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1892-1918
Louisa Emily Harmsworth was born on the 10th April 1892, the illegitimate daughter of Sarah Harmsworth, a general servant and a single woman. Louisa was baptised at Tooting Graveney on 10th July 1892, their address given as Salvador, an area of Wandsworth.
Searching the census for 1901, I found that, at aged 8 years, Louisa was a pauper inmate of North Surrey District School, Wandsworthl.
The school had opened in 1850 to house children of the workhouse from the surrounding areas. Online, there are photographs of the school in 1908. It prepared the children with skills for an occupation when they left care.
1911 Census
The 1911 census shows a Louisa working as a servant to the Puddy family in Hornchurch, Essex. As yet, I cannot find any more information until her death in Long Grove in 1918.
Sadly, Louisa died on 7th June from exhaustion of mania of about six months, anaemia of two years and cardiac syncope – a few minutes. She was buried on June 13th in grave 504b.
It would be interesting to read her medical notes and understand more about her.
Louisa’s Mother
Her mother Sarah had been admitted to West Sussex asylum on 7th March 1899 and transferred to Bexley Mental Hospital, Dartford, Kent on 25th May 1899, where she remained for the rest of her life, dying there in 1945 aged 80 years old. Her cause of death was bronchopneumonia and degeneration of the heart.
Sarah had been born 1865 along with her twin sister Laura. They were one of two sets of twins born to George Harmsworth 1828-1900 and Louisa Sweetser nee Mears 1828-1892. Together they had ten children.
