b.1883-d.1914
Ernest’s parents
Ernest Archibald Lambert’s birth was registered in 1883 in Southwark. His parents were William and Christina Lambert (née Clark). Ernest was their last child.He had eight siblings.
William Lambert was from Westminster. In 1864 he had married Christina Clark, a Scottish girl. The pair settled and raised their family in Southwark, living in multi -occupancy houses, as was common at that time. William was an iron molder. By the time Ernest was born some of his older siblings were already working and the family appeared to be managing well.
Early life
When Ernest was just two years old his father died, aged 41. Christina was able to get work as a housekeeper and take in lodgers. Older siblings were also working. The family stayed around the Southwark area.
1891 Census.
Ernest was living with his mother and three of his older siblings at 14 Clock Passage, Newington. They rented four rooms and his mother was working as a housekeeper. She also took a boarder to supplement the income.
Education
Ernest was educated at St George’s Road School; West Square and he reached the 7th standard aged 14. He was considered fairly well educated. When leaving school, Ernest was able to get work as a printer’s labourer.
1901 Census
Ernest was aged 17 and was now the last child living with his mother. They rented four rooms at 17 Burman Street, Southwark (now Union Street). They also had three boarders.
Marriage
On 17th July 1904 Ernest Archibald Lambert was to marry Lydia Rebecca Tarran in The Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels in Southwark. Both gave their ages as 21. Lydia was also from the Southwark area. It was the first marriage for both of them. Ernest was then working as a printer.
Lydia and Ernest were married just nine years before he was admitted to Horton Asylum. Within those years Lydia had six pregnancies. This was recorded in the Horton Asylum case notes, although it appears not all the babies’ births were registered. The case notes detail the pregnancies:
- Louisa Christina Lambert was born in January 1905. She was premature and died aged 12 days.
- The second baby was stillborn and thought not to be registered.
- Lily Louisa Lambert was born in 1907. She died on 11th June 1910 at two years of age whilst she was on her way to Guy’s Hospital. Lily died of measles and whooping cough.
- Emma Elizabeth Lambert was born in January 1910. She was the only child to survive infancy.
- A miscarriage
- Lydia Rebecca Lambert was born on 5th January 1913. She died aged 9 months of meningitis and bronchopneumonia.
Through these early years of marriage, it appears that Ernest continued working as a printer’s labourer.
1911 Census
By the time of the 1911 census Ernest, Lydia and their only surviving daughter Emma were living in one room at 17 Arnott Street, New Kent Road. The idea of sharing houses in many ways would be similar to the concept of present-day houses turned into several flats. The area would be what is now called Elephant and Castle. In the late nineteenth century it was a broad and open roadway, planted with trees on either side. Ernest was working as a printer’s assistant and Lydia was also working as a cocoa packer. It is possible that Lydia worked at the very large Menier’s chocolate factory, which was just a couple of minutes walk from where they lived. With both Ernest and Lydia working, it is hard to understand why the family were living in just one room. Until this time, they usually were renting three or four rooms.
Horton Case Notes
When Ernest was admitted to Horton Asylum on 5th February 1913 he was 29 years old. Lydia, his wife, supplied his history, stating this was his first episode of illness and had lasted four days. Ernest’s occupation was now recorded as a timber porter, although most other records still said printer.
Lydia reports that Ernest had been in Wormwood Scrubs for seven days prior to his admission for being drunk. The previous year he had served a one-month sentence for assault. No records can be found for these charges.
1913
On 11th January, just five days after the birth of his last child Lydia, Ernest was admitted to St George’s Workhouse on a 179 Police Order. He was discharged the same day at his own request. The workhouse records do not detail any reasons for the admission. Two weeks later Ernest was admitted to Newington Workhouse and discharged the same day to St George’s Workhouse. Again there are no details. Ernest’s admission was very short, as two weeks later on 3rd February 1913, he was again re-admitted to St George’s Workhouse, Mint Street on a 179 Police Order. This time his entry in the Lunatic Examination Book (on admission), states there are delusions regarding money and transfer is arranged to Horton Asylum three days later.
The workhouse records don’t give a clear picture of the difficulties there were and it is likely problems had been arising for some time. The Horton Case Notes give the family’s address as 22 Salisbury Row, Walworth. Ernest was described as boasting he had thousands of pounds, property and he was a champion boxer. None of which was true. Ernest had never boxed. He also claimed that his three-year-old daughter Emma was a boxer and she could move a team of horses. Ernest was said to have been drinking in bouts for some years. Ernest’s general health was good but he was restless and overactive. He believed he was staying at ‘The Horton Hotel’. After admission his restlessness and delusions remained. He got quarrelsome with fellow patients who he wanted to box. At times Ernest was sedated and kept in bed. He never left Horton and he gradually got weaker. Ernest was a patient for nearly two years when he died at Horton on 19th December 1914. During his stay, his youngest daughter Lydia died of meningitis. She was just nine months old. It is not known if Ernest’s wife Lydia ever visited or kept in contact with her husband following his admission.
Cause of Ernest Archibald Lambert’s death
1. General Paralysis of the Insane
2. Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Ernest died on the 19th December 1914. He was buried at The Horton Estate Cemetery on 24th December 1914.
A year after Ernest’s death Lydia married a widower, Thomas Ward, who lived nearby in New Kent Road. They went on to have at least seven children together, who all reached adulthood. Lydia Ward died in 1953.
Ernest and Lydia’s only surviving child, Emma Elizabeth, lived until she was 73 and died in the Isle of Wight.
Author’s note
- Ernest had caught syphilis at the age of 15. Untreated it often ended in General Paralysis of the Insane. GPI usually develops 10-30 years after a syphilitic infection and symptoms include dementia, personality changes and cognitive impairment. It was widely considered the deadliest disease of psychiatry at the time. The course of GPI was one of steady and progressive mental and physical deterioration ending in death. According to the Royal College of Physicians by the late nineteenth century up to 20% of British male asylum admissions received that diagnosis. They were mostly in their thirties and forties.
- St George’s Workhouse in Mint Street is thought to have provided Charles Dickens with the inspiration for some of his writing, including the scene in Oliver Twist where the boy asks for more.
- 179 Police Order: It has not been possible to find out why this order was made and what it was. It was likely for minor offence/disturbances, and probably something under the Vagrancy Act. After some assessment Ernest may have been allowed home as he had a wife to look after him.