 19th century to help impoverished women.
In a special tribute, a blue plaque was unveiled at the home of Mariquita Tennant by the mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Eric Wiles.
During the 1840s she opened the doors of her Mill Lane home to hundreds of abused women and girls.
Mr Wiles said: “Blue plaques are erected by the council only in very special circumstances where we believe the people they honour have carried out exceptional work. I am delighted we are marking the selfless and tireless efforts of Mariquita Tennant in this way.
“She was a fierce and fearless worker on behalf of very vulnerable women and, despite her own ill-health, established a caring climate in Windsor that was a foundation for others to build on in future years.”
Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by councillors representing Clewer North ward, and representatives from the Windsor and Eton Society, the Clewer Group and the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection.
Mrs Tennant – who was of Spanish extraction – met and married the Rev Robert Tennant while living in Florence, Italy.
After his death in 1842, she moved to The Limes, a house owned by her sister in Windsor.
After recognising the problems in the town’s poorer areas, Mrs Tennant set about taking in women and girls who had been abused or were “in moral danger”.
The first person she helped was Marianne George from Clewer Fields, who had given birth after being the unwilling victim of an incestuous relationship.
Within just 18 months Mrs Tennant had provided shelter and care to 18 tramps, prostitutes and people living with difficult family circumstances.
As news of her good work spread, Mrs Tennant moved house and temporarily took over two cottages in Clewer Green before moving to Nightingale Place in Hatch Lane.
Her work was recognised by the Prime Minister William Gladstone and the Bishop of Oxford, but excessive work took its toll and she died, aged 49 in 1860.
She is buried in the Church of St Andrew in Clewer, with the plaque on the side wall of The Limes facing the church.
IMAGE: Recognising a true heroine: Paying tribute to Mariquita Tennant were, among others, mayor Cllr Eric Wiles and Anne Pierce, centre front, who is the current owner of The Limes. SO8286101/103
Images
Please see additional material in the Notes section immediately below.
Curator's Notes
It was a cold and damp day when the mayor, Councillor Eric Wiles, with members of WLHG, WESOC & the Clewer Group, along with the residents of The Limes and their neighbours, unveiled the blue plaque for Mariquita Tennant.
Some photos from the Royal Windsor Website are above.