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b.1862-d.1908
EARLY YEARS
I have been unable to categorically determine where Maria was born, or who her parents were. The burial record states that she was born in Lower Clapton, Hackney. I have found a BOLD family – father, mother and six children, including a Maria, who were in and out of the St Giles workhouse in Broad Street, Bloomsbury, but with inconsistencies in the age of Maria, compared to the proven Maria in my story, this gives rise to doubt and I have discarded this information for the time being.
IN AND OUT OF THE WORKHOUSE 1894-1895
On 17 Apr 1894, Maria gave birth to her second son, Frank Bold, in the Bear Yard Receiving Workhouse. There was no father recorded in the register.
On 5 Jan 1895, Maria Bold aged 32, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 7, Frank aged 8 months. After eleven days, on 16 Jan 1895, John was transferred to Edmonton Schools. After spending two months in the workhouse, on 12 Mar 1895, Maria discharged herself together with her baby son Frank, now aged 10 months. She also secured the release of her son John from Edmonton Schools on the same day.
Did Maria have high hopes that she could provide food and shelter for her family? If so, her hopes were dashed because four days later, on 16 Mar 1895, Maria Bold aged 32, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 7, Frank aged 10 months. After eleven days, on 27 Mar 1895, John was transferred to Edmonton Schools.
Whatever Maria did next certainly needs to be investigated further because, after spending three months in the workhouse, on 10 Jun 1895, she was sent to prison for seven days. It may have been a violation of the workhouse protocol. Maria must have received a pardon since she did not serve her sentence and was discharged from the workhouse (record not found) only to be readmitted five days later on 15 Jun 1895.
On 15 Jun 1895, Maria Bold aged 32, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. She discharged herself four days later on 19 Jun 1895, with 13 month old Frank. She also secured the release of her son John from Edmonton Schools on the same day.
The uncertainty over food and shelter forced a return, just three days later, on 22 Jun 1895 Maria aged 32, was again admitted to The Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, with her family – John aged 7, and baby Frank aged 14 months. Meanwhile, on 3 July 1895, John had been transferred to Edmonton Schools. After a stay of two months, Maria discharged herself and baby Frank, now aged 16 months on 24 Aug 1895. She secured the release of her son John from Edmonton Schools on the same day.
One month later, on 25 Sep 1895, Maria Bold aged 33, was again admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 7, and Frank aged 17 months. After two weeks, on 10 Oct 1895, John was transferred to Edmonton Schools. After spending two months in the workhouse, on 20 Nov 1895, Maria discharged herself together with her baby son Frank, now aged 19 months. She secured the release of her son John from Edmonton Schools on the same day.
The pattern of Maria’s life continues with her inability to find food and shelter for herself and her two boys, and three days later, on 23 Nov 1895, Maria Bold aged 33, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 8, Frank aged 20 months. After twelve days in the workhouse, on 5 Dec 1895, Maria discharged herself together with her sons John, and baby Frank.
A MISDEMEANOUR AT THE WORKHOUSE 1896
Is life on the upturn for Maria? Regrettably not, since seven months later, on 8 July 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 8, Frank aged 2. After one week, on 15 July 1896, John was transferred to Edmonton Schools. On 29 Aug 1896, just over seven weeks after admission to the workhouse, Maria discharged herself and the children, taking John out of school to be with her.
Will Maria manage to cope this time? Five weeks later, on 3 Oct 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 8, Frank aged 2. Five days later, on 8 Oct 1896, Maria discharged herself and the children.
Maria’s luck didn’t change. After just two days, on 10 Oct 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 8, and Frank aged 2. After seven days, on 17 Oct 1896, Maria was discharged into Custody. Maria is now unable to keep her youngest son Frank with her, and both children are transferred to Edmonton Schools on 21 Oct 1896, four days after their mother’s departure into Custody.
I do not know what circumstance caused Maria to be taken into custody or when she was released, but two weeks after her incarceration, on 31 Oct 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. She discharged herself four days later, on 3 Nov 1896, also taking the two boys, John and Frank, from Edmonton Schools on the same day after just two weeks schooling.
