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b.1858-d.1910
A summary of the evidence it has been possible to locate for Arnold is a sad story.
Arnold was born Conrad Arnold August Bahruth in 1858 in Germany. The first time Arnold appears in the UK records (so far) is his marriage in 1899 in Hampstead, London to Alice Weigh, so we shall start with Alice
In Q1-1894, Alice gave birth to a son, William (Reg’d Islington, Q2-1894, 1b, 246). Alice had entered the workhouse on 10th April 1894 heavily pregnant, and discharged herself at own request on 30 June 1894. William is recorded at 3 months old.
In 1899, Conrad Arnold August Bahruth (41) marries Alice Weigh (32), who he is living with. His father is named as Johann Henry Bahruth (deceased)
1900s
In 1901, on January 12th, their daughter Alice Elsie is born. Later in life, she switches her name in the records to Elsie Alice.
In the 1901 census Arnold is living with his wife at10 Sheldon Road, Willesden Hendon. William aged 6, is with them along with Alice who is now two months old. They also have a general servant living with them named Emily Nicholas, aged 26 years, who was born in Brighton. In the census Arnold is given as a pot man in a pub yet they have a servant living with them. This suggests that the quality of life was comfortable. The F.S. in the final column is believe to mean “Foreign Subject” as others in the same street from other countries have the same entry.
In 1903, on March 14th, their daughter Marie is born in Willesden London and on 7th June 1905, a daughter Dorothy is born. She is baptised in Emmanuel Church, Hampstead on July 23rd 1905. The family are now living in 54 Ravenshaw Street, Hampstead.
Arnold Bahruth is recorded in the 1907 Electoral List as living in two rooms on the first floor of 54 Ravenshaw Street.
Long Grove
On April 6th 1908, Arnold is admitted to Long Grove, Epsom.
Once (Conrad) Arnold enters the asylum system, the children begin to go in and out of the workhouse system. Alice is still living at Ravenshaw Street, Hampstead. Their mother Alice seems to try to discharge them at intervals which suggests that she was desperate but tried to bring them home when she could. It feels sad that when his children were put into the workhouse school, that at least one of them was placed in the school in Ewell/Banstead, not far from their father. In 1908 their daughter, Alice Elsie Bahruth, starts school at Marlesford Lodge School (workhouse). On November 6th 1908, she is discharged from Marlesford lodge to her mother. On November 27th 1908, Alice Elsie Bahruth, daughter (aka Elsie Alice) is admitted to the Banstead School.
In 1910 on January 13th, Conrad Arnold August Bahruth (Recorded as Arnold Bahruth) dies at Long Grove, Epsom, aged 52 years. He is buried at Horton cemetery in grave number 665b.
Family after Conrad
Later that year, on 15th October 1910, Alice’s 16-year-old son William died. He was one of the boys from the Mount Edgcumbe Training Ship, an Industrial school ship. The Industrial Schools Act, 1866 allowed any person to bring any child under the age of 14 years before a magistrate. If the child was found to be in need of care and protection, he could be committed to a certified industrial school. for as long as was considered necessary, but not beyond the age of sixteen years.
In the 1911 census, Alice Bahruth is living with two of her children- Marie and Dorothy in 25 Palmerston Road, Kilburn NW, Hampstead, London and Middlesex. She is a widow and working as a charwoman.
In 1911 census, Elsie is an inmate at the Banstead school workhouse. The location is Fir Tree Road Banstead, just a stone’s throw from Epsom race course and a 15 minute drive to Long Grove Hospital.
On May 25th 1914 Dorothy Bahruth, daughter, is discharged from Camden Workhouse to her mother.
On June 26th 1915, Alice Elsie Bahruth, daughter (aka Elsie Alice) is discharged from the Banstead school.
After 1914, there is no further evidence of Marie in the records.
In 1927, Alice Elsie Bahruth, daughter marries to John Mitchell in Hampstead. They continue to live in the area. There is no evidence of children. In 1939, in the census, Alice Elsie Mitchell is shown as residing in Harrow. She is a shorthand typist. Her husband John works for John Lewis as a manager.
In 1937, Alice Bahruth, wife of Arnold dies.
Through the 1930s, Dorothy Bahruth, daughter is shown in directories as living in Hammersmith, unmarried.
In 1939, Dorothy is a filing clerk in Haringey. She is living in the same house as her sister Marie – 13 Ravenshaw Road, Finchley.
Marie is now married to Rudolf Seaford and they have a daughter Margaret J and probably another daughter Kathleen (record closed). Rudolf is a hairdresser, like his father was before him.
Seaford is an Anglicisation of Seifert, Rudolf being born Augustus Theodore Rudolf Seifert in 1896. Perhaps the names changed during the war.
It is gratifying to see that both Dorothy and Alice Elsie were educated well and secured good jobs. Their early years in the workhouses and their mother’s struggle are behind them.
In 1953 Margaret J Seaford, grand-daughter to Arnold marries Gilbert G Brown in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
In 1981, daughter Alice Elsie Mitchell nee Bahruth dies in Brent, London.
In 1987, Dorothy Bahruth dies in Hitchen, Hertfordshire
In 1989 Marie Joan Seaford nee Bahruth dies in St Albans.
The last of Arnold’s children are now dead.
Further research
There are several links for Bahruth in German records, but it was not possible to easily pin down our man. I suspect with time that a researcher may well achieve this.
