Shropshire Star

Mysterious Miss Daniels holds tight to her secrets

Telford author and historian Allan Frost has uncovered new clues about the mysterious background of the principal of a posh ladies' college in Wellington.

Published
May Daniels

But the riddle endures about exactly where Miss May Daniels came from, and how she came to be in Wellington and taken under the wing of a local woman.

Miss Daniels was connected almost all her life with Hiatt Ladies College, where she was a pupil and ultimately became principal and owner.

When she died on May 28, 1925, her newspaper obituary described her as an adopted daughter of the late Dr and Mrs Callaway – Dr Charles Callaway was an eminent geologist, and his wife Minnie was the sister of Elizabeth Hiatt, who had founded the college.

However Allan, who is researching a book about Hiatt College, which closed in December 1959, has now discovered that the Callaway wills refer to May as an "adopted niece" of Minnie.

Intrigued by May's background and eager to find out more, he ordered the wills of Dr Callaway, Minnie, and May.

And he's also tracked down May's tumbledown grave in Wellington cemetery.

"It's such a shame the kerb and ornate cross which originally stood on top of the two inscribed stone blocks has been broken, but at least it's all there."

Hannah Maria Callaway, known as Minnie, died on November 4, 1895, leaving £960 – a fortune for that time. She had been married, and widowed, before – her first married surname was Clark, and her maiden name was Keay.

Her will reads: "I give and bequeath unto my adopted niece May Marguerite Daniels now and for many years past residing with me all my piano fortes, except my grand piano, together with all the silver articles belonging to me at my death..." Certain items of furniture were also left to May.

Minnie's husband Charles died on September 29, 1915, and his will says: "I direct that the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds be paid to May Marguerite Daniels (commonly known as my late wife's adopted niece) if unmarried..."

As for May herself, she left a personal estate of a net value of £3,513 – again, a huge sum for the time. Much of the will was concerned with ensuring the continuation of the school, which she had owned, and of those to receive personal legacies, none bore the name Daniels or were blood relatives.

Allan said: "I have a strong, but unsupportable, notion that May Daniels may be connected in some way to Minnie's first husband John Clark, which would point more in the direction of 'adopted niece' than 'adopted daughter,' but am encountering dead ends."