Ann Walker was born 2nd or 28th May 1803, the youngest daughter of John Walker.
With her sister Elizabeth, from 1830, she was co-heiress to the Walker family estates of Crow Nest Mansion and Cliffe Hill Mansion.
She was a neighbour of Anne Lister.
In her journals [12th June 1821], Anne (Lister) records her thoughts of Ann (Walker), identifying her variously as
Ann joined Anne at Shibden Hall in September 1834 and became her life-long partner.
She brought Anne's body back to Britain on her death, and inherited Anne's estate and income, living at Shibden Hall, provided that she did not marry.
Ann suffered mental problems.
In January 1832, Anne Lister consulted Dr Henry Stephen Belcombe about Ann's mental state.
In January 1834, and again in April 1834, Anne committed Ann to Dr Belcombe's care at Heworth Grange for short periods.
In 1843, Ann's sister Elizabeth and Elizabeth's husband, Captain George Mackay Sutherland, declared Ann of unsound mind, and she was forcibly removed from Shibden Hall and taken to Dr Belcombe's private sanatorium at Clifton, near York.
She stayed there for about 2 years before returning to Cliffe Hill under supervision.
In 1851, an Irish lady, Johanna O'Brien, is recorded as a live-in carer at Cliffe Hill.
A legal dispute between the Lister and Walker families lasted almost until Ann's death on 4th March 1854.
She left the Lightcliffe estate to her nephew Evan Charles Sutherland on the condition that he added his mother's maiden name – Walker to his own.
Ann was buried beneath the pulpit of Lightcliffe Old Church.
A memorial to Ann was rescued when the Church was demolished and was stored in the Tower
See Mr Brown and Smith House, Brighouse
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Malcolm Bull 2017 /
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Revised 15:05 on 24th August 2017 / qq_170 / 6
