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b. 1877-d.1903
Isidra (pronounced ee-SEE-drah) is a female given name of Spanish origin.
When the 1901 census was taken, it was recorded that Isidra Rondon (sic) had been born around 1873 in Venezuela and was a South American subject. At the time, she was working as a housemaid for James and Helen Forbes, and their family, at 9 Nicoll Road, Willesden.
After she left the Forbes’ employment, she went to work as a domestic servant for Joshua and Margaret Bean who had lived at 33, Parsons Green, Fulham. Letters from her employers, found in her record held by the Fulham Workhouse Infirmary, gave more background details to this young woman’s life before she was admitted into the workhouse as a pauper lunatic.
It was while in their employment that Isidra had her first ‘attack’ that lasted for a few days in which she threatened to commit suicide. Later she also threatened to stab a doctor. A susception of drunkenness was also noted in the Fulham Workhouse admission records, which show that she was aged 25, single, Roman Catholic, and a servant of Mr and Mrs J K Bean. There was mention of an unnamed brother living somewhere in Spain.
Another document, dated 29th August 1902, recorded her as a person of unsound mind who needed to be put under proper care and control. It was the letter from Joshua Bean though, that gave more information:
Dear Sir,
Referring to Isedra (sic) Rondon and to my visit to your offices yesterday, I have this day forward, per Carter Paterson, the whole of her effects in two boxes which were packed by herself some few days ago when these fits came on her.
For the information of the authorities, I may say that she was originally bought over here by a person from Mexico and we believe stranded, and she came to our house one night about 11 o’clock homeless and, at the time, penniless. She came there because having got into conversation with the nursemaid of my cousin who was staying with us at the time, my wife had several times, under the impression that she was not being properly fed given her cake and other food through our maid from time to time. We took her in and kept her some time until a situation was procured for her through some people she had got to know at a Roman Catholic Church she attended. She left that situation and procured another one and ultimately left that and came again to us. Our servant, who has been with us for between seven and eight years, left to better herself and practically to permit of our taking Isedra Rondon in and she has been with us about five or six months.
For some time past we have had a little trouble with her as she seemed to become cunning and deceptive, but I had my own doctor attend her for the past week as we thought her unwell, but he came to the conclusion that there was nothing the matter with her.
She has somewhere between £8 and £9 in the Post Office Savings Bank which she has saved under the guidance of my wife, and I had recently promised that, if she did not spend her money and continued to save until Christmas, I would make up the fare and send her back to Venezuela of which country she is a native.
I believe you will find the Bank Book in the pocket of one of her trunks.
Yours faithfully,
J F Bean
There was also a partial letter remaining from Mrs Bean – “…….two years ago I took her in and got a job for her. She left this ?? and I took her in again. Since Sunday last she has become ?? change in her manner. She is very sleepless. She threatens to take her life, and she also threatened the doctor in attendance”.
One small, sad, statement from Isidra was recorded – “I told my master last night I would kill myself if left alone & I meant to do it. I do not know why”.
Observation notes at the time recorded that “She is incoherent in conversation & is variable. One moment she will scream & threaten & a few minutes later be quite genial. Last night she was very noisy & restless. She says she remembers being so, but she could not help it”.
Isidra was estimated to be aged 25 when she was admitted into Horton Asylum in Epsom on 8th September 1902. On admission she was described as having a clean body but had nits in her hair.
It was not until a few weeks later, on the 13th December 1902, that the Fulham Parish agreed on a settlement order for Isidra to be the responsibility of the City of London Parish. This was done on 18th December 1902 and Isidra stayed in Horton Asylum until her death four months later when she was about 30 years old.
Her death certificate records her as Isedra Rodden, and the results from a postmortem showed that Isidra had died on 14th April 1903 from ‘Chronic Heart Disease’.
Isidra’s body was buried in grave 200 in the Horton Estate Cemetery on 18th April 1903. A note on her burial record recorded that she was a Roman Catholic.
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