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Horizontal Tree View – Ancestry
b.1873-d.1909
Background
I first looked at Stanley’s story back in 2021. I found a family that I thought he was possibly related to but I couldn’t prove my findings so the story was ‘stalled’.
Now revisiting Stanley’s tale again with extra research knowledge, I hope I have managed to prove my original findings.
Clark is not the easiest name to research and in the lunacy and death details it has been recorded as Clarke.
I found Stanley’s reception order to the Wandsworth Union in the un-indexed books on ‘Ancestry’ and sadly it gave very little account of his personal details:
Completed on 17 May 1907.
Stanley Clarke, male 35, single, Engineer. CofE. 59 Penwith Road. (in Wandsworth)
All the questions were answered with ‘unknown’. even relatives. The Guardians of the workhouse were to be notified on his death.
Sadly, Stanley was in a poor condition when he was admitted and he declares that he has 15 children, twins on three occasions, quadruples once. Declares that he won £500,000 yesterday, he is a bookmaker and it is impossible for him to be ‘with’? out money. Banks at the Bank of England where he has tons of trillions of money. Will send the medical Superintendent a motor car and also send one each to the other doctors, which ? take them to Brighton in 10 minutes.
Fortunately, I found another document, the Wandsworth Examination of Pauper Lunatics 1906-1907.
On the 10 Oct 1907, 5 months after his admission to Horton. Stanley’s responses indicate that he is more coherent and is able to give some personal information which was just what I needed to connect him to the family. He says that he had been living with his mother who was now living with his brother Dudley in “Glenholme”, Grimwood Road, Twickenham. The family I had previously linked Stanley to had a brother Dudley which is not such a common name, plus living at the same address with a mother Margaret in Twickenham.
Therefore, this is the Stanley who’s story I will tell which differs from the family trees found for him on ‘Ancestry’.
Stanley’s story.
Stanley Selborne Clark was born to parents Alfred Clark a solicitor and Margaret Brown. With such popular names I haven’t been able to positively identify their births or parents. Luckily for my research the couple gave their children several uncommon names.
Alfred and Margaret were married in the 1st quarter of 1860 in Kensington. I have found 7 children born to Alfred and Margaret, Stanley our subject being the last born on 11 May 1873, registered in Kensington. His baptism took place at St Matthews, Ashford, Surrey on 14 September 1873. His birth date was taken from his school admission.
| Ida Eleanor Beatrice | 1860 | 1946 |
| Ada Catherine Maud | 1862 | 1949 |
| Alfred James Frederick Lancaster | 1864 | |
| Dudley Percy Maryon | 1866 | 1938 |
| Herbert Courtnay | 1867 | 1867 |
| Spencer John Hatherley | 1870 | 1896 |
| Stanley Selborne | 1873 | 1909 |
Alfred and Margaret.
1861 census is the first record of the family, residing at 2 Crozman Villas, Gold Hawk Road, Hammersmith
Alfred is 26, an Attorney and Solicitor born in St Giles, Bloomsbury. Margaret, his wife is 28,, born St Lukes Old Street. Ida is 6 months old. Also present is Sarah Plaskett, 52, a nurse, Sophia Loader 30, a Cook and Margaret Emily Wake, 18, a housemaid. Later in the Booths maps it suggests it’s a middle class well-to-do area in parts and a mixed (some comfortable and some poor) area.
Birth announcements from the 1860s show the family also had a property at the coast in Cliftonville, Margate in Kent. Herbert’s birth announcement confirms this.
The Thanet Advertiser of 21 September 1867.
The family seemed to cease using this property in the early 1870s.
As we can see from the chart above, four children were born before we find the next census.
By 1871 the family had moved to 31 Addison Gardens, Kensington and Chelsea. A present day picture on google maps shows a five-storey terrace house. Booths maps marked in red ‘a well to do’ road.
The census shows Alfred is 36, a Solicitor, Margaret aged 38, Ida aged 10, Ada aged 8, Alfred aged 7, Dudley aged 5, all scholars and Spencer aged 1. Martha Freeman aged 39 is a visitor, plus five members of staff.
In 1873 Stanley was born.
The announcement of Stanley’s birth in the Morning Advertiser dated 14 May 1873.
By 1881 there was another move for the family. We now find them at 13 Aldine Street, a more modest 4 storey terrace building. Going by the older houses across the road, No 13 has been redeveloped. It is a mixed area, with some comfortable, some poor. Newspaper articles regarding Alfred’s work as a solicitor seemed to reduce prior to 1881 so perhaps he was not on such a high income.
In the 1881 Census, Alfred aged 48, is a ‘solicitor (not in P)’. I think this might mean ‘not in practice’, hence maybe the down-sizing of the home, also Margaret aged 48 is a school mistress. Eleanor (Ida) aged 20 and Ada aged 18 are both governesses, Fredk (Alfred) aged 17 and Dudley aged 15 are both clerks. And Stanley aged 7 is a scholar. But now there is only one general servant. Spencer, aged 11, is in the Grange school in Fulham.
Stanley’s school records in 1882 show yet another address, 73 Wakehurst Road.
