08/09/2026
The owner of this locket, Annette Eliza Bear, nee Williams, was born on 24 November 1832 & baptised on 25 December in St Mary's Church, Newington, Surrey, England. She passed away in 1922. Her parents were Leonardo Williams of Prince's Square, Kensington, Middlesex, England, & Ann Bridle. It is interesting, that Kensington was a district of Middlesex then, and is now in the very centre of London!
Anette Eliza married John Pinney Bear on 6th of March 1851 in Melbourne, Australia, in the Province of Victoria. She was 18 years of age. They had nine children. Their first born, baby John Frederick Bear, born on 24th of December 1851, sadly died on 19th of Apr 1852. The surviving eight children were : Annette Ellen Bear (Crawford) born on 27th February 1853(-1899), John Williams Bear (1854-1914), Florence Emily Bear (Roberts) (1855-1890), Constance Blanche Bear (1858-1933), Edith Isabel Bear (1861-1940), Stanley Ernest Bear (1865-1870), Beatrice Ethelind Bear (1868-1949) and Evelin Mary Bear ( Addison), born in 1870. The picture locket is inscribed with "Annette E. Bear. 6th.of March 1863". This date happens to be a 12th anniversary of Annette Eliza and John Pinney's wedding, which took place on 6th of March 1851. The four overpainted photos in the locket show five children. Looking at the dates of their birth, those are the five of their surviving children who were born to date, and their ages corresponding to the approximate ages of the children in the photographs. The only child not shown is baby John Frederick, who passed in 1852. The locket bears black enamel decoration and quite likely, this is in memory of John. From left to right we have photos of John William aged nine, Constance Blanche aged five with Edith Isabel aged two, then Florence Emily aged eight and the eldest daughter, Annette Ellen, aged ten. This locket is such a tribute to a mother of her six children, even the rose cut diamonds on each side of the locket come in six. So beautiful and full of sentiment.
One of the girls in the pictures, Annette Ellen Bear made suffragette history and helped change the world. She was one of the leading figures of the suffrage movement.. cont'd in comments! 🖤