It is hard to imagine what is the state of Maria’s mind. She obviously wants to keep the boys by her side but obviously cannot provide for them. It would appear that there is no family available to support her. The very next day, on 4 Nov 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 8, Frank aged 2. John is transferred back to Edmonton Schools the day after admittance on 5 Nov 1896, whilst after spending two weeks in the workhouse, on 18 Nov 1896, Maria discharges herself and Frank, aged 2. John’s discharge in the Strand Union Register for Edmonton Schools was not filled in, it appears blank, but Maria must have secured his release as all three appear together in the next record.
After just three days, on 21 Nov 1896, Maria Bold aged 32, was again admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 9, Frank aged 2. After eleven days, on 2 Dec 1896, John and Frank were both transferred to Edmonton Schools.
This time Maria spent almost five months in the workhouse, discharging herself on 17 Apr 1897. Sadly for the boys, John and Frank, after receiving almost 4½ months of uninterrupted schooling, Maria discharges them too. I like to think that Christmas 1896, although not spent with their mother, might have been a little happier for John and Frank at their residential school. Maybe a foolish thought since these were schools for pauper children.
IN AND OUT OF THE WORKHOUSE 1897
Who can imagine what Maria is going through? Just four days after their discharge from the workhouse, on 21 Apr 1897, Maria Bold aged 33, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her youngest son Frank aged 3. This time John, now aged 9, does not appear on the admission record. After one month, on 18 May 1897, Maria discharged herself and Frank. I wonder where John, now aged 9, was living during this month?
The very next day, on 19 May 1897, Maria Bold aged 34, was readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. On the same day John and Frank are admitted to Edmonton Schools. Maria discharges herself after two days, on 21 May 1897, whilst the boys are also discharged on the same day, 21 May 1897, to House (does that mean home with mother?)
Two weeks later, on 5 Jun 1897, Maria Bold aged 33, was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton, together with her two sons John aged 9, Frank aged 3. After eleven days, on 16 Jun 1897, the boys were transferred to Edmonton Schools where, at last, the boys had a period of stability. Maria discharged herself two weeks after admission, on 19 Jun 1897.
AN IMPROVEMENT IN CIRCUMSTANCES FOR MARIA? 1898-1899
For the next 21 months Maria does not appear in any workhouse record. I would like to think that she was finding a living, securing a roof over her head, whilst her children were away at school.
After six months at Edmonton Schools Frank, aged just 3¾ years, developed trouble with his eyes, a very common occurrence in pauper schools, and on 3 Jan 1898, was sent to Hanwell Ophthalmic School for almost four years, until 16 Oct 1901.
Whilst Frank is at Hanwell Ophthalmic School, his elder brother John Bold, aged 10, is discharged from Edmonton Schools, on 15 Aug 1898, to the care of his mother. We do not hear from either of them for seven months.
By 1889 the Strand Union opened a receiving workhouse in Bear Yard, Sheffield Street where there were casual and receiving wards. The receiving wards were used to house paupers prior to transfer to the main workhouse in Silver Street, Edmonton. Confusingly there was another workhouse in Silver Street but the other one was run by Edmonton Union, a different authority.
Sadly history begins to repeat itself as ,on 15 Mar 1899, Maria Bold aged 38, and John aged 11, are admitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard, Sheffield Street. After seven days, on 22 Mar 1899, they are both transferred to Edmonton Workhouse. After two weeks, on 5 Apr 1899, John is transferred to Edmonton Schools, whilst Maria discharges herself on 11 Apr 1899 after three weeks in the workhouse.
After just two days, on 13 Apr 1899, Maria Bold aged 39, and John aged 11, are readmitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard, Sheffield Street. After two days, on 15 Apr 1899, they are both transferred to Edmonton Workhouse. After four days, on 19 Apr 1899, John is transferred to Edmonton Schools, whilst Maria is discharged ‘On Leave’* on 3 May 1899 after just under three weeks in the workhouse.
*While residing in a workhouse, paupers were not allowed out without permission. Short-term absence could be granted for various reasons, such as a parent attending their child’s baptism, or to visit a sick or dying relative. Able-bodied inmates could also be allowed out to seek work.
1901 CENSUS RECORDS FOR THE TWO BROTHERS
31 Mar 1901 John Bold 13, scholar at Chase Farm Schools, Enfield, Middlesex. John has been here for two years since 19 Apr 1899.
