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b.1881-d.1923
Rose Ellen DALY was born at 23 Rhyl Street, Kentish Town, St. Pancras on 3rd July 1881 to James & Mary Ann/Marian DALY (née Townshend).
Rose’s parents
Rose’s parents married the following year on 20 December 1882 at St. James the Great, Bethnal Green. Her mother gave her surname as Barnsley and stated that she was a spinster, but I later discovered that this was her second marriage.
Rose’s mother, Mary Ann TOWNSHEND initially married George Thomas BARNSLEY at All Souls Church, Marylebone on 20 August 1856. Mary Ann and George went on to have three children including William Frederick BARNSLEY who was born in St Pancras in 1859 and baptised 22 April 1860 at Holy Trinity, Haverstock Hill, Camden.
On the 1861 census, Rose’s mother, Mary Barnsley is 25 years old (born c1836) and living in Dukes Terrace, St Pancras with children George aged 3, William aged 1 and Ann 1month. Mary says she’s married and is a ‘laundress’. However, there is no sign of her husband. After further investigation I found the death of her husband George Barnsley on 21 February 1868 in Calcutta, India. His probate entry says he was a Steward aboard the merchant ship “Royal George”; his address is given as 19 Duke’s Terrace, Maldon Road, Kentish Town, Middx. Following George’s early death, life must have been very difficult financially for a widow with three small children.
Source: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
Later Census Records
Despite a thorough search, I have been unable to find Rose’s mother or half-siblings on the 1871 census.
Looking at the 1881 census I found Mary Ann now ‘married’ to James DALEY and living at 23 Rhyl Street, Kentish Town with children Mary Ann aged 9, Albert aged 4 and John aged 2. At the end of this year, ‘our’ Rose Ellen is born in this house. By the time of the next census, Rose/Rosina is 9 years old and still living at No. 23 with her parents and brothers Albert and John. The house is shared with 4 other families.
The 1901 census finds Rose (Rosina) aged 19, living at 63 Allcroft Road, St. Pancras (just a 5 minute walk from where she was born in Rhyl Street) with parents James and Mary Ann DALY and brother John. Throughout the records, Rose’s father is described as a ‘house painter’.
Children then Marriage
On 30 November 1908, we find Rose Eileen DALEY being admitted to St. Pancras workhouse with daughter Rose Eileen DALEY (born 5.12.1907). Soon after her admittance, Rose gives birth to an ‘illegitimate’ son Frederick John who is baptised on the 23rd. All three are then discharged on 30 December. Their address on admittance was 45 Hawley Road, St. Pancras.
Source: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1921
In the second quarter of 1909, Rose married her widowed half-brother, William Frederick BARNSLEY. William was approximately 20 years older than Rose and had been married previously (his first wife, Fannie Maria WALDEN had died in 1904). Could this have been a marriage of convenience for Rose who had two illegitimate children?
1911 Census
By the time of the 1911 Census, William, now aged 50 and Rosa aged 33 were living at 10 Clarendon Square Somers Town with William’s sons from his first marriage (William Fredk aged 17 and George Thomas, 15) and their own daughter Dorothy aged 1 month. William is working as a ‘builder’s porter’.
Rose’s children
Rose’s asylum Case Notes state that she has had four children although two have died. Her first child, Rose Eileen was born 5.12.1907 and died in 1909; her second child, Fredk. John was born Q1 1908 and died in 1909. The other two children were Marian (Dorothy) BARNSLEY, born 1910, and Masie Deborah Rebecca BARNSLEY, born 1912.
Admission and Asylum Story
Rose Ellen Barnsley was admitted to St. Pancras Workhouse on 9 September 1914; her home address is given as Clarendon Square. A few days later, on the 16th, she was admitted to Manor Asylum aged 31 years. Until this point in time I have found no evidence of any health issues with Rose.
Her admittance record describes her as 4ft 9in tall and weighing 7st. 11 lbs. Her occupation was given as ‘housewife’ and her initial cause for admittance was ‘prolonged stress’, which she has suffered from for a month.
