another occupation decipher request

[Tempest]

Hi can anyone have a stab at what this could mean "Funded" maybe then "pro"..... ending in "chess"

If you can read it any clues as to what it might be. Its on a death cert of a 53-year-old women who never married and as far as I can find never worked, she lived her whole life at home with parents, so its a surprise anything has been written under occupation!

I should add it was from 1886 if that helps

[kdwoodie]

Funded Proprietress, did she leave a will ?

[Tempest]

Kdwoodie many thanks. As far as I can search no, no will. I’m not sure she would have had any money of her own anyway. In every census she has no occupation and is at home with parents.
Could the “funded” imply she was funded by her mother (father died by this time)?

[kdwoodie]

What were her parents occupations ?

[gardener]

It might mean that her father left money in some sort of trust, money that could be used to support her. Perhaps he left a will?

[Tempest]

Her father William Woodall was a "teacher of Mathematics" in the Islington area 1800-1872 . wife no occupation. They had five sons all became "Clerks" taught by him. Some advanced their careers to become wealthy stock brokers and solicitors. It would make a lot of sense if the father did leave the daughter a trust. The son's didn't need it. But annoyingly again can't find a will for the father.

[kdwoodie]

In 1881 her mother was annuitant so maybe she was being funded by her.

[Tempest]

That 1881 census has both mother and daughter. The husband/father died five years earlier. I wonder why daughter wasn't then also an annuitant or the "funded proprietress" hat was annotated on her death cert? Her occupation on that census is left blank like all previous ones. It was her sister-in-law that reported her death maybe it was a thing she always assumed about the family set up. Her words!!