31 Mar 1901 Frank Bold 4, workhouse child, Central London District Schools, Hanwell, Middlesex. Frank has been here for three years since 3 Jan 1898. On 16 Oct 1901, Frank Bold aged 6, was transferred to Edmonton Schools, after attending Hanwell Ophthalmic School for 3¾ years.
I have not been able to find a 1901 census return for Maria Bold, now aged 39.
DETERIORATION OF MARIA’S HEALTH 1901-1903: TWO SPELLS IN HENDON SICK ASYLUM
This next period covering 2½ years is the longest where I have been unable to locate Maria. The fact that she doesn’t crop up in any workhouse record is encouraging but sadly, Maria’s health begins to deteriorate. On 10 Dec 1901, Maria Bold, born 1862, was admitted to Bear Yard Receiving Workhouse. Maria must have been very unwell as she was transferred to the Central London Sick Asylum (CLSA) the same day. After spending three weeks at the CSLA, on 30 Dec 1901, Maria was transferred to Hendon Asylum which, I understand, was opened in 1900 primarily for infectious illness and specialised in tuberculosis patients. After just over three weeks at Hendon, she discharges herself on 25 Jan 1902.
Where does Maria go for the next seven months? On 8 Aug 1902, Maria Bold, born 1862, was admitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard. She was transferred the same day to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. After spending one month in the workhouse Maria discharges herself on 6 Sep 1902.
Where does Maria go for the next nine months? On 9 Jun 1903, Maria Bold, born 1863, was admitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard. She was transferred the same day to Cleveland Street Asylum. After two days, on 11 Jun 1903, she was transferred to Hendon Asylum. Maria discharges herself from Hendon Asylum on 18 Jul 1903, after five weeks’ treatment. The records at the London Metropolitan Archives will tell us what infectious disease Maria had contracted but are yet to be obtained.
THE WORKHOUSE 1904-1905
Where does Maria go for the next six months? On 5 Jan 1904, Maria Bold, born 1862, was admitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard. She was transferred the next day, on 6 Jan 1904, to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. It is not known when she was discharged.
On 7 Feb 1904, Maria Bold, born 1862, is transferred from Bear Yard to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. After two months Maria discharges herself on 5 Apr 1904.
After just two days, on 7 Apr 1904, Maria Bold is readmitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. She discharges herself after twelve days on 19 Apr 1904.
Where does Maria go for the next three months? On 30 Jul 1904, Maria Bold, born 1862, Church of England, Hawker, from the parish of St. Paul, was admitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse at Bear Yard. She was transferred after three days, on 2 Aug 1904, to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. Maria was obviously unwell since after four days, on 6 Aug 1904, she was admitted to Cleveland Street Asylum. After five weeks she was returned to the Edmonton Workhouse, but removed Into Custody on the same day, 14 Sep 1904.
After one week, on 21 Sep 1904, Maria Bold was readmitted to Edmonton Workhouse. Two weeks later, on 8 Nov 1904, she was discharged ‘On Leave’. Sadly, for whatever reason, Maria Bold, Hawker, Church of England, born 1862, single, from the parish of St. Paul, was back at the doors of Sheffield Street Receiving Workhouse and was readmitted on the same day, 8 Nov 1904. She was transferred to Edmonton Workhouse the next day, 9 Nov 1904. After three months, Maria discharges herself on 1 Feb 1905.
OVERWHELMING DESIRE TO SEE HER SON FRANK
Meanwhile Maria’s youngest son Frank, after having been at Edmonton Schools for almost the past four years, and now approaching eleven years of age, is discharged to House on the very same day as Maria discharges herself from Edmonton Workhouse. I can only imagine that Maria desperately needed to see him, be with him, hold him, love him. The very next day, on 2 Feb 1905, Maria Bold, born 1862, occupation Hawker, Religion Church of England, from the parish of St Paul, was readmitted to the Strand Union Receiving Workhouse in Bear Yard, together with her son Frank Bold, giving his date of birth as 17 April 1894 (correct). Maria discharges them both after two days, on 4 Feb 1905. This must have been hugely unsettling for Frank, to be taken from school one day, only to return to the Receiving Workhouse the next, then be discharged two days later, eventually returning to school after an absence of one week.
