needlewoman Archives - Friends of Horton Cemetery

COMPTON, Emma

Roger MillerJuly 30, 2023July 31, 2023

The story of Emma Compton appeared unexceptional at the outset. However, we did uncover a few surprises during our research.

Asylum Female Burials Manor Asylum Photo

COLSON, Mary Ann

Sally NestorMarch 20, 2022May 21, 2023

The Lambeth Needlewoman

WILSON, Eleanor Lydia Kate

b.1865 - d.1914 Eleanor Emily Lydia Kate Maule was born on the 11th October 1865 at Westminster, London. She was the daughter of William and…

WILSON, Eleanor Lydia Kate
SULLIVAN, Agnes

b.1877 – d.1927 Intro Had it not been for the Manor address book, we would never have unravelled this story. The addresses gave us the…

SULLIVAN, Agnes
VAHID, Henrietta

b.1873-d.1915 A story full of mysteries and unanswered questions Henrietta Vahid was buried in Horton Estate Cemetery at Epsom in Grave number 1789b on the…

VAHID, Henrietta
CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth

The Domestic Servant

CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
ALLEN, Mary Ann

b.1849-d.1913 I was unable to find Mary’s birth on the General Register Office website but her baptism certificate gives her date of birth as 3…

ALLEN, Mary Ann
GORSUCH, Joseph

b.1846 - d.1916 Joseph Francis Gorsuch was born on the 7th of May 1846 at City Road, St Luke, Shoreditch, London, England to parents William…

GORSUCH, Joseph
STASZEWICZ, Felicja

How the Russian Revolution destroyed a family of Polish nobility

STASZEWICZ, Felicja
WHITROD, Elizabeth

Coping with 6 family deaths within 4 months

WHITROD, Elizabeth
YEO, Marian Elizabeth

The silver polisher

YEO, Marian Elizabeth
REEVE, Jane Sarah

b.1840-d.1912 Jane’s family Jane Sarah Reeve was born on 10th January 1840 and was baptised on 9th February 1840 in St Mary’s Church Marylebone. Her…

REEVE, Jane Sarah
GARCÍA, Félix

Famous Flamenco dancer and Picasso's muse

GARCÍA, Félix
THREDGILL, Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth

b.1858-d.1911 Note: The unusual name has several different spellings throughout the archived documents. Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth Thredgill is the name on the burial record.…

THREDGILL, Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth
FELL, Sachinais Alicia

b.1873 - d.1910 When I began my research into Sachinais, very little could be found. The only records showing such a name are the records…

FELL, Sachinais Alicia
BOLTON, Thomas

b.1862 – d.1912. Thomas's family Thomas’s birth is recorded in records variously between 1859 (1891 Census) and 1862 (admission records)and no baptism has been found,…

BOLTON, Thomas
BUCKERIDGE, Lily Ada

b.1873-d.1914 Lily Ada Buckeridge was born on 8th Sept 1873 in Deptford Kent. Her parents were John Thomas Buckeridge (1848 –1924) born in Newbury, Berkshire…

BUCKERIDGE, Lily Ada
DODD, George

The French Polisher

DODD, George
STREET, John

It is not clear why John entered Manor hospital. His family were interesting. John's brother George, a builder, left £6m in his will. His son…

STREET, John
PELHAM, George

Survivor of The Titanic

PELHAM, George
HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd

b.1846-d.1930 Sarah’s story was brought to us by her family and they are happy for it to go on our website. They kindly provided the…

HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
ENDERSON, Gertrude

b.1863-d.1918 Uncertain origins This lady’s birth is uncertain. Searching the registrations of birth I was unable to find a Gertrude Enderson born within two years…

ENDERSON, Gertrude
FRESTON, Catherine Louisa

b. 1829 - d. 1914 Intro Catherine Louisa Edward’s precise date of birth is not known but she was baptised on the 24th August 1829…

FRESTON, Catherine Louisa
KILMINSTER, George Thomas

The Kensington Plumber

KILMINSTER, George Thomas
MILTON, Maria

Maria MILTON gave birth to 11 children, a challenging life that ended in Horton Asylum.

MILTON, Maria
KING, Harriet

b.1836 - d.1913 Introduction: I took on this story and at first thought it might be a nice easy one to complete, but how wrong…

KING, Harriet
WATERER, Richard James

A 20ft fall led to strange behaviour

WATERER, Richard James
WILSON, Frederick Leon

The common story of someone with epilepsy whose life was marred by a lack of understanding of the condition.

