0 0
Read Time:3 Minute, 36 Second

b.c1850-d.1915

On 9th January 1914, Sarah Adams was admitted to Lambeth Workhouse in Renfrew Road; she was discharged to the Infirmary a couple of weeks later on 24th January.  After a brief stay there of 3 days, she was transferred to Manor Asylum.

Sarah’s admission record to Manor Asylum stated that she’s 64 years old (born c1850), single, a servant and is 4ft 8in tall and weighed 7st.  She had a marked curvature of both tibias (probably a sign of rickets which was common in the working-class population due to their poor diet and lack of fruit and vegetables); she also had a lower plate of false teeth.

Her initial cause for admittance was “prolonged mental stress”.  The notes go on to say that she was “simple minded, confused; forgetful – thinks she has been here a week, whereas she came two days ago and says it’s Friday whereas it’s Wednesday. She’s also very restless, trying to get through the doors. Imagines she has been out and come back again when asked her age says she is 94”

Margaret Warburton McCroddall, Sister-in-Charge of the Female Observation Ward, Lambeth Infirmary recorded that Sarah “has no idea of her surroundings; that she’s continually wandering about looking for imaginary objects; and at times is very troublesome and spiteful; thinks she is going to be done away with.”

Case Notes

From admittance until her death, her case notes consistently report the same symptoms and behaviour e.g. the notes dated 26th February 1914 say she’s “very restless and resistive. Screams loudly when being attended to. Does nothing for herself.  Has no idea of time or place”.  On 28thAugust of the same year, she’s “restless, resistive, spiteful and troublesome. Does nothing for herself. Health poor.”

Sarah’s health starts to decline and on 2nd October she “has a severe syncopal attack and was unconscious about 10 minutes” and unfortunately in November she had become “violent towards the other patients”.  In the New Year she deteriorates further; she gets a high temperature and becomes “delirious” before passing away at 7:35am on 13th February 1915.  

[Syncope is used to describe a loss of consciousness for a short period of time and is often caused when blood pressure is too low]

Sarah was buried in Plot 1588 b.

The Statement of Death sent to the coroner, gives the cause of death as pneumonia which she’s had for three days.  The statement, though, also gives us another clue to her past because it gives her address prior to admission as 124 Rosemary Road, Peckham/Camberwell.  The Electoral Roll for 124 Rosemary Road in 1914 lists the occupant as William Bannister, a general labourer. I have not been able to find any connection between him and Sarah.

source: London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965

A close-up of a document

Description automatically generated

Who was Sarah and where did she come from?

This is a difficult question to answer. Although we have lots of detail from the records regarding Sarah’s health and physical characteristics, including a lovely photo, we have little else to identify her origins and her family.

The Workhouse and Asylum records give Sarah’s birth circa 1850.  As she was admitted to Lambeth Workhouse it is likely that she was born in, or lived a significant part of her life, in the Parish.  

The closest match I could find on the 1911 census is a Sarah Adams aged 65 (born c1846), born Surrey and living at 23 Gubyon Avenue, Herne Hill, Lambeth with the Browning family.  Sarah is described as a ‘domestic servant’.  This Sarah’s age though doesn’t quite tally with the admission record for our Sarah – although it’s possible that ‘our’ Sarah didn’t even know her exact date of birth.   

Initially I thought that Sarah was the daughter of William Adam, a cabinet maker but after extensive research I came across a marriage for William’s daughter Sarah marrying Daniel WOOLBRIDGE in 1874.  So, it was back to the drawing board but unfortunately, I have been unable to discover Sarah’s origins.  I will keep looking though, and hopefully in the future find her family.

Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %
Previous post CERVI, Theresa
Next post NORTHMORE Robert Henry