Shaw, Mrs Sophia, Withycombe Vicarage, Exmouth
Sophia Elise Shaw née Marshall (1859-1931) was born in Northumberland; her birth was registered in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her father was Francis Carr Marshall, a civil engineer (and magistrate) based in Tynemouth, where Sophia spent her childhood. In 1881 at the age of 21, she was teaching mathematics and natural philosophy at a Girls’ High School in Sheffield[1] and she gained a B.Sc in 1882 at London University.[2]
On 17 September 1891 at Holy Saviour Church Tynemouth she married Marmaduke Spicer Shaw who had also attended London University where he gained an LLB in 1883.[3] He had been the minister at the Tynemouth Congregational Church for the previous two years. Soon after the wedding the couple moved to Devon. On 29 November 1891 Sophia’s husband was ordained as a deacon at Exeter Cathedral, followed by his ordination as a priest in 1892.[4] The couple spent the early years of their marriage in rural Devon; Marmaduke Shaw was vicar at Sampford Peverell and then at Sydenham Damerel. It was in spring 1907 that the couple moved into Withycombe Vicarage, Exmouth when he was appointed vicar of Withycombe Raleigh and All Saints churches.[5]
Sophia and her husband both took an active interest in town, as well as church, affairs. In 1908 he was nominated to serve on Exmouth Urban District Council (he later withdrew) and was described as ‘a popular man who has served on the board of Guardians and doubtless has a grasp of public affairs and difficulties which should stand him in good stead as an urban councillor’. Sophia was a member of the Exmouth branch of the British Women’s Temperance Association and sometimes took the chair at meetings.[6]
Together they supported the suffrage movement in Exmouth: in May 1912 they were both on the platform supporting suffragists at a public debate on the issue in King’s Hall Exmouth and Sophia addressed the meeting.[7] Again at 1914 at a meeting held at the public hall on the topic of women’s suffrage where Mrs [Helena Maria] Swanwick made a speech and put forward a resolution ‘that this meeting is of the opinion that the political enfranchisement of women is a reform both just and expedient’; it was unanimously carried. Rev Shaw and his wife gave their support on the platform.[8]
During WW1 they both worked through the church to support the community in Exmouth, though the war brought them devastating news: both of their sons were killed in action.[9] Marmaduke Shaw died on 19 September 1921; his grave is at St John in the Wilderness church, Exmouth.[10] Sophia Elise died on 17 January 1931 at Moorcote, Moretonhampstead.[11]
Entry created by April Marjoram, June 2018
[1] Information from the 1881 census.
[2] University of London Student Records 1836-1945.
[3] Ibid.
[4] DEG, 30 Nov 1891; WT, 20 Dec 1892.
[5] Western Times 24 Apr 1907.
[6] ExJ, 25 February 1911.
[7] WT, 24 May 1912.
[8] DEG, 23 Apr1914.
[9] WMN, 11 Jul 1916; WT, 21 Sep 1917.
[10] WT, 24 Sep 1921.
[11] Probate Register.