In 1891 again we have found another move, this time south of the River Thames, 5.5 miles south from Aldine Street to Garratt Lane, Wandsworth. Alfred aged 58, is a solicitor, Margaret aged 58 his wife, Spencer aged 21, a medical student and Stanley aged 17, an engineer’s assistant. By now the family have no servants and the other siblings have left home.
Sadly in 1896 Spencer died aged 26.
Sometime between this census and 1901 Alfred died but I was unable to identify a death or a Will and Probate.
I did find this entry in the London Daily Chronicle dated 27 October 1892.
This is very possible as newspaper articles and announcements of family events confirm that 4 Lincoln Innfields was the address Alfred practised from.
Alfred’s death certificate as seen below, confirms his date of death as 22 October 1892. Stanley was the informant.
Stanley
Although in his later records it states that Stanley is single, I found a marriage for him, Jan-Mar, 1899 in Hackney. Vol 1b page 685. to Constance Bishop Rigby.
Constance is pregnant and on 9 May 1899 two days before Stanley’s birthday a son is born. Conway Albert, at 65 Stoke Newington Road.
Tragically on the 26 June 1899 Constance died from Puerperal Septicemia (blood poisoning after childbirth). She died at the same house where her son was born, however Stanley is noted at a different address on both records. Maybe they didn’t live together.
I found a newspaper article dated from 27 November 1899 and into December which possibly relates to Stanley.
At Westminster he is accused of stealing 17s 6d from Safety Concentric Wiring company, Westminster. It claims he is an electrician. He was sentenced to 4 months imprisonment with hard labour.
However, The Morning Leader on 27 November was one of the first to report on the case, indicating that he had threatened to shoot himself and was charged the previous day at Egremont. Is this a mistake on the newspaper’s part? Egremont is in Cumbria. I have searched for an Egremont in London. There was an Egremont house in Piccadilly but it was renamed Cambridge House in the mid 1800’s. I cannot find a court relating to this name.
If the article is correct, it would give some insight into the state of mind of Stanley after losing his wife after only a few months and left with a child to care for.
The morning leader Monday 27 Nov 1899
In the 1901 census. I found Stanley by searching for his son as his name was more unusual and some of Stanley’s information doesn’t match, – his age, occupation and birthplace. The other occupant’s information is also incorrect. They were living at 5 Drapers Road, Bermondsey. We find William Wall aged 34, a plate layer from Surrey, Guildford is head of the house. This should be Thomas Wall, platelayer, from East Guildford Sussex. Emily, his wife aged 37 was from Canterbury. Conway Clark is a nurse child, born in Essex, Manor Park, (this is the wrong place of birth), and lastly Stanley Clark aged 26 boarder, Insurance agent, born Stoke Newington.
On June 9 1901 Conway was baptised in Bermondsey as the adopted son of Thomas and Emily Wall.
How long Stanley remained as a border with his son and new family is not known.
Decline in health
In his statement on 10 October 1907 (some of the handwriting is hard to decipher such as dates) his last address was 59 Penwith Street Wandsworth from 23 Mar 1907 to 30 April 1907.
He says he was at Garrett Lane for 6 months where he had lived with his mother Margaret and brother Dudley. They were now living in Twickenham for the last 7-8 years. This corresponds with the 1910 Census for Dudley and Margaret. He also says he was in St Thomas and Guy’s Hospitals for 2 months some years ago. Another address is 15 Summerley Street, Wandsworth where he lived on and off, not continuously. He adds ‘Mr Rutherglen knows me well.’
Henry Spencer Rutherglen was made the assistant relieving officer for Wandsworth Poor law Guardians in 1898. In 1909 he was made superintendent relieving officer, but in 1918 he was asked to resign when he found himself in the dock charged for misappropriating £600. He was given 12 months imprisonment.
On 17 May 1907 Stanley’s reception order was completed, and he was transferred for Wandsworth infirmary to Horton Asylum on 18 May 1907.
On arrival at Horton, “He is clean. Bodily condition moderate and impaired health, Bruises and abrasions to front of chest and neck”. Signed Samual Elyee
I am unable to find the admission to Wandsworth infirmary. However I am assuming it would be around the 30 April as this was the last date of address given in his statement below.
On the side column it notes that Stanley has not had any visitors since he has been at Horton. Also they had written to the occupier of 59 Penwith Road but had not received a reply.
I cannot find a connection with the envelope that has the address of a builder and decorator. Wm Lang, Grove Road, Balham.
The only William Lang I have found is William Lang builder and Decorator, 1a Zennor Road, Balham. He and his family lived there over 40 years, it was listed as a plumber’s shop. Maybe Stanley made purchases from the shop.
Stanley spent two years in the asylum, and his death is recorded on 10 May 1909, the day before his 36th birthday, he is recorded as being 37. Cause of death General Paralysis of the Insane. He is laid to rest in grave no 467b in Horton cemetery.
Stanley’s Family
As stated earlier Stanley’s father died in 1892. Finding his mother Margaret’s death has proved difficult. The last document I have found is in the 1911 Census when she was a widow in Twickenham, living in one room. She records she had 7 children and 4 are dead. I can account for 3 of those deaths – Herbert, Spencer and Stanley.
