Family History

Anne Preen was born in Leebotwood in the third quarter of 1844. She was the eldest daughter of Richard and Sarah Preen and was baptised in Leebotwood on 21 July 1844. In 1851 she was living with the rest of the family in the grocer's shop in Leebotwood. In 1861, she was probably also there, but her name was given as "Jane" in the census.

She was married in Leebotwood church on 23rd May 1867. She was described as Ann Preen, a spinster of full age and living at Leebotwood, the daughter of Richard Preen, farmer. Her groom was Christopher Hughes, a bachelor of full age, a compositor in a printing office, and living in St. Chads parish in Shrewsbury. His father was John Hughes, the Chief Constable of Shrewsbury.

The 1871 census shows that their son Arthur Hughes was born around 1866 and their daughter Edith around 1870. In 1871 she and Christopher and their two eldest children were staying with their parents in the grocer's shop in Leebotwood. The 1881 census shows that they had three more children Christopher, Gertrude and Mary. The census also shows that by this time Christopher was a printer living in the Market Square at Bishops Castle.

Fred Medlicott, Annes's great-nephew says that Anne and Arthur had another child, Dora, who may have been born after the 1881 census.  They had four other children. This agrees with the family shown in the 1881 census, except that Dora was missing. She may have been born after 1881.