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Fanny Amelia's Story

Fanny Amelia was the third daughter of Philip and Mary Woolgar née Cardell and was born at 6.30pm on 5th February 1848.[1] The inclusion of time of birth on the certificate should indicate that this was a multiple birth but there are no other registrations for this quarter and district who could be the other sibling.[2] The address is indistinct but appears to be Cockers Haven, Finchley.[3] This almost certainly refers to a small settlement on the southern edge of Finchley Common, near the Red Lion, which was formerly named Cuckold’s Haven.[4] Finchley is now considered to be part of north London but in the mid-nineteenth century, was a newly-developing, small settlement, distinct from the metropolis.

St Michael's, Highgate

St. Michael’s, Highgate

Image Wikimedia Commons

Fanny Amelia was baptised at St. Michael’s, Highgate on the 5th of March 1848. Her father, Philip, was described as a gardener.[5] Fanny had two elder sisters, Caroline, born in 1842 and Mary Ann, known as Polly, born in 1845. Her  younger brother, Philip James, was born in 1855.[6] Although Fanny outlived all her siblings, there were no family recollections of her; there was however a vague suggestion that Philip and Mary had a daughter, Sophie; so there was some awareness that there may have been a third daughter, even if her name was incorrect.[7]

 

At some time between Fanny’s birth and that of her brother Philip, the Woolgars moved to Fig’s Marsh (now Figge’s Marsh), Mitcham, where her father took up work as a cow keeper.[8] They appear to have escaped enumeration in the 1851 census but Fanny was with her parents in 1861[9] and 1871 but no occupation was stated for her.[10] At some point during her childhood Fanny sustained a head injury but nothing more is known about this accident.[11]

 

Fanny cannot be found in the 1881 census.[12] It is established that she is not the Amelia Woolgar who was working as the cook in Alleyn Park,[13] in the household of hop merchant, Stanford Mountain.[14]​​

St Clement's, Hastings

St. Clement’s, Hastings

Image Wikimedia Commons

On 15th of November 1884, at the comparatively late age of thirty six, Fanny Amelia married widower, William Ellington, at St. Clement’s, Hastings, Sussex. The witnesses were Maude and H Bedwell and Thomas Covell. At the time of the marriage, Fanny’s address was still Camberwell and William Ellington was a coachman.[15] Fanny’s father had died earlier the same year,[16] although her mother was still alive; it is not known if this meant that she felt free to marry for that reason. William is inconsistent about his age and place of birth but the consensus seems to be that he was born about 1823 in Peterborough, Northamptonshire,[17] so he was considerably older than Fanny. He and his first wife, Helen, had been in service in Herne Hill for many years[18] and this is presumably how he and Fanny met.

​

William and Fanny Ellington’s son, George Frederick, was born in Hastings a year after they married.[19] There was another short-lived child, Richard Collings Stanley Ellington, who was born in 1891 and died the following year.[20] In 1891, the family were living in two rooms in part of 19 Cornfield Terrace, Hastings and William was working as a bathchair man.[21] Ten years later, the family had gained a room and were living in part of 100 Bohemia Road. William was still running his bathchair business in Hastings and George was working as a compositor.[22] William Ellington died of a heart attack, on the 27th of July 1907, at 146 Bohemia Road. This does seem to have been his home address and not that of a nurse.[23]​

Bohemia Road 1905

Bohemia Road in 1905

In the 1911 census, the widowed Fanny can be found visiting the Pierpoint family in Dulwich.[24] Her son George was a boarder in the household of Harriet Blackmar, at 15 Duke Street, Eastbourne, Sussex and was still working as a compositor.[25] On the 2nd of May 1911, just weeks after the census was taken, Fanny was admitted to the workhouse in Constance Road, East Dulwich[26] because she was “allegedly insane”. She was discharged a week letter, to Horton Asylum and described as being “destitute”.[27] Horton Asylum, in Epsom, Surrey, was to become noted for pyrotherapy, an experimental treatment for the general paralysis of the insane, which end stage syphilis. This remedy involved infecting the sufferers with malaria. It was thought that the resulting high fever would destroy the spirochetes involved in syphilis. Horton was deemed suitable as it had an isolation unit, which would prevent the malaria spreading to other patients. It seems that this was pioneered in 1917, so Fanny would have escaped this treatment.[28]

Horton Asylum

Horton Asylum

There are two entries for Fanny in the MH94 Lunacy Commission Registers. The first relates to her admission to Horton on the 9th of May 1911. It states that she was a pauper and that she was discharged on the 12th of July 1911, being relocated.[29] The Horton asylum records themselves substantiate this. They record her as a sixty one year old widow from Camberwell, with no occupation and state that it was her first attack.[30] The medical register notes that she had been unwell for a month and was suffering from mental stress, senility and cardio vascular degeneration. Her form of insanity was said to be ‘recent melancholia’.[31] The second entry shows that she was admitted to East Sussex’s Hellingly Asylum on the 12th of July 1911 and was discharged “recovered” on the 4th of October in the same year.[32] This would have been the asylum for Hastings and indicates that Hastings was still regarded as Fanny’s home area.

