GILMORE, James

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b.1833-d.1902

One Man or Two?

This is an interesting tale of a man whose details differ depending on where they are recorded. Sometimes he is a hawker, others a labourer; at times he is single, other times a widower; sometimes from Ireland and sometimes from Scotland.  We could indeed suggest that there are two James Gilmours of the same age in and out of the same workhouse. It has not yet been possible to unravel the mystery.

James Gilmore was first found when he was admitted into the St George’s Union, Fulham Road Workhouse, Westminster, on 10^th November 1887. He appears many times over the years as going in and out of the workhouse system where they recorded that he was a Roman Catholic and working as a labourer or a hawker in-between being discharged and readmitted.

Regular Visitor to the Workhouse

The 1891 Census recorded James as an inmate that night in the St George’s Union, Fulham Road Workhouse. He was recorded as being a single 58-year-old labourer born in 1835 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

The St George Union Workhouse Admissions ledger shows that James Gilmore was again admitted to Fulham Road Workhouse on 6^th June 1900. It was recorded that he was a Roman Catholic who was working as a Hawker. There are other admission entries around this date that state he was also still working as a labourer.

On 8^th August 1900, by orders of a magistrate, James was escorted by PC 300 to the Greenwich Workhouse on Woolwich Road. They reported that he was working as a Hawker but was homeless. He was transferred to the workhouse infirmary the same day. Woolwich Road is about 13.5 miles away from Fulham Road, but he could have been wandering around trying to sell whatever his wares were and was too far away from home to return.

On 21^st March 1901 James, recorded as being 68 years old, was again admitted to Fulham Road Workhouse. He was labelled as a lunatic and as having no known relatives. He was this time recorded as being a labourer. After being discharged from Fulham Road Workhouse on 27^th March 1901, James was then admitted to Bethnal House, a Licensed House for Lunatics in Bethnal Green, London. 

Four days later, on 31^st March, the 1901 census was taken. James’ age was recorded as being 67, (birth year 1833) but this time his birthplace was recorded as being in Donegal, Ireland. The census also recorded that he was a hawker, and that he was now a widower. Whether or not James had married between the censuses is uncertain.

A year later, on 5^th April 1902, James was moved to Horton Asylum in Epsom where he died a few months later. His death certificate states that he was aged 69 when he died from senile decay in the Horton Asylum on 12^th August 1902. It also records that he was “a Hawker of St George’s Workhouse, Fulham Road”.

James’ body was buried in grave 38 in the Horton Estate Cemetery on 16^th August 1902.

Author’s Note

Admissions and Discharge Dates to St Georges Union, Fulham Street Workhouse

About Post Author

Hazel Ballan

fohchb@hortoncemetery.org

http://www.hortoncemetery.org

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