Caroline AUSTIN
Caroline Austin was born Caroline Harriet Florey on 8 October 1870 at 19 James Street, Maidstone. Her parents were William Florey, a quarry labourer, and his wife Charlotte Eliza Banks . There must have been some concern about Caroline’s survival, for she was given a private baptism a month later.
Caroline’s father seems to have used the names Florey and Austin interchangeably. He was the illegitimate son of Caroline Elizabeth Florey, who later married a William Austin.
The family were still at 19 James Street at the time of the 1871 census, living with Caroline’s grandparents and using the name Austin.
In 1874, a brother William Henry Charles was born. His birth was registered as William Henry Charles Flory. Mother Charlotte gave her maiden name as Bailey (her mother’s married name). He was baptised as William Henry Charles Flory.
In 1876 a brother, Thomas Joseph, was born. His birth was registered as Florey, mother’s maiden name Banks, and he was baptised as Thomas Joseph Florey in February 1977.
In the 1881 census, the family was split between London and Maidstone: Caroline and Thomas were with their mother in Watery Lane, Maidstone, while young William was with their father in Meeting House Lane, Camberwell (all using the name Austin or Austen).
Caroline in the Workhouse
At the time of the 1891 census, Caroline was in the Gordon Road workhouse in Camberwell. As far as we can tell, she’d been there for nearly a year, perhaps longer.
Workhouse records suggest that Caroline remained in Camberwell’s care for the next four years, moving between various workhouses: Constance Road, Birkbeck, Havil Street, Gordon Road. Finally, in September 1895 she was judged to be of unsound mind and ordered to be admitted to Fisherton asylum in Wiltshire, where she stayed for nearly four years before being transferred to Manor in June 1899.
When she was admitted to Fisherton her age was incorrectly recorded as 19 instead of 25, and so when she came to Manor her age was recorded as 23.
At Manor she was diagnosed as an imbecile.
“An imbecile by deformation (was blind and partially deaf from a very early age). Can speak well. Is dull and unintelligent gives very poor answers to questions asked. Has a poor memory. Says her age is 41. She shows a certain superficial smartness, one might almost say cunning in the way in which she answers some questions. She is impulsive and passionate: got into a violent rage because the nurse called her ‘Carry’ and yet when asked why had no reason to give.”
The Manor address book lists her father’s address as 19 Ruby Street (where he had lived in 1891) but is noted that mail was returned “not known”.
Caroline died at Manor on 13 February 1900 from acute pneumonia and heart failure. The pneumonia was said to be caused by her habit of lying on a cold floor after lying in front of a fire. She could not be persuaded to sit on a chair.