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The image above is from the death certificate of Jane Williams, who died in Chester on the
evening of July 29th 1868. The Welsh folk song Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod ("The Rejected Maiden"), published in March 1869, was based on her story.
Below, the column on the left gives a synopsis of her life, and its tragic end, gleaned from accounts in
The Chester Courier, The Chester Chronicle, and The Chester News and Guardian in early August 1868.
The column on the right gives the words to the song, first in English, and then in the original Welsh.
Jane Williams's story |
Jane was born in Cynwyd, North Wales, and as a young woman moved to Chester, where she worked in service. She worked for a Mr Weaver for about two years, before becoming a cook to a Mrs Chivas in 1867. She was described being of irreproachable character, and had "gained the attachment and friendship of her fellow servants", most notably one Charlotte Boddy. She was, by all accounts, a pious girl, with an engaging manner, and a merry laugh. In the spring of 1868, she met and began a relationship with Charles Asprey, who worked as a parcels porter at Chester railway station, and for four or five months they spent time together. Jane fell deeply in love. Charles, sadly, did not. Around the end of June/early July, they arranged to meet one Sunday night, but Charles didn't turn up. Next day, as he was passing her house on his way to work, she asked him what he had meant by not showing up - "I suppose you are going to serve me a dirty trick?" she asked. "No dirty trick at all", he replied. They arranged to meet the following night, but again Charles failed to show. At the end of that week, Charlotte Boddy saw Charles at the station. He told her he wasn't going to marry Jane, and in fact didn't even really like her. Three days later, Charlotte told Jane what Charles had said, and advised her to end the relationship. That night, Jane was very down, and the next day wrote to Charles, saying that she no longer wanted to see him, adding bitterly that she could "easily get a better man than a 15 shillings-a-week porter", and telling him not to reply to the letter. He didn't. The events preyed on Jane's mind, and for the next few weeks, she was not her normal self. She was often in tears, her work suffered, but at other times she would burst into laughter for no reason. On one occasion, Charlotte found her crying in an outside toilet, with an open Welsh Bible across her lap. On another, she was found in tears on the cellar steps. Although she never threatened suicide, she spoke of how her effects should be divided if she should die. Then, on Tuesday July 28th, she saw Charles again, although it appears to have been a friendly meeting - they shook hands, talked for over half an hour, and he kissed her goodbye. The next night, Jane left the house at 7.50 p.m., saying that she was going to visit William Davis's daughter, who was unwell. As she left, she laughed and threw three kisses at Charlotte Boddy. It was to be the last time that Charlotte was to see her friend alive. Between ten and eleven p.m., when Jane had not returned, Charlotte and another servant went looking for her. They tried William Davis's house, Charles Asprey's, and Mr Weaver's, her former employer - all to no avail. Late that night, William Jones was walking by the side of the River Dee, when he and his companions came upon a pile of women's clothing by the river's edge; a crinoline, jacket, bonnet, and a pair of gloves. The Police were alerted. At 5 a.m. the next morning Joseph Frith, a Waterman, started to drag the river, and an hour later found Jane's body. She was dressed (apart from the articles found on the riverbank), and her body showed no sign of violence. She was not pregnant. At the Coroner's Inquest, Charles Asprey said he had never promised to marry Jane - "She never mentioned marriage to me, nor I to her". Charlotte Boddy claimed that Charles Asprey had walked past the house just a few minutes before Jane left for the last time. It was a claim Charles strenuously denied. But IF it were true, it leaves questions unanswered. Had Jane seen him, and gone after him? Or perhaps they had arranged to meet? If either of these, what happened next? Perhaps this is why the Jury stopped short of returning a verdict of suicide, instead saying she had been "Found drowned, having no marks of violence on her body" The Chester newspapers, however, were in no doubt. Jane Williams had taken her own life, heart-broken at her unrequited love for Charles Astbury, who had behaved very badly towards her - "It is to be deplored that the deceased, who was by no means destitute of personal attractions, and rather engaging in her manner, had not sufficient strength of mind to prevent her giving way inconsolably under this disappointment"
The Rejected Maiden |
1. By Dee's deep river bank so fair,
2. Cold scornful fingers point at me
3. Thou little fish that nimbly play'st
4. My thoughts are ever running on
5. Next morning her cold corpse was found
Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod
1. Ar lan hen afon Ddyfrdwy ddofn
2. Mae bys gwaradwydd ar fy ol,
3. Ti frithyll bach, sy'n chwareu'n llon
4. Ond 'hedeg mae fy meddwl prudd,
5. Y boreu trannoeth cafwyd hi
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