 

Initial enquiries suggested that Fanny would not be found in the records of the East Sussex Asylum.[33] On further investigation, she was located in the Female Patients’ Index Register, which confirmed the dates of admission and discharge in the Lunacy Commission Registers. They also note that Eastbourne Poor Law Union was responsible for her support, perhaps because that is where her son was living.[34] This led to the Patient Case Books, with not only a detailed medical history but also two photographs.[35]

 

The Case Books make sad reading. “Her expression is sad, she sleeps badly, she has taken little interest in her surroundings. She sits about listlessly. She declares she is swearing at Christ and the Almighty from the middle of her chest much against her will and she has no power to prevent herself being wicked. Mrs Emma Pierpoint, a friend, 2 Upland Road, East Dulwich tells me she has threatened suicide fancies she is swearing declares herself to be the most wicked person on earth and that she cannot be saved.”

 

Fanny’s son also provided information to the asylum, saying that His mother’s mind had been affected for about six months and that she had slept badly for many years. Her nature was described as ‘reserved’ and her habits ‘temperate’. She had lost her appetite and threatened suicide on one occasion. The cause of the attack was put down to “heart disease, anxiety, poverty, an operation and the accident to her head when young.” She has also suffered from rheumatic fever, probably in childhood. This is a complication that occasionally develops following a bacterial throat infection. Today, the effective treatment is antibiotics but these would not have been available to Fanny. Rheumatic fever can have long term effects on the brain, heart and joints. The doctor’s notes describe Famy as being five foot four tall, with grey hair, hazel eyes and a natural gait; she weighed seven stone three pounds. Medical details record that she was constipated, her urine, heart and lungs were normal and her sight fair; she was deemed not to be senile. She had “hallucinations of hearing” but spoke and behaved quite rationally “but she knows she has been off her head and imagined she was very wicked. She does not know what put such an idea into her mind but supposed she has been run down and her mind afflicted for some six months. She has not slept well but did better the first night she was here and had natural sleep. She says that she hears voices telling her to swear.” Fanny also claimed to see visions. She was diagnosed with delusional insanity,

 

The notes on Fanny’s progress whilst she was at Hellingly state that she was quiet and well behaved and was able to do some needlework. By October, there was no longer any tendency to swear and Fanny was discharged “recovered”.[36] Additional information that can be gleaned from the Case Books is that Fanny was a Wesleyan ad her address was 3 Upland Road, East Dulwich. Was this an error for 2 Upland Road, or was Fanny the Pierpoint’s neighbour?

 

On the 30th of December 1915, Fanny was readmitted to the Constance Road workhouse from 18 Hindmans Road. In 1911, this was the home of a younger generation of the Pierpoint family.[37] Once again she was regarded as “allegedly insane” and “destitute”.[38] After just six days she was removed to Cane Hill Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Coulsdon, Surrey.[39] By this time, Horton had been requisitioned for military use.[40] Fanny Ellington died in the asylum on the 12th of January 1922 from valvular disease of the heart and congestion of the lungs, both of an indefinite duration, hours after suffering a small cerebral haemorrhage. The death was registered by her son, George, who was then of 2 Grove Road, Chertsey, Surrey.[41] There was no mention of her mental state.​

Cane Hill Asylum

Cane Hill Asylum

George Ellington married Lily Wade in 1932 in Islington district,[42] she was in her fifties so there were no children. In 1939 they were living in a tobacconist’s shop at 67 Guildford Street, Chertsey, which Lily ran; she was also a hairdresser.[43] George was still working as a compositor. They both died in 1960.[44] So Fanny has no living descendants.

 

Cane Hill asylum was closed in 1992 and was demolished after a fire.[45]

[1] The birth certificate of Fanny Amelia Woolgar 1848, from the General Register Office.

[2] General Registrar’s indexes of birth.

[3] The birth certificate of Fanny Amelia Woolgar 1848, from the General Register Office.

[4] A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6, Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey With Highgate. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1980. Via www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol6/pp38-55 accessed 4 September 2019.

[5] The baptism registers of Highgate, Middlesex, via www.ancestry.co.uk .

[6] The Registrar General’s Indexes of Birth; 1861 census for Rosendale Road, Norwood, Surrey RG9 367 folio 56.

[7] Oral evidence from Gwendoline Catherine Braund née Smith and Ella Mary Bird née Woolgar.

