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Ann (5) Woodhurst was born around 1822-23 to parents John (10) Woodhurst and his wife Sarah (nee) Morley. She was christened at Smeeth, Kent on January 26th 1823 [Smeeth Parish Register].
The 1841 Census finds her living at age "20" with her parents at Scott's Hall in Smeeth. At that time Scott's Hall also contained a family having the surname Andrews.
She married Francis Matthews in London in 1846 [IGI: Batch M001454]. The marriage certificate [Marriage Index: St. Martin 1 142, 1846 (March)] states that they married on January 18th 1846 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Parish Church (City of Westminster). He is described as a widower of full age, occupied as a railway servant and residing at Thames Street, and she as a spinster of full age residing at Chapel Place. His father is named as a farmer George Matthews, and hers as a labourer John Woodhurst. The witnesses were Thomas Milton, whose connection is unknown, and Mary Ann Andrews who may have been related to the Andrews family occupying Scott's Hall in 1841.
The 1851 Census finds Ann (5) and Francis living at the Railway Station Yard in Ashford, Kent where Francis was occupied as a railway porter. Also present was Francis' daughter from his first marriage, Mary Ann. His other daughter from that marriage, Isabella Frances, was meanwhile living with her widowed grandmother Mary Ann Matthews at Hunston Common in Sussex.
The 1861 Census finds them with three children living at the Railway Station in Smeeth where Francis was occupied as the Station Master. One of their children, Gertrude Constance, was recorded as being deaf. Also present was Francis' widowed mother Mary Ann.
Francis died in 1864 [Death Index: E. Ashford 2a 359, 1864 (Sept)].
The 1871 Census finds Ann (5) as a widow at age "44" living at 3, Station Cottages in Ashford and occupied as a railway waiting-room attendant. With her were her two teenage children Gertrude Constance and Frank. Gertrude was occupied as a needlewoman and Frank as a coach trimmer for the South-Eastern Railway.
The 1881 Census finds Ann (5) at age "46" [but actually about 58] - living at the same address and still occupied as a railway waiting-room attendant. Here she gave her birthplace as Brabourne, a small village just three miles north-east of Smeeth. Gertrude and Frank, both unmarried, were still with her, and Frank was again working as a railway coach trimmer.
The 1891 Census finds Ann (5) at age "62" living at 3, Porter's Cottages in Ashford, probably the previous abode under a revised address. She was still occupied as a waiting-room attendant. With her was Gertrude, aged "39" and still unmarried, together with a married visitor Emma C. Baker aged "34" and born in Willesborough, Kent, this evidently being Ann (5)'s niece Emma Constance (nee) Tappenden. It is not yet known what had become of Frank.
The 1901 Census finds Ann (5) at age "79" [finally cited accurately] living at 3, New Town Road in Ashford, again probably the previous abode under a revised address. She is described as a retired waiting-room attendant. Gertrude, now aged 49 and occupied as a dressmaker, was there also.
Ann (5) may have died aged "85" in 1906 [Death Index: Elham 2a 678, 1906 (Dec) - indexed as "Mathews"].