They died too young

From its inception, the School took great care over the health and wellbeing of its pupils. There are numerous examples of extensive medical treatment being undergone with no question of any cost to the patients concerned – and this long before the NHS was even dreamed of. Inevitably, though, there were fatalities and this series attempts to give them a brief glory that their short lives failed to give.

Louisa Margaretta Willis (1838-1850) died aged 11. The family home at the time of her petition was 115 St Martins Lane, Holborn and the application gives her father’s name as James Willis, Public House keeper (business failed); she had one brother and one sister. It seems possible that her mother was Jane and that her siblings were Annette & James. She was accepted at the school on 14 October 1847 and the Chelmsford Chronicle of 22 October 1847 confirms her election along with five other pupils. Louisa probably did not have any connection with Chelmsford and the fact that a provincial newspaper reported the election is an indication of the nationwide interest that was taken in the school in London. As her death record is for the Holborn district, we know she did not die on school premises. She was buried at St Luke’s, Chelsea on March 25 1850 with her address recorded as Bedford Row, Bedford St. Why, then, she was buried in Chelsea we may never know.

St Luke, Chelsea
https://www.flickr.com/photos/costi-londra/sets/72157629127979527/

Carry on Matron

From a Rough Minute Book recording the Freemasons’ School Committee meetings, dated 1788, we find information about the election of the first Matron for the School, following an advertisement that had earlier been placed in a newspaper.

World (1787) (London, England), Friday, October 10, 1788

There were 17 candidates shortlisted, together with their addresses. In the meeting held at the Oxford Coffee House, Strand on Thursday 30th Oct 1788 “Ordered that the Secretary insert in the Register the names & recommendations of each candidate for the Place of Matron who has applied, in consequence of the Advertisements.” (Rough Minute Book – RMB) Applying modern research techniques to the information given in the Rough Minute Book gives a greater understanding to what would otherwise be sparse information.

In this series of blogs, the candidates for the post of Matron, and the outcomes of the ballot, will be considered.