[8] The birth certificate of Fanny Amelia Woolgar 1848, from the General Register Office. The birth certificate of Philip James Woolgar 1855, in family possession. 1861 census for Rosendale Road, Norwood, Surrey RG9 367 folio 56.

[9] 1861 census for Rosendale Road, Norwood, Surrey RG9 367 folio 56.

[10] 1871 census for 1 Rosendale Road, Norwood, Surrey RG10 692 folio 59.

[11] East Sussex Asylum, Hellingly Female Patients’ Casebook HE28/7 image 230 folio 192 held at The Keep, Lewes, Sussex.

[12] 1881 census indexes via www.findmypast,co.uk and www.ancestry.co.uk.

[13] Alleyn Park is in Dulwich.

[14] 1881 census for Alleyn Park, Westbrook, Camberwell, Surrey RG11 669 folios 35 & 36. General Registrar’s indexes of birth and marriage. 1871 census for Warrior Road, Lambeth, Surrey RG10 679 folio 110.

[15] The marriage certificate of Fanny Amelia Woolgar and William Ellington 1884, from the local Register Office.

[16] The death certificate of Philip Woolgar 1884, from the General Register Office.

[17] 1871 census for Herne Hill, Lambeth, Surrey RG10 686 folio 43.

[18] 1871 census for Herne Hill, Lambeth, Surrey RG10 686 folio 43.

[19] General Registrar’s indexes of birth; 1891 census for 19 Cornfield Terrace, Hastings, Sussex RG12 764 folio 83.

[20] General Registrar’s indexes of birth and death; 1911 census for 2 Upland Road, Dulwich, Surrey RG14 2469 folio 481. 

[21] 1891 census for 19 Cornfield Terrace, Hastings, Sussex RG12 764 folio 83.

[22] 1901 census for 100 Bohemia Road, Hastings Sussex RG13 869 folio 68.

[23] The death certificate of William Ellington 1907, digital image from the General Registrar.

[24] 1911 census for 2 Upland Road, Dulwich, Surrey RG14 2469 folio 481.

[25] 1911 census for 15 Duke Street, Eastbourne, Sussex RG14 4822 folio 162.

[26] Constance Road Workhouse www.workhouses.org.uk Camberwell/ accessed 4 September 2019.

[27] 1911 Admissions Register for Workhouse, Constance Road, East Dulwich, Surrey via www.ancestry.co.uk. Originals at London Archives CABG/185/31.

[28] Horton Asylum www.countyasylums.co.uk/horton-asylum-epsom accessed 3 September 2019. Julius Wagner-Jauregg (1857-1940): Introducing fever therapy in the treatment of neurosyphilis www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24185088 accessed 4 September 2019.

[29] Admissions Registers of the Lunacy Commission via www.ancestry.co.uk. Originals at The National Archives MH94/46.

[30] Horton Asylum Alphabetical register of female patients H22/HT/B/04/001 held at London Archives. Horton Asylum medical register of female patients H22/HT/B/03/002 held at London Archives.

[31] Horton Asylum medical register of female patients H22/HT/B/03/002 held at London Archives.

[32] Admissions Registers of the Lunacy Commission via  www.ancestry.co.uk. Originals at The National Archives MH94/46.

[33] Email from East Sussex Archives 27 August 2022.

[34] East Sussex Asylum, Hellingly Female Patients’ Index Register HE 25/2.

[35] East Sussex Asylum, Hellingly Female Patients’ Casebook HE28/7 image 230 folio 192 held at The Keep, Lewes, Sussex.

[36] East Sussex Asylum, Hellingly Female Patients’ Casebook HE28/7 image 230 folio 192 held at The Keep, Lewes, Sussex.

[37] 1911 census for 18 Hindmans Road, East Dulwich RG14 2466 folio 401.

[38] 1915-16 Admissions Register for Workhouse, Constance Road, East Dulwich, Surrey via www.ancestry.co.uk. Originals at London Archives CABG/185/40.

[39] 1915-16 Admissions Register for Workhouse, Constance Road, East Dulwich, Surrey via www.ancestry.co.uk. Originals at London Archives CABG/185/40.

[40] Cane Hill Asylum, Coulsdon, Surrey www.countyasylums.co.uk/cane-hill-coulsdon accessed 4 September 2019.

[41] Death certificate of Fanny Amelia Ellington.

[42] General Registrar’s indexes of marriage.

[43] 1939 Register for 67 Guildford Road Chertsey, Surrey RG101/1876C/006/30 Letter Code: DMCC.

[44] General Registrar’s indexes of death.

[45] www.countyasylums.co.uk/cane-hill-coulsdon.

Granny's Tales
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