LING, Bessie Agnes

1857 - 1946

Bessie Agnes Ling was born at Lowestoft, Suffolk on 20 December 1857, daughter of John Watson Ling and his wife Martha Finwall Guild, daughter of Charles Alexander Guild, who married at Carlton Colville Parish Church, Suffolk on 9 January 1849. Bessie exhibited at the Ipswich Fine Art Club from 35 High Street, Lowestoft in 1881, two paintings both entitled ‘Study of Fruit’ (265 and 293). In 1881 her parent were living at 35 High Street, Lowestoft, 55-year-old John, a plumber employing 15 persons, and 56-year-old Martha, when 23-year-old Bessie was living at 23 Western Road, Bedford, the home of her uncle, William J. Hogg, a confectionery commercial traveller, and his family. Bessie married at Gorleston, Suffolk on 10 July 1887, William Palmer and in 1891, was living at 144 King Street, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with her 44-year-old husband, William, born at Rugby, Warwickshire, an ironmonger & gas fitter, with three indoor servants, but her husband died 12 April in that year. Bessie married secondly at Holborn, London on 16 February 1899, John William Cockrill (3 June 1849-2 June 1924), widower of Deborah née Shanks, and in 1901 Bessie was a 42-year-old living at 12 Euston Road, Great Yarmouth with her 51-year-old husband John, born at Gorleston, surveyor to the town council, with her 22 year old daughter Grace Palmer, and two Cockrill step-children, they retained three indoor servants and they were still living there in 1921. Her second husband died at 12 Euston Road, Great Yarmouth in 1924 and in 1939 Bessie, a widow on private means, still living at 12 Euston Road, Great Yarmouth with two servants. Bessie Agnes Cockrill was of the same address when she died at Great Yarmouth General Hospital on 23 April 1946, aged 88.