The Charge Nurse of the Mental Ward at St. Pancras Infirmary described Rose as “depressed, cannot sleep, says her food is poisoned and talks to imaginary people”.
The admittance notes also state that Rose’s mother was ‘insane’ but that she was never treated in an asylum. These notes also tell us that Rose had married her half-brother and that this was now ‘troubling her recently’.
Rose’s medical notes throughout her time in the asylum system are consistent. In September 1914, the records state “Sleeps fairly well, quiet. Takes her food. Statement: … Is dull and depressed. Hangs her head and takes no interest or notice of anything going on around, unable to sustain a rational conversation; memory much impaired, says she feels miserable and thought that mercury had been put into her food. Is restless and resistive at times. In moderate health. Has infantile paralysis of left leg. The same month “She is still very dull and depressed; has hallucinations of hearing and believes that poison has been put in her food. Very restless and resistive”
In August 1916, Rose was transferred to Claybury Asylum in Essex when Manor Asylum became a War Hospital. Rose’s notes from September of that year shows her to be “suffering from chronic mania. Her conversation is rambling and coherent. Believes her food is poisoned. Hears imaginary voices.”
On 23rd November 1917, Rose was suffering from influenza, by 9th December she had recovered and was transferred back to Manor Asylum. Notes from 19th and 21st August 1920, describe Rose as “irrational and rambles incoherently in her conversation. She is restless, troublesome and becomes more demented. In poor bodily health. There is no change in her mental condition and is much demented; poor health.”
On 22nd December 1920, Rose was transferred to Horton Mental Hospital. Unfortunately, there are no further notes from this date. Rose died on 31st December 1923 and wais buried at Horton in Grave # 448b.
Author’s notes
Rose Ellen’s story is very confusing. Her first two children are listed in the workhouse records with the surnames DALEY but the birth of the first child (Rose) is recorded under Rose’s husband’s name and the second child (Frederick) has his birth recorded under his mother’s maiden name.
Rose had probably known her much older, half-brother all her life and they were obviously close. Was their marriage possibly a ‘marriage of convenience’ – she would have had two young (and probably illegitimate) children when she married him and he was a widower.
Rose Ellen had a large family; two step-sons and three daughters, I wonder if any of them visited her during her hospitalisation? Her husband and half-brother, William Barnsley survived her by several years.
CASE NOTES
from Admission records (#1):
admitted 16 September ?1914? aged 31yrs; height 4ft 9in; weight 7st. 11 lbs.
marriage; occupation ‘housewife’;
union: St. Pancras
Cause of insanity: prolonged stress
Not previously treated anywhere
Facts indicating insanity at time of Examination: in the middle of a remark the patient stops and sits staring at nothing. Knows neither the day of the week, nor month. Can hear the gramophone; ?? all her past life and reporting fully things; she believes her food is poisoned with mercury and she hears imaginary people speaking to her.
Facts communicated by others: Davy Headley?, Charge Nurse Mental Ward St. Pancras Infirmary said that the patient is depressed, cannot sleep, says her food is poisoned and talks to imaginary people.
Personal History (#2):
suffered from infantile paralysis
modest intellect; poor education
4 children – 2 dead
Under Temperament, “cheerful”
Under Causes: prolonged stress. She has married her half-brother, so being a son of her mother by a previous husband. This has been troubling her recently. Her mother was insane, but was not sent to an asylum. Her father was paralysed in left foot (result of a fall when young?)
Ages at marriage: 42 and 27 ?
Physical Conditions (#3)
Bruises on arms and legs
Nutrition: fair
Expression: vacant
Nervous (motor): gait limping
Mental Condition on Admission
She is dull and lethargic. Hangs her head and takes little notice of what goes on about her. She is depressed and weeps at intervals. She has little idea of her surroundings. Thinks she is at Claybury. Her memory is much impaired. She has vague delusions of persecution; thinks her food is poisoned by mercury and that she has been put here out of spite. She is very restless and inclined to be resistive.
