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b.1874 – d.1915
Andrea was born in the 4th Quarter of 1874 in the Registration District of Prescot, which is near Liverpool.
In 1881 she was living with her parents and siblings at 5 Denbigh Terrace in the town of Liscard in Cheshire.
The Census for the time records the following:
- Andrew Elder Dick, head, married aged 36. He was a Marine Insurance Broker and had been born in Clackmannan in Scotland.
- Elizabeth Niven Dick, (maiden name Browning), wife, married, aged 40. No occupation known. She had also been born in Clackmannan.
- William B Dick, son aged 11 born Liverpool
- Archibald B Dick, son aged 9, born Huyton Quarry, Lancashire
- James B Dick, son aged 8, born Whistow, Lancashire
- Andrea E Dick, daughter aged 6, born Whistow, Lancashire
- Katherine M H Dick, daughter aged 4, born Whistow, Lancashire
- John P B Dick, son aged 4 months, born New Brighton, Cheshire
Also living in the house were three single females:
- Emma E Adkinson, aged 31, a governess, born Mobberly, Cheshire.
- Sarah A Adkinson, aged 26 who is listed as a visitor and she is a Lady’s Companion. She was born in Winslow, Cheshire.
- Margaret B Dickson, aged 16, who is listed as a Domestic Servant, born in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
From the General Record Office birth records we can see that all the male sons were given an additional Christian name of Browning, which was their mother’s maiden name. Hence, William Browning Dick, Archibald Browning Dick, James Browning Dick and finally John Percival Browning Dick.
In 1891 the family had moved to London and were living at 94 Mildmay Road, Islington, North London. (This may have been useful for Andrew as a Marine Insurance Broker being close to the City and in particular Lloyds Insurance market). All the family are here but are 10 years older, of course. Some now have occupations. William, aged 21, is a Cashier (shipping), Archibald, 19 is an Electrical Engineer and James 18, a Clerk for a Marine Insurance Broker (probably his father’s business). There are no domestic staff but there is an additional member of the family, a niece, Theodora Dick aged 27, who has no occupation shown, but is a visitor from Scotland.
In the 1901 Census we find that the family has moved to Hackney in East London. They are living at 69 Forbury Road. However, three of the sons have moved on elsewhere and the household is now Andrew Dick, 57, Marine Insurance Agent, an employer, his wife Elizabeth aged 60, and their three children, Andrea, age 26, Katherine, aged 24 and John aged 20 who is shown as an African Trader. None of the female residents are shown to have occupations.
In the 1911 Census Andrea is found as a patient at Manor Asylum in Epsom, Surrey. In the census the names of patients are not given but only their Initials. It is possible to identify some individuals from combining initials with age and/or place of birth or occupation. Andrea is identified by her initials AED, her age at 36, single with no known occupation and significantly her birthplace as Prescot, Lancashire. As with most patients she is listed as a Lunatic, with a number written alongside 25. It is believed that the number represents the age at which the patient was known to have been afflicted. Without access at present to the Manor Asylum Admission Records it is not known when and in what circumstances Andrea arrived at the Asylum. She has not been found in the listings in the UK Lunacy Patients Admission Registers 1846-1912.
In 1915 Andrea dies whilst at the Asylum. She was buried in the Horton Estate Cemetery on the 11th February 1915, aged 40.
Author’s thoughts
Whilst Andrea lived 40 years there is little known about her other than her birth and death and when she can be identified in the census years. These entries do not reveal she ever had any occupation and nor do they ever suggest any impairment until 1911. She appears to have come from a good home background and family. There is no evidence of any marriage. Why did her family members allow her to be buried in a pauper’s grave in Horton Cemetery?