Siblings
Ida Eleanor Beatrice, married Farewell Kellaway Blake, a wine merchant’s clerk on 5 Aug 1885 in Kensington. The couple had 7 children. Farewell died in 1926 and Ida died aged 85 in 1946 and is buried in Chingford Mount Cemetery, registered as Ida Eleanor Beatrice Victoria Blake.
Ada Catherine Maud, married Frederick Alexander Bland, a grocer, on 9 April in Wandsworth. They had two children. Frederick died in 1908 leaving her considerably financially comfortable and when she died on 31 December 1949 she was still very comfortable.
Alfred James Frederick Lancaster. Despite having such amazing names I cannot find Alfred after the 1881 Census. when he is recorded as Fredk. Maybe he continued to use the name Fred Clark therefore making the search almost impossible.
Dudley Percy Maryon, married Frances Harriett Halifax in 1899, In the 1911 Census they declare they had at that time 4 children alive one of whom did not survive. Dudley was working as an agent in the drapery business. He died on 21 April 1938 in Hampton. Online family trees have lovely photographs of the family.
Herbert Courtenay, born in October 1867, died and buried on 4 November aged one month old in All Souls, Kensal Green Cemetery.
Herbert’s obituary in the Home News for India ,China and the Colonies dated 4 November 1867.
Spencer John Hatherley died aged 26, a medical student in the 1891 census. burial on 10 October 1896, Kensington and Chelsea.
Spencer’s obituary in the Morning Post of 21 October 1896. There appears to be a discrepancy here around the date of death. I suspect it may be an error on behalf of the newspaper.
Stanley’s son Conway
Conway served in WW1
He was 5’4’’tall with brown hair and eyes with a fresh complexion.
He joined the Training Reg Brigade on 19 Feb 1917 aged 17 and 9 months. The next of kin was listed as Thomas Henry Wall, 79 Lilford Road, Camberwell. Conway’s occupation was that of a fitter’s mate.
He was later listed as transferred to the Irish rifles, by 30 March 1918 Conway was overseas ‘in the field’. Returning to England on 24 Aug 1918 as sick on board the HMS St Andrew, transferring to the Rochester Row Military hospital, London.
The medical assessment and treatment before arriving in England below shows that Conway was diagnosed with: Non-Venereal Syphilis (congenital). It states he is an adopted child and has no knowledge of his parents. This however concurs with his father’s cause of death. The syphilis had clearly transferred to him.
He had swelling of both knees since May, it states he has never been exposed to infection. (Venereal)
On admission
- A hydrarthrosis of both knees with thickening of synovial membranes- probably some epiphyseal periostitis.
- Small nodes along both tibias
- Hutchinson’s teeth
- Wassermann Strong positive.
8-9-18 Lumbar puncture performed.
Has received 2 intravenous injections.
Wassermann test answer from online Copilot search.
Hutchinson’s teeth
copyright Alamy photos online.
Conway was deemed unfit for infantry and was transferred to the Labour corps.
I am not sure of his demob date.
By the time of the 1921 Census Conway was back at home with Thomas Wall and his second wife Alice. He was shown as an adopted son aged 22 and I month working as a fitter’s mate, residing at 3 Northway Road Lambeth.
Conway later married Dorothy Victoria Alice Vokins in 4 quarter 1930, in Lewisham, then went on to have two daughters.
In the 1939 register they were living at 4 Elm Road in Crayford. Conway is a Fitter’s labourer.
His death was registered in 1969, and his burial took place in Lewisham on the 5 December.
CDC, the centres for Disease Control and Prevention. USA.
Author’s thoughts
Stanley was born into a successful family. His father was certainly doing well in the 1860’s operating as a solicitor out of 4 Lincolns Inn Fields, with what seems like plenty of work and the family homes to reflect this. Indeed, the family had servants and prior to Stanley’s birth access to a grand seaside house.
It seems as if Alfred’s work was slowing down and the family moved into more modest accommodation. The family seems to be doing well with good marriages and good jobs. Even after their father died the family kept together and supported each other.
For Stanley everything fell apart in 1899. He is married. He has a son and then his wife dies due to complications of childbirth. He then gets into trouble with the law, probably because of losing his wife so tragically and the onset of what we now know was untreated syphilis. He left his young son and then clearly drifted until his health declined and he was admitted to the infirmary. His Reception Order shows how wildly confused he was and the fantasy world he existed in. Clearly, his condition had caught up with him.
As above, the information on congenital syphilis from CDC, USA. Congenital Syphilis is passed on from the mother. We cannot speculate who infected who, however it was passed on to their only son. When reading the number of terrible debilitating symptoms babies can suffer from, Conway didn’t show many. In fact he passed the medical to join the army in WW1. It was then symptoms appeared and fortunately with more advanced medical knowledge Conway was treated and able to marry and have a family.
Sadly, when Stanley was first admitted to the asylum he was very confused and his family was not known. Was this due to his confusion or had he avoided the family? Maybe he was rejected by them with the stigma of Syphilis. Why was Conway adopted out of the family? We will never know.
RIP Stanley.
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