WILSON, Frederick Leon
FAY, Tottie

The Worst and Wickedest Woman in London

FAY, Tottie
BOWDERY, Agnes Bessie

b.1844-d.1914 Agnes Bessie Corke was born in the 4th Quarter of 1844 in the Registration District of Camberwell, London, although her actual birth place was…

BOWDERY, Agnes Bessie
HOWARD, Frank

b. 1876 - d. 1912 Frank’s appearance in the Lunacy Register and his hospital admission form do not record his DOB but according to the…

HOWARD, Frank
HIRONS, Matilda Lucy

b.1861-d.1909 Matilda's parents In 1858, Henry Franklin Hiron, an engineer, married Matilda Fell in Stepney. Matilda was the daughter of another engineer and plumber, Richard…

HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
WOOD, Mary Ann

b.1837 - d.1911 Mary Ann Wood neé Pearce was born abt.1836 in Hackney, Middlesex, England. Her birth is too early to locate on the GRO…

WOOD, Mary Ann
CASSAN, John Sheffield

The Hollywood film star's brother.

CASSAN, John Sheffield
BRYANT, Percy Henry

b.1890-d.1914 Percy’s family and early life Percy was born, the eldest of seven children, on 2nd December 1890 and baptised on 22nd February at St…

BRYANT, Percy Henry
EARING, Mary Ann

There is no hint of any mental health problems until Mary Ann enters the Asylum in 1899. He family remain attentive and visit her many…

EARING, Mary Ann
LEWIS, James

b.1859-d.1912 James's parents and siblings James was born on 30 September 1859 in the Camden Union workhouse and at his baptism on 19 Oct 1859…

LEWIS, James
CUTHBERT, Thomasine

b.1845 - d.1915 Throughout her life, the names of Thomasine, Thomasina, and Thomasinie have been used. Thomasina Bridie was born ~1845 in Anstruther-Easter, Fife, Scotland,…

CUTHBERT, Thomasine
CORKE, Henrietta

The author says, "This has been such an interesting case to try to unravel and kept a couple of us up to the early hours…

CORKE, Henrietta
GILBERT, George Frederick

Died aged just 22

GILBERT, George Frederick
JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose

b.1899-d.1918 Grace Ethel Primrose Jones was born on 19th April 1899. She was the eldest child of Frederick Albert Jones (1874 - 1927), a stationer's packer,…

JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
GLENISTER, Arthur

b.1873-d.1917 Long Grove records have Arthur dying in 1917 at the age of 44, so he was born about 1873. I found his birth registered…

GLENISTER, Arthur
HONEY, Joseph Thomas

b.1843 – d.1912 Early Life Joseph Thomas was the fifth of seven children born to Joseph Honey (1804-81) andMargery Couch (1811-66) who were both born…

HONEY, Joseph Thomas
APPLETON, Caroline Sophia

b.1831-d.1911 Caroline’s parents Caroline Sophia Appleton was born Caroline Sophia Barnaschina in the 1st quarter of 1831 in Gravesend, Kent. Her parents were upholsterer Anthony…

APPLETON, Caroline Sophia
BENTLEY or MACHON, Minnie

The young bookkeeper and the Silk Merchant

BENTLEY or MACHON, Minnie
SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia

The giggling tomboy

SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
SEARS, Emma

b.1865-d.1914 Known Facts Emma Sears died at the age of about 49 whilst a patient at Manor Asylum, Epsom, Surrey. Her alleged age suggested a…

SEARS, Emma
MASSEY, Harriet

b.1832-d.1907 Death I have had to start at the end of Harriet Massey's life and try to work backwards in order to tell her story. …

MASSEY, Harriet
BELLAMY, Louisa

Lost her twin brother, aged 4

BELLAMY, Louisa
COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)

b.1845-d.1915 Mary Ann’s parents Mary Ann Myring’s birth is registered in the 4th quarter of 1845 in Sapcote which is a small town around 12…

COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
FRANCIS, Amelia

The mysterious case of the Widow and the Decorator - The mystery of a lady who left home and was never seen again. Only years…

FRANCIS, Amelia
TIDYMAN, Samuel

Escaped childhood murder!

TIDYMAN, Samuel