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b.1852 – d.1899
On 31st July the cemetery received its first burial – Annie JAMES, who had been at the Manor. Her shroud cost 8d, the gravediggers were paid 10/6d, and James Ockenden the undertaker received £1/12/6d.
Annie JAMES appears in the Manor burial register (6882/9/2) as case number 1. As far as anyone is aware Annie was the very first burial at Horton cemetery upon opening. We have not yet found any reference to a burial plot.
Annie entered the Manor asylum on 24 June 1899 and died a month later on 26 July 1899.
As there are multiple possible records for Annie’s life before the asylum, I choose to put this story aside until I have a copy of her records, which is expected to be found in record 6282/14/4.
*UPDATE*
November 2022 – I acquired Annie’s case notes from her admission to Manor Asylum – Horton.
We find a splattering of information on Annie in her case notes, but unfortunately there is no photograph. Annie had entered the asylum from Fisherton House, admitted to Manor on June 24th, 1899, aged 47.
The reception order signed by John Bell, tells us she was first received into the system at aged 45, she is married, and her occupation is a Laundress. Not much is known about the history of her illness, including cause, but a vital clue is that her daughter is named as Annie F. Sone, of 132 Ingrave Street, Battersea, which remains today a residential part of South London, near the banks of the river Thames.
As part of the usual admittance, each patient is examined, and a brief given on patient state.
She exhibits insane grief & emotional disturbance continually crying & seems incapable of exercising sufficient self-control to converse sensibly on any subject.
Facts indicating insanity observed at time of observation
Her condition of admission gives an impression of someone who is poorly nourished, in poor bodily health and who shows motor impairment, tremors and coordination.
Is grossly demented, cannot answer the simplest questions, when spoken to usually cries in a impossible manner. Is very dull and childish.
Diagnosis: Dementia
Mental State
Annie’s case notes only have 4 entries:
July 1st [1899]: Since admission she has been confined to bed because she is very feeble and falls about when up. Is grossly demented and unduly questional indeed when spoken to by anyone. Cries in a purposely mechanical way. {signature}
July 8th: Is more feeble is anything though she has nothing definite the matter with her. Mentally in status quo. {signature}
July 15th: Becoming more feeble {signature}
July 26th: She died only this morning, having been getting gradually more feeble for a long time, but beyond some hypostatic congestion of the lungs she has no active disease of any organ. Mentally has not shown any sign of improvement since admission. {signature}
Annie James died; her cause of death is noted as Pneumonia (hypostasis) ascertained by post-mortem.
The visitor book shows Annie’s daughter named in full; Annie Frances Sone of 132 Ingrave St. Battersea. A singular date of visitation to sign an admission order on 28.6.99 was the only time Annie received a visitor; daughter, Annie Frances did not visit her mother again in the short period she was here.
Family
From the hint of a daughter, I managed to trace Annie Francis Sone, married to William Frederick Sone, a ‘colour grinder’ living at 132 Ingrave Street, Battersea, matching the record precisely. From their marriage banns record, I found that Annie F’s father was named Thomas Edward JAMES, a Scaffolder, thus this would be Annie’s husband. It is noted that Thomas Edward sometimes went as simply Edward.
We have to be careful, as mentioned earlier, there are other Annie James’, even one who was at Fisherton Asylum, but their dates overlap showing they are indeed different people. Through Annie’s asylum dates I have managed to eliminate other Annie’s who lived outside the system.
Annie James née Canty was born in Pimlico.
In 1871, Annie (Anna) is living with Edward, currently a bricklayer’s labourer, in a house at 15 Elbow Corner, in Basingstoke. Anna is shown born in Pimlico. They have two children Anna and Edward, both shown as born in Battersea. Elbow corner is a quaint little street overshadowed by a church. Next door is another JAMES family, possibly Edwards widowed mother and siblings.
By 1881, the family is lodging at 36 Knowsley Road in Battersea, with 4 children, (H)annah, Edward, George and William. This house is just a stone’s throw from her daughter’s future residence. Although both Anna’s have become Hannah’s (maybe misheard) the other details match, such as Edwards occupation as a bricklayer’s labourer, his birth in Basingstoke, plus Hannah’s birth in Pimlico. All the children are listed as born in Battersea.
Husband Edward died on 17th December 1928 of Cardiovascular degeneration.