Maria is readmitted the same day, but not Frank who is readmitted, three days later, on 7 Feb 1905, and transferred back to Edmonton Schools the next day. Did Maria ever see either of her children again?
After spending three days in Bear Yard, on 7 Feb 1905, Maria was transferred to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. Her birth year was recorded as 1862, and the Parish from which she was admitted was recorded as St Paul. She was discharged ‘On Leave’ after eight days, on 15 Feb 1905.
FROM THE WORKHOUSE TO HORTON ASYLUM 1906
Where was Maria for the next eighteen months? On 1 Aug 1906, Maria Bold was admitted to the Strand Union Workhouse in Bear Yard, Sheffield Street. After four days, on 4 Aug 1906, she was transferred to the Strand Union Workhouse in Edmonton. After spending three weeks at Edmonton, Maria discharged herself on 25 Aug 1906.
Just over one month later, on 3 Oct 1906, Maria was again admitted to Edmonton. After spending almost three months at Edmonton Workhouse, on 26 Dec 1906, Maria was discharged to St. Giles Workhouse. From here, one week later, on 2 Jan 1907, Maria Bold, aged 46, was committed to Horton Asylum.
From Horton Asylum’s Medical Registers examined at the London Metropolitan Archives, the entry for Maria Bold confirms the following: Maria was admitted on 2 Jan 1907, is aged 46, single, her occupation is a Hawker, her general health is good, her form of mental disorder is Delusional Insanity and that the contributing factor is acquired Syphilis. The illness first manifested itself in this form just fourteen days ago.
Maria received treatment at Horton Asylum for eighteen months, but sadly died, aged 47, on 26 July 1908. She was buried five days later, on 31 July 1908, in Horton Cemetery.
Maria’s story must be the saddest I have researched. The obvious love she holds for her children, not wanting them to be alone in the welfare system and always trying to get them back to be where they belonged, beside their mother, runs throughout this story. But relentless, grinding poverty, the inability to find work and provide food for her children, eventually wore her down, destabilising her already frail mental faculties, and she was committed to Horton Asylum.
FOOTNOTE TO MARIA’S STORY
Unknown to Maria her story has a heart-warming ending. The little boy she tried so hard to protect and provide for, her son Frank, after her death, was sent to TS Exmouth, a training ship for boys from the workhouse managed by the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Frank spent sixteen months training, joining on 28 Oct 1908, and being discharged on 20 Feb 1910. This led to a successful career in the Merchant Navy from 1914-1925, where he served his country during the First World War. Frank emigrated to Australia, and lived to the ripe old age of 87 years. In correspondence with one of his grandchildren, Maria’s great-granddaughter, I have found out that he was ‘a true gentleman and a wonderful husband and father’. What further testimony could Maria have asked for?
Metropolitan Asylums Board Training Ship Exmouth moored in the River Thames at Grays, Essex
Frank Bold aged 14, b. 17 Apr 1894 from Strand Union 28 Oct 1908 to 20 Feb 1910 (14½ to 16)
Training ships were used to train boys in all aspects of seamanship preparing them for a career at sea. The Metropolitan Asylums Board borrowed the Exmouth from the Royal Navy in 1877. Previously the ship had seen active service in the Baltic and had been converted from sail to steam in 1854. The Board moored the Exmouth off Grays in Essex and used it as a way of providing vocational training to boys in their care. In 1929 the London County Council took over the Exmouth and continued taking in boys until 1941.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/44241015 link to info re frequent admission/discharge to the workhouse
https://www.workhouses.org.uk/life/entry.shtml info regarding leaving the workhouse
Admission to a workhouse is granted by either the Board of Guardians or by the Relieving Officer, who must be satisfied as to the destitution of the applicant. A discharge may be by order of the Board, but usually the pauper gives notice and discharges themself.
Background to the different workhouses and school establishments in this story
The Strand Poor Law Union was formed in 1836 made up of five parishes – St Mary-le-Strand, Precinct of the Savoy, St Paul, Covent Garden, St Clement Danes, and Liberty of the Rolls. St Anne, Soho was added in 1837, with St Martin-in-the-Fields added in 1868.
