Second child and daughter of Thomas Simpson EVANS 1777 – 1818 and Deborah MASCALL 1776 – 1833

Born 1799

Died 25th October 1876, Somerset, United Kingdom

Aspasia was named after “Aspasia …… an influential woman called in Ancient Greece, who according to Plutarch attracted the most prominent writers and thinkers of the time, including Socrates, to her salon, which became an intellectual centre in Athens.” Wikipedia

Musical

“Arthur played the violoncello, his cousin Thomas (rector of St Mary de Lode) the double bass, his niece Aspasia, who was being brought up by old Dr. Arthur Evans and made her home at Gloucester, became an expert pianist; and with the aid of friends and kinsmen they made as much music as they would.”

Joan is writing about times in the early 1800s. Aspasia would have been extremely young but obviously talented.

After the death of Emma 1782 - 1838 and Jane 1783 – 1837 who cared for their old uncle in Gloucester (Arthur Benoni EVANS 1759 – 1841), “Aspasia went to look after her great uncle at Gloucester…… In 1841 death came at last to the old uncle; Arthur and Aspasia were with him, and he was buried near his door in the Cloisters beside Jane and Emma.”

The Gloucester Uncle had given his great niece Aspasia an expensive education, and now she was being considered as governess to Princess Augusta of Cambridge at £200 a year.

The census of 1871 describes her as an Annuitant. An annuitant is an individual who is entitled to collect the regular payments of a pension or an annuity investment. The annuitant may be the contract holder or another person, such as a surviving spouse. Annuities are generally seen as retirement income supplements. She was living in a lodging house with her own apartment in Burnham, Somerset.