Medical Notes
#4 1914-1915
Sept. 1914: Sleeps fairly well, quiet. Takes her food
Statement: … Is dull and depressed. Hangs her head and takes no interest or notice of anything going on around, unable to sustain a rational conversation; memory much impaired, says she feels miserable and thought that mercury had been put into her food. Is restless and resistive at times. In moderate health. Has infantile paralysis of left leg.
Sept. 28 1914: She is still very dull and depressed; has hallucinations of hearing and believes that poison has been put in her food. Very restless and resistive …
Oct. 5th 1914: She is a little brighter, she still retains her hallucinations … depressed at times. In moderate health.
Oct. 12th 1914: She is very dull and at times depressed. Her memory is much impaired , says she has lost? Her hallucinations…… In moderate health.
Oct. 19th 1914: She is dull and sullen; becomes depressed at times. Hears ac………..ions against her etc. Her memory is much impaired. In poor health.
Nov 19th 1914: Auditory hallucinations persist. Memory is impaired. Is restless, ?noisy? at times. Refuses to employ herself. Poor health.
Dec 19th 1914: She is sullen and ?morose. Has hallucinations of hearing. Her memory is much impaired. Idle .
Jan 19 1915: She remains in the same dull state; sullen and morose? At times. Her memory is defective. Hears voices ‘over the walls’. Idle. Poor health.
Apr 19th 1915: She is still sullen and morose; mistakes identities; her memory is much impaired. Health improving, sent to Ward J.
#5 1916 to Feb 1917
Oct 19th 1915: Full of delusions of persecution. Says she has had clamps put on her and at night hears ……………….. underground and overground……… Idle. Tries to escape. Fair health.
Feb 9th 1916: Her delusions of persecution are as pronounced as ever. Says she has been drugged and debauched every night since coming here. Noisy and quarrelsome. Attempts to escape. Idle. Fair health.
Transf. to Claybury ?8th Aug 1916 (due to Manor becoming a War Hospital)
Aug 8th 1916: She is the subject of chronic mania. Says she was drugged for ………………….. purposes. That …………………… messages are being passed into her body and that a …………… is being placed in her food. States she has been possessed with ………………………. She is in good health and condition.
Nov 8th 1916: Noisy, quarrelsome and ………………. Deluded. Fair health.
Sept. 14th: Discharged ‘relieved; by operation of law (lapse of Reception Order); readmitted same day.
Sept 21st: She is suffering from chronic mania. Her conversation is rambling and coherent. Believes her food is poisoned. Hears imaginary voices. Has electrical shocks and sees imaginary objects. She is in good health and condition.
Feb 8th 1917: No change from above. Fair health.
Aug 14 1917: She is suffering from chronic mania. She is noisy, restless and resistive. She is deluded and believes her food is poisoned and that people interfere with her at night.
Dec 1917: weight 6st 7lbs; Jan 6st 8lbs; Feb 6st 7lbs.
#6 end 1917; 15th Aug 1918
Aug 15th 1918: She is suffering from secondary de? She is confused and ……… When questioned she rambles incoherently about her form delusions. In fair bodily health and conditions.,
Nov 23rd 1917: Put to bed, temp 100, influenza
Dec 9th 1917: Recovered from influenza
Dec. 3rd 1919 ??: Transferred to Manor
Jan 2nd 1920: In bed 16.12.1919 to 1.1.1920 – Boils
Feb 25th 1920: Very rambling … Restless and troublesome. Says her friend Julia Glover? Is in the bed and has come to get her out. Health poor.
May 21 1920: She is unable to converse rationally; much ….. and poor health.
Aug 19 1920: Special Report & Certificate. D………….. She is irrational and rambles incoherently in her conversation. She is restless, troublesome and becomes more demented. In poor bodily health.
Aug 21st 1920: There is no change in her mental condition and is much demented; poor health.
Dec 19th 1920: ……………. In bed. Has VDH – infantile paralysis ………..
Dec 22nd 1920: Transferred to Horton Mental Hospital
No more notes after Dec. 1920.