The Strand Union Workhouse, Cleveland Street was the former site of St Paul’s, Covent Garden parish workhouse. Cleveland Street runs between the Euston Road and Goodge Street.
A passage from Workhouses of London and the South East by Peter Higginbotham regarding Cleveland Street Workhouse: “In 1865, a Lancet report revealed that despite having nearly 200 sick inmates and 260 infirm or insane, the workhouse employed no paid nurses. Instead, there were twenty-two pauper nurses, most of whom were judged unfit for the work”.
The appalling state of the wards and terrible standard of care in the Cleveland Street Workhouse was one of the factors which led to the introduction of the Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board was created after the passing of the Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867.
A new Strand Union Workhouse was built in Tanner’s End, now Silver Street, Edmonton which opened in 1870 and housed over 1,000 inmates, the Cleveland Street site was used as an Infirmary by the Central London Sick Asylums District from 1873-1913. From 1901 it was taken over by Westminster City Council – parishes of St Giles-in-the-Fields and St George, Bloomsbury.
Cleveland St became a children’s infirmary run by the Metropolitan Asylums Board, 1916-1922, later becoming the site of the Middlesex Hospital.
By 1889 the Strand Union had built casual and receiving wards at Bear Yard in Sheffield Street. The receiving wards were used to house paupers prior to transfer to the Edmonton workhouse. Bear Yard was demolished about 1900 as part of an improvement scheme with a replacement building being erected fronting Sheffield Street in 1903.
The new City of Westminster Union formed 1913, was an amalgamation of the Strand Union, St George’s Union and Westminster Union.
Central London Sick Asylum District
The 1867 Metropolitan Poor Act gave authority to the Poor Law Board to order the combination of unions and parishes within the metropolis to provide asylums for the sick poor other than the workhouse. It stipulated that the treatment of the sick should take place away from the workhouse or at least in a separately managed facility within the workhouse. These separate facilities later developed into general hospitals admitting patients regardless of status. The Central London Sick Asylum District comprised the Westminster and Strand Unions and the parishes of Saint Giles-in-the-Fields and Saint George’s, Bloomsbury. In 1869 the parish of Saint Pancras was added. The District was dissolved in 1913.
The Central London District Sick Asylum at Colindale, Hendon, was built between 1898-1900, and opened in 1900 for infectious cases from poor law authorities in central London. The Hendon Asylum, which specialised in tuberculosis treatment, was later known as Hendon Infirmary and then Colindale Hospital. It was sold in 1913 to the City of Westminster Union. In 1919 it was passed to the Metropolitan Asylums Board. It was still used as a hospital in the 1990s but is now closed.
Hanwell Schools was a large school for children of destitute families which was created as the Central London District Poor Law School by three workhouse unions – the City of London, East London and St. Saviour in 1857. It was built (1856-1861) on the land of Hanwell Park Farm on Cuckoo Hill in 190 acres. In 1890 an ophthalmic school was erected. Maria’s younger son Frank Bold was registered at Hanwell Ophthalmic School in the 1901 census.
The Strand Union Guardians bought Millfield House, an old mansion in Wye Hall Road, now Silver Street, Edmonton to be used as a school for London workhouse children, which opened in 1849. More land was purchased in 1863, two infirmary blocks were added on 1878, one for general illness, one for the treatment of ophthalmia, a serious eye condition common in pauper schools, The school was partly self-sufficient complete with two meadows, cultivated land and a herd of cows and some pigs. The children were taught trades; the boys, tailoring, shoe making and carpentry; the girls, housework, needlework and laundering. By 1897 the school housed 400 children. In 1915 the Metropolitan Asylums Board took over the site and converted it into an asylum for epileptics, becoming St David’s hospital in 1936.
The old Enfield parish workhouse at Chase Side was taken over by the Edmonton Union for use as a school. It was extended (1839-1842) and an infirmary added in 1844. By 1881, the school was overcrowded and a new school was erected at a new site on Chase Farm, opened in 1886. Maria’s elder son John Bold was registered at this school in the 1901 census which is rather confusing since his family comes under the Strand Union, and the school was primarily for use by the Edmonton Union.
