Complex sentence: Elizabeth Philpot befriended Mary Anning when Anning was still a child; despite the almost 20 year age difference and the fact that the working class Anning was from a much poorer background, the two became close and were frequently seen collecting fossils together.
Split into simpler sentences: Elizabeth Philpot befriended Mary Anning when Anning was still a child. Despite the almost 20 year age difference and the fact that the working class Anning was from a much poorer background the two became close and were frequently seen collecting fossils together.