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b.1854-d.1902
Key information from Emily Robert’s death certificate was that she was born around 1853 and had been living with her husband at 17 Drayton Park, Holloway, Islington. With this information I started searching for Emily and so found an interesting advertisement in The Daily Telegraph on 3rd July 1900 that read:
“REQUIRED by married couple, aged 47 and 60, to TAKE CHARGE of HOUSE in absence of family, or any place of trust. – R., 17 Drayton Park”.
Admission to Workhouse
Unfortunately, the married couple went from looking for a future home and work, to Emily being admitted on 25th January 1901, to the Islington Workhouse Infirmary.
Two days later, Emily was moved to the Hagan Ward where female lunatics were cared for before being transferred elsewhere.
The admission form records Mr Robert’s first name as being Frederick and confirms their address as 17 Drayton Park, Holloway Rd. Emily’s physical appearance was reported as being ‘clean’.
The entry suggests that Emily was restrained while on Hagan Ward;
- 27/01/01 she was restrained at 4.40pm and this resulted in ‘large swollen skin broken on back. She was released on 28/1/01.
- 31/01/01 she was restrained at 11.54 and this resulted in a ‘red mark on ?’ She was released on 31/01/01at 2.5?pm
- 1/02/01 she was restrained at 10.??am and this resulted in ‘bruises on legs’ and ‘hand’. She was released on 1/2/01 at 6.15pm
The image this conjures of the poor lady potentially in a straight jacket or tied up is unsettling.
On 15th February 1901, Emily was transferred to the Camberwell House Asylum.
Although I could not find Emily in the 1901 Census, her 67-year-old husband Fred Roberts was recorded as a married man ‘living on his own means’ in two unfurnished rooms on the third floor of 17 Drayton Park, Islington East.
The landlord was recorded as being a Mr Oscar Brackman, a cigar maker, who also lived at the same address with his family. Fred just gave Middlesex as his place of birth.
Admission to Horton Asylum
Emily was recorded as being aged 49 when she was admitted on 20th March 1902 to Horton Asylum in Epsom, Surrey.
She died there just over four months later on 24th July 1902.
Her death certificate stated that Emily was the “wife of —- Roberts unknown of 17 Drayton Park, Holloway”.
Following a postmortem, the cause of her death was recorded as being “General Paralysis of the Insane”. Emily’s remains were buried in Horton Estate Cemetery in grave 31 on 29th July 1902.
Her husband Frederick was found in the 1902, 1903, and 1904 electoral registers as still living at number 17 Drayton Park.
