Daughter of Sir John Gurney. Her husband, Robert Ware was a significant slave owner in British Guiana. When he died in 1824 he left 148 slaves. After a legal battle she inherited all his wealth including the slaves and under the terms of the 1833 Abolition Act she, like all British slave owners, was compensated by the government for the loss of her 'property'.
The fountain was not provided for in her will so it seems she arranged for its erection shortly before she died.
Information from and .
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, states that as Maria Hawes Gurney, she was born on 27 April 1799 in Serjeants Inn, Fleet Street, London, the eldest of the seven children of Sir John Gurney (1768-1846) and Maria Ann Gurney née Hawes (1767-1849). Her birth was registered in the Baptist's register at the Maze Pond Meeting House, Maze Pond, Southwark. Her siblings were: Harriet Gurney (1800-1876); John Hampden Gurney (1802-1862); Russell Gurney (1804-1878); Louisa Gurney (1805-1833); Sidney Gurney (1805-1864) and Sophia Gurney (1808-1888).
On 21 November 1820 she married Robert Ware (1793-1824) at St Leonard's Church, Streatham High Road, Streatham, Lambeth, Surrey (now Greater London), where in the marriage register she is shown as a spinster of this parish, whilst her husband was described as a bachelor residing in Battersea, Surrey (now Greater London). They were to have two children: Frederick Robert Ware (1821-1831) and Maitland Gurney Ware (1823-1840).
In the 1851 census she is shown as Maria H. Ware, aged 51 years and widow, living in Middle Lane, Hornsey, Middlesex (now Greater London), together with a female upper servant, a lady's maid, a cook, three housemaids, a nursery maid and a coachman.
She was still living in Middle Lane, Hornsey, when the 1861 census was undertaken. She was shown as aged 61 years, a widow and a fund holder. Also recorded were a lady's maid, a house maid, an under housemaid and a cook, together with a coachman, his wife and their son.
Her death, aged 64 years was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1863 in the Edmonton Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). Probate and burial records confirm that she died on 29 July 1863 at Middle Lane, Hornsey and was , Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ. Her will was proved on 24 August 1863 by the oaths of her executors: her brother Russell Gurney who was described as a QC and the Recorder of the City of London who resided at 8 Kensington Palace Gardens, Kensington, Middlesex (now Greater London) and Charles Taylor Ware (1820-1908) of 1 Copthall Court in the City of London. Her effects were listed as